Are you more confident now

[The People's Hero]

More confident?

Presuming you mean of success I always believed our new leaders would have some impact and that's been the case. Not only have we signed some better players than last season but our young players are a year older, stronger and, presumably wiser.

Martin Allen is clearly a thorough, hard-working, man-motivating manager and MM will presumably be there to plus any obvious deficiencies with his wallet.

But I wouldn't say the friendlies have made me more confident.

Generally the opposition hasn't been good enough.

Some of our signings have disappointed me so far. Cort particularly but there are others too. That may change of course but to me some of our old problems are still there when I thought they'd have been sorted.

Other things have been pleasing.

People look close to being fit. Free kicks have clearly been worked on purposefully even if there's fine tuning to be done. There is dramatically more movement in the side and much more of an inclination to pass our way out of trouble instead of giving the ball away needlessly with thoughtless hoofs.

Midfield is different class to last season, the players seem focused and there is far more competition for places, particularly in attack and midfield.

But, success to me now is top six and I'm still not convinced we're equipped to achieve that. Either tactically or in terms of personnel.

Philosophically too I'm concerned that MA, like many fans, focuses on hardcase football at the expense of skill and effect.

For instance, and this is not a meant as a plug for one over the other, Mattock's rough, ready, driving style is preferred to the cultured football of Sheehan yet it's Sheehan, time and again, who has created the more opportunities. Both are good players but that top six place will not be achieved without all the goals I've talked about.

To me MA needs to focus on the process of us getting those goals. And so far we haven't scored enough for the kind of teams we've been playing, particularly against the better sides.

- 1. 'Demonstrably' not used whilst several older, inferior words with far less impact and presence were bandied about willy-nilly with no real purpose no feeling of intent.

[Jack]

I've only been to the Notts County and the Pompey games and overall we look a good side but the defence concerns me a bit.

[The People's Hero]

This entire thread is a pile of cock. And do you know how difficult it is to pile up cocks? They're shape is not conducive to easy piling and they smell bad too, so not easy to concentrate on the job in hand. Still not as difficult as reading through this naive, simplistic pap though.

[lildave3]

Same

[Geo V]

Pre-season is over-rated! Ive never been bothered with them as they dont really tell us much. Yes its great if strikers score a bag full of goals for confidence and clean sheets for keeper and defenders but it all goes out of the window come kick off as they cant take any of that with them against Blackpool! The only positive I can see is that we seem to have played better in the second half in most games which may mean that they are listening to the team talks and that there fitness levels haven't faltered.

[Sods]

It's nothing to do with the friendlies, I was hoping for around four more players and a couple of decent loans. I still think we'll make Top10 but there is no way we are going to be challenging for a play-off spot at the end of the season just with the current bunch.

I'm certainly happier this season and looking forward to going to games again, but I had secretly hoped for a real barn-storming squad to be assembled (unreasonable I know).

I agree daggers, im quite glad with some of the players being brought in. And exicited by others.

But i really do think were going to miss out on a natural goal scorer. If it was my way i would buy claridge and marshall. But those days i gone. Im looking forward to the season though, but one where i think top half is more reachable then play offs. I think its a big season for a lot of players, Fryatt is one definately but pre season sounds like its been good for him.

[Raj]

Pre-season is over-rated! Ive never been bothered with them as they dont really tell us much. Yes its great if strikers score a bag full of goals for confidence and clean sheets for keeper and defenders but it all goes out of the window come kick off as they cant take any of that with them against Blackpool! The only positive I can see is that we seem to have played better in the second half in most games which may mean that they are listening to the team talks and that there fitness levels haven't faltered.

Who wouldn't listen to one of Ma's teams talks??

The guy is crazy!

Probably threatened them with swimming the River Soar...nude....at midnight....maybe

[Geo V]

Who wouldn't listen to one of Ma's teams talks??

The guy is crazy!

Probably threatened them with swimming the River Soar...nude....at midnight....maybe

Im sure we will hear plenty more madness from MA throughout the season. Mars Bars and BBQ sets FFS!

[Raj]

Im sure we will hear plenty more madness from MA throughout the season. Mars Bars and BBQ sets FFS!

I can just see it now (AFTER he has steered us to Promotion! )

On sale at the LCFC Megastore priced at £19.99 The Best BitS of MA.(DVD) The bits they couldn't air on Central News/BBC Radio Leicester!!

! ONLY WHILE STOCKS LAST!!!

[Blue Bob]

I think we have got through preseason without any major injuries, De Vries and Kenton seem to have grabbed their chance and seem to be playing better. Fitness is improving, the Scotland trip seemed to have gone well, the strikers have got a few goals for confidence. The youngsters have had a run out with the main squad.

Sure we lost to Portsmouth but they have a far better team than we do so who is suprised, Cort is injured but most of you predicted that one!!!

The fun starts Saturday - that will be the start of the proof of a good preseason.

[filbertway]

Meh, you can't really say now, it'd be madness it would.

At least wait till 6/7 games in before you make a judgement.

[He's not bald]

More confident?

Presuming you mean of success I always believed our new leaders would have some impact and that's been the case. Not only have we signed some better players than last season but our young players are a year older, stronger and, presumably wiser.

Martin Allen is clearly a thorough, hard-working, man-motivating manager and MM will presumably be there to plus any obvious deficiencies with his wallet.

But I wouldn't say the friendlies have made me more confident.

Generally the opposition hasn't been good enough.

Some of our signings have disappointed me so far. Cort particularly but there are others too. That may change of course but to me some of our old problems are still there when I thought they'd have been sorted.

Other things have been pleasing.

People look close to being fit. Free kicks have clearly been worked on purposefully even if there's fine tuning to be done. There is dramatically more movement in the side and much more of an inclination to pass our way out of trouble instead of giving the ball away needlessly with thoughtless hoofs.

Midfield is different class to last season, the players seem focused and there is far more competition for places, particularly in attack and midfield.

But, success to me now is top six and I'm still not convinced we're equipped to achieve that. Either tactically or in terms of personnel.

Philosophically too I'm concerned that MA, like many fans, focuses on hardcase football at the expense of skill and effect.

For instance, and this is not a meant as a plug for one over the other, Mattock's rough, ready, driving style is preferred to the cultured football of Sheehan yet it's Sheehan, time and again, who has created the more opportunities. Both are good players but that top six place will not be achieved without all the goals I've talked about.

To me MA needs to focus on the process of us getting those goals. And so far we haven't scored enough for the kind of teams we've been playing, particularly against the better sides.

Blimey Thrac..Kilmarnock were useful and Portsmouth were a class act (hate saying that but it's true)..what opposition did you want then?

[filbertway]

Blimey Thrac..Kilmarnock were useful and Portsmouth were a class act (hate saying that but it's true)..what opposition did you want then?

Erm

Oadby, Quorn, Hinckley, Partick, Cambridge, Cheltenham are the generally bit.

[Thracian]

Blimey Thrac..Kilmarnock were useful and Portsmouth were a class act (hate saying that but it's true)..what opposition did you want then?

I did say generally. Had we played Mansfield eight of the games - Oadby, Quorn, Hinckley, Notts County, Mansfield, Partick, Cheltenham and Cambridge were/would have been against indifferent opponents. I accept that Hinckley represents a goodwill fixture as we use their facilities for friendlies.

[Ric Flair]

Difficult to assess over pre-season, infact I hate pre-season other than for the signings. Friendlies are a bag of shite, but I appreciate that they are needed to get prepared for the coming season.

Happy with some of the signings, the others i've not really seen before so i'm obviously interested to see what they can all do.

Top half finish is what I think we'll get, anything more is a bonus and we shouldn't lose focus of that even if Mandaric and Allen are gunning for promotion as I think it's difficult to smash a top 6 with a whole new squad and a squad that's by no means the finished article.

[Toby or not Toby]

Difficult to assess over pre-season, infact I hate pre-season other than for the signings. Friendlies are a bag of shite, but I appreciate that they are needed to get prepared for the coming season.

Happy with some of the signings, the others i've not really seen before so i'm obviously interested to see what they can all do.

Top half finish is what I think we'll get, anything more is a bonus and we shouldn't lose focus of that even if Mandaric and Allen are gunning for promotion as I think it's difficult to smash a top 6 with a whole new squad and a squad that's by no means the finished article.

Pretty much a spot on assessment that!

[Geo V]

How can games that have little on them as there are no points or cup progression to fight over EVER made been a guide to how things will pan out during the season proper??! Dont take them too seriously. As others have said, lets see how the lads link up over the first half dozen games but whether we win or lose it will have little to do with the quality of opposition we face in pre-season.

[dandannieldanok]

Same, or perhaps even less so with the failure to adress the left hand side problem, I know we have Mattock, Sheehan and Hayes but with the squad numbers given to them they don't seem to be in total favour yet.

[Thracian]

Same, or perhaps even less so with the failure to adress the left hand side problem, I know we have Mattock, Sheehan and Hayes but with the squad numbers given to them they don't seem to be in total favour yet.

Chambers seems to be in favour but from everything I've seen in pre-season he's not a patch on Sheehan/Mattock or even Beswick at left-back.

Everytime I see Beswick I feel he deserves a mention. He hasn't had much time in the friendlies but MA seems to like the idea of having two interchanging full-backs on the left side.

Having played one good game, Beswick was given 15/20 minutes or so against Cambridge and, again, he looked extremely positive, turning up in the attacking box on various occasions and being inches off scoring.

Although he's not had first team games, he's played lots of football and is always constructively involved. To me he's the opposite of Hughes. Hughes has lots of touches but nothing seems to result but when Beswick gets the ball something invariably happens.

It's not that he's especially eyecatching. He takes the minimum of touches before whipping a cross or steering a pass into somewhere dangerous.

To me Sheehan's currently top choice left-back judging by the friendlies but all three would be better there than Chambers and you could easily use Beswick as a realistic interchanging full-back/winger because left wing is his specialist position.

Along with Sheehan he's probably the best crosser in the club. He's a natural left-footer, he scores a few, he can pass, and he works hard.

Better than Porter? On the wing, probably yes. And certainly if interchanging as a full-back.

This is not meant as a big plug for the guy but if Chambers really is in the frame for left-back then, to me, it is one serious emergency.

I'm happy with him on the right but left-back? No thanks.