Blackpool rock on....

[Koke]

Translation: I believe a win at Blackpool, blah blah, strong victory over Palace.

Or something along those lines

[reynard]

Plenty of teams have played to win and score goals without having Arsenal's resources or Manchester United's. And even with their resources Arsenal haven't always played like they do, they've adopted an approach and shown some faith in it.

There is NOTHING to stop any team attacking, look at little Havant and Waterlooville. Or even Yeovil not so long back. Or Portsmouth.

What varies is the personality of managers. Some have the nerve to attack and do all they can to facilitate attacking. Others want to but, when they're up against it, they never quite have the nerve to see the policy through. We'll see soon which sort Holloway is.

Great. let's score 2 every game but let in 5 at the same time! yeovil that great force in football who failed in the playoffs last season because they couldn't defend.

I respect your opinion of our youngsters because I know you watch them a lot but I can't agree with you about them. You cry out for more pace and rightly so but none of them you would like to play have it.

basically we can play the youngsters and we will be relegated no question.

Let's look at them individually shall we

Shush! a supposed left back whose weakness is defending and lack of pace and not too good in the air. Some good set pieces but that is just about it.

Weso overrated in my opinion. Offers nothing going forwardand injured more often than not.

king 1 great goal but has looked short of confidence and abilty to play at this level. ponderous on the ball and offers little attacking options.

Porter a winger who can't cross and in his several appearances never that's right never got to the byline to deliver a cross. has a bit of pace but that is all.

Chambers completely inexperienced average first touch and simply miles and miles away from being ready at this level.

Mattock peraps the best of the bunch but major lack of pace and not good in the air. half decent left foot but not great at crossing.

Fryatt quick feet but you have slagged him off enough for me not to go on.

And so it goes. The simple fact unpalatable though it may be is that this crop of youngsters are not as good as people think they are. They have not been the answer and are currently not the answer and are unlikely to be the answer.

As for attacking football then yes obviously we would all like to see that but not at the expense of relegation. The performance on Monday was indeed an ugly one but ultimately successful. We could of course played the old formation of 2-3-5 and been commpletely slaughtered. palace were the form side of the division unbeaten in 15 games averaging 2.68 points a game from the last 6. On the other hand Coventry are now bottom of the current form league and we were able to atack them more. Horses for courses. At the moment we need points and whilst I would prefer us to play attacking free flowing football we don't have the players to do that and I want to see us win at the moment more than see us lose in the usual gallant british manner.

[Thracian]

Great. let's score 2 every game but let in 5 at the same time! yeovil that great force in football who failed in the playoffs last season because they couldn't defend.

I respect your opinion of our youngsters because I know you watch them a lot but I can't agree with you about them. You cry out for more pace and rightly so but none of them you would like to play have it.

basically we can play the youngsters and we will be relegated no question.

Let's look at them individually shall we

Shush! a supposed left back whose weakness is defending and lack of pace and not too good in the air. Some good set pieces but that is just about it.

Weso overrated in my opinion. Offers nothing going forwardand injured more often than not.

king 1 great goal but has looked short of confidence and abilty to play at this level. ponderous on the ball and offers little attacking options.

Porter a winger who can't cross and in his several appearances never that's right never got to the byline to deliver a cross. has a bit of pace but that is all.

Chambers completely inexperienced average first touch and simply miles and miles away from being ready at this level.

Mattock peraps the best of the bunch but major lack of pace and not good in the air. half decent left foot but not great at crossing.

Fryatt quick feet but you have slagged him off enough for me not to go on.

And so it goes. The simple fact unpalatable though it may be is that this crop of youngsters are not as good as people think they are. They have not been the answer and are currently not the answer and are unlikely to be the answer.

As for attacking football then yes obviously we would all like to see that but not at the expense of relegation. The performance on Monday was indeed an ugly one but ultimately successful. We could of course played the old formation of 2-3-5 and been commpletely slaughtered. palace were the form side of the division unbeaten in 15 games averaging 2.68 points a game from the last 6. On the other hand Coventry are now bottom of the current form league and we were able to atack them more. Horses for courses. At the moment we need points and whilst I would prefer us to play attacking free flowing football we don't have the players to do that and I want to see us win at the moment more than see us lose in the usual gallant british manner.

How can you keep a straight face saying that when we've long made an art form of losing or bore-drawing less than gallantly with lots of senior players in the side and sometimes eight defenders on the pitch.

You should be talking to Kelly, Levein, Megson or even Holloway, not me. We've had years of going for 0-0 or 1-0 and not getting it. And that includes Holloway.

Besides I've just watched Manchester United surging forward in numbers and getting "hammered" by Portsmouth.

You're clearly one of those people who equate attacking football with risk and defeat. There would never be a right time to play it. Well I've got news for you. This club will have to make its mind up to attack soon for two reasons.

1) Because we'll never get anywhere without attacking and scoring far more goals than at present and

2) Because MM will only put up with boring football for so long if I'm reading his mood right.

As for the young players I don't want to discuss them at all because your view is formed, because my own views are well documented and because I've promised to help to keep the Peace.

Yes I feel neutered, gagged, call it what you will, and I'd love to defend them vigourously, but that's the situation.

Perhaps you should run a thread about closing the Academy if that's how your feel but, before you do, you might first consider what Stearman and Mattock are supposedly worth, and rising. Or the (presumably) paceless Gradel?. Or even the "ever-injured" Wesolowski.

And what, by comparison, the likes of so many older players were worth after drawing decent wages and moving out recently as failures almost to a man.

Yes, I've far more faith in the current crop of seniors, but that's no reason to undervalue young players who have mostly done exceedingly well in difficult conditions to help keep our team in the Championship over both this season and last and who will continue to make further contributions given chance and better players around them.

[MPH]

Plenty of teams have played to win and score goals without having Arsenal's resources or Manchester United's. And even with their resources Arsenal haven't always played like they do, they've adopted an approach and shown some faith in it.

There is NOTHING to stop any team attacking, look at little Havant and Waterlooville. Or even Yeovil not so long back. Or Portsmouth.

What varies is the personality of managers. Some have the nerve to attack and do all they can to facilitate attacking. Others want to but, when they're up against it, they never quite have the nerve to see the policy through. We'll see soon which sort Holloway is.

yep. newcastle are doing great at that right now.....

[jae-ols]

Valerenga?

Hva er det du mener? Var jeg uklar?

[jae-ols]

Hva er det du mener? Var jeg uklar?

Rosenborg.

[jae-ols]

Hva er det du mener? Var jeg uklar?

[reynard]

besides I've just watched Manchester United surging forward in numbers and getting "hammered" by Portsmouth.

You're clearly one of those people who equate attacking football with risk and defeat. There would never be a right time to play it. Well I've got news for you. This club will have to make its mind up to attack soon for two reasons.

1) Because we'll never get anywhere without attacking and scoring far more goals than at present and

2) Because MM will only put up with boring football for so long if I'm reading his mood right.

As for the young players I don't want to discuss them at all because your view is formed, because my own views are well documented and because I've promised to help to keep the Peace.

Yes I feel neutered, gagged, call it what you will, and I'd love to defend them vigourously, but that's the situation.

Perhaps you should run a thread about closing the Academy if that's how your feel but, before you do, you might first consider what Stearman and Mattock are supposedly worth, and rising. Or the (presumably) paceless Gradel?. Or even the "ever-injured" Wesolowski.

1Yes, I've far more faith in the current crop of seniors, but that's no reason to undervalue young players who have mostly done exceedingly well in difficult conditions to help keep our team in the Championship over both this season and last and who will continue to make further contributions given chance and better players around them.

1 Are you seriously trying to compare us with Man utd? yes they play some great foortball but then they have spent a fortune on buying the best players in the world. By the way not many of the current 1st team are from their academy.

2 You shouldn't feel neutered. This is a forum for discussion. as I said I respect your views on the young players but at the moment I do not happen to agree with you.

3 I agree with you that we need to score more goals. However, the tactics againts palace were correct in my opinion and produced the result we needed. By the way you really have no idea whether or not I equate attacking football with risk and defeat. I do believe that a manager should be able to adapt tactics to suit the opposition. After all we won the League cup by stiffling a more attacking side in Middlesborough but I doubt any fans would swap that victory for having played a good expansive game resulting in defeat.

4 as far as closing the academy i am not in favour but there are legitimate debates going on in the professional football world as to the relative cost effective worth of academies. There can be no argument that the youngsters have done well at their level but there is a massive gap between that and the first team. As for the value of mattock or Stearman I'm not sure how much they are worth but when premier clubs come queuing up and paying 6million like Spurs did for gareth Bale then I know we will have youth players of outstanding ability good enough to take us to the next level.

[Thracian]

1 Are you seriously trying to compare us with Man utd? yes they play some great foortball but then they have spent a fortune on buying the best players in the world. By the way not many of the current 1st team are from their academy.

2 You shouldn't feel neutered. This is a forum for discussion. as I said I respect your views on the young players but at the moment I do not happen to agree with you.

3 I agree with you that we need to score more goals. However, the tactics againts palace were correct in my opinion and produced the result we needed. By the way you really have no idea whether or not I equate attacking football with risk and defeat. I do believe that a manager should be able to adapt tactics to suit the opposition. After all we won the League cup by stiffling a more attacking side in Middlesborough but I doubt any fans would swap that victory for having played a good expansive game resulting in defeat.

4 as far as closing the academy i am not in favour but there are legitimate debates going on in the professional football world as to the relative cost effective worth of academies. There can be no argument that the youngsters have done well at their level but there is a massive gap between that and the first team. As for the value of mattock or Stearman I'm not sure how much they are worth but when premier clubs come queuing up and paying 6million like Spurs did for gareth Bale then I know we will have youth players of outstanding ability good enough to take us to the next level.

:D

1) Would that I could compare us with Manchester United. But of course I'm not. I was simply pointing out a passing example of commitment to attack not resulting in a hammering...not for United anyway. I'd also imagine most of their players came from someone's Academy or its equivalent and it was Academy players who did so much to kick-start United's journey towards their current status.

2) I have no problem whatsoever with you disagreeing with me. It's not altogether a novel experience. You put your case well and make some excellent points.

3) None of us can guess the outcome of any match had different tactics been used. As for adapting tactics to suit the opposition there will always be cases when that would be necessary but, generally, I'd rather the opposition were worrying about us.

We've put ourselves in a position where we've had very limited tactical options anyway and I doubt those options will result in scoring enough goals to achieve things.

For the first time in years yes, there are signs of improvement, but not enough bearing in mind the money MM has thrown at the problem. We still lack far too many things including the pace we're both concerned about.

[The People's Hero]

Thracian - you're wasted on here.

Go and manage an under 13's side or something and leave us in peace.

Once you've won the FA Cup with a minnow, come back and fair enough, you'll have proven us wrong.

But what you say doesn't even stand up in real life. It's the stuff of dreams. The ramblings of an out of touch fantasist.

If Manchester United give you so much enjoyment - just watch them - it's simple. You torture yourself with LCFC because you're unrealistic and you expect too much. I know that in days gone by we played entertaining free-flowing football but times have changed Thracian. We are Leicester and we play turgid, but often quick paced, attritional football. Our games are decided by defensive mistakes etc rather than flashes of inspiration. There is no space in the Championship for some of the things you advocate, like defenders who can't defend but can shoot and midfielders who don't bother tracking back but can swing a sexy (but ultimately pointless) cross field ball.

I almost admire your dogged persistence and enthusiasm but I really wish you would at least admit that whilst we'd all love to see a free flowing approach from Leicester - it's not going to happen anytime soon as this is a results business and the game has changed so much since your youth.

[Fez of Mahrez]

Shush!

[Thracian]

Thracian - you're wasted on here.

Go and manage an under 13's side or something and leave us in peace.

Once you've won the FA Cup with a minnow, come back and fair enough, you'll have proven us wrong.

But what you say doesn't even stand up in real life. It's the stuff of dreams. The ramblings of an out of touch fantasist.

If Manchester United give you so much enjoyment - just watch them - it's simple. You torture yourself with LCFC because you're unrealistic and you expect too much. I know that in days gone by we played entertaining free-flowing football but times have changed Thracian. We are Leicester and we play turgid, but often quick paced, attritional football. Our games are decided by defensive mistakes etc rather than flashes of inspiration. There is no space in the Championship for some of the things you advocate, like defenders who can't defend but can shoot and midfielders who don't bother tracking back but can swing a sexy (but ultimately pointless) cross field ball.

I almost admire your dogged persistence and enthusiasm but I really wish you would at least admit that whilst we'd all love to see a free flowing approach from Leicester - it's not going to happen anytime soon as this is a results business and the game has changed so much since your youth.

As you virtually gave up on City not many months ago I won't put you in this bracket but most City fans simply want us to be successful.

Judging by his investment that applies to Mandaric.

And the ONLY way we will be successful is by scoring 75/80-odd goals a season.

Free-flowing and pretty doesn't come into it.

And you insult our accomplished teams of the past if you imagine they didn't have to fight for their successes and fight damned hard at places like Anfield in an era when football had not been reduced to a virtually non-contact sport.

PS: I'm not supposed to be speaking to you but you don't make it easy. I'll try again.

[Lillehamring]

Jeg tror på seier over Blackpool. Leicester er i siget nå. Sterk seier over Palace.

not bad karim -

i think we'll beat blackpool, leicester are on a roll now, a good win over palace

[The People's Hero]

As you virtually gave up on City not many months ago I won't put you in this bracket but most City fans simply want us to be successful.

Judging by his investment that applies to Mandaric.

And the ONLY way we will be successful is by scoring 75/80-odd goals a season.

Free-flowing and pretty doesn't come into it.

And you insult our accomplished teams of the past if you imagine they didn't have to fight for their successes and fight damned hard at places like Anfield in an era when football had not been reduced to a virtually non-contact sport.

PS: I'm not supposed to be speaking to you but you don't make it easy. I'll try again.

I don't insult those teams of the past. I didn't see them play.

My earliest real memories of a city side were under Little... and then McGhee etc. Our must successful period for myself was under O'Neill. Even then we threatened mainly from set pieces, played a rigid 4-4-2 or a very organised and hard-working 5-3-2 system. We were never particularly expansive.

What I'm suggesting Thracian is that you do not fully comprehend the way football is these days. You namecheck Manchester United - but that's a bad example. Many of their wins this season have been hard fought, ground out wins by a one goal margin. Chelsea too. Arsenal are the exception and I agree, they are an absolute joy to watch. That is the pinnacle, it is something to aspire to, but being realistic (which I feel is the gulf between us) we're a Championship side who's strength lies in a strong, organised, solid defence and a good quality central midfield. Arsenal's players are all extremely comfortable with the ball at their feet.

But that's what you get when you can PINCH a YOUTH player from BARCELONA.

There is a gulf of quality.

I can't fault your dreams and your reluctance to let go of idealism, but it doesn't translate in to the situation which LCFC find themselves in.

[Thracian]

I don't insult those teams of the past. I didn't see them play.

My earliest real memories of a city side were under Little... and then McGhee etc. Our must successful period for myself was under O'Neill. Even then we threatened mainly from set pieces, played a rigid 4-4-2 or a very organised and hard-working 5-3-2 system. We were never particularly expansive.

What I'm suggesting Thracian is that you do not fully comprehend the way football is these days. You namecheck Manchester United - but that's a bad example. Many of their wins this season have been hard fought, ground out wins by a one goal margin. Chelsea too. Arsenal are the exception and I agree, they are an absolute joy to watch. That is the pinnacle, it is something to aspire to, but being realistic (which I feel is the gulf between us) we're a Championship side who's strength lies in a strong, organised, solid defence and a good quality central midfield. Arsenal's players are all extremely comfortable with the ball at their feet.

But that's what you get when you can PINCH a YOUTH player from BARCELONA.

There is a gulf of quality.

I can't fault your dreams and your reluctance to let go of idealism, but it doesn't translate in to the situation which LCFC find themselves in.

You can spin it how you like and you can somehow imagine my idea of football to be less than combative (which might raise a laugh from my friends) but we will still need to score those goals I mentioned.

You call it idealism, I call it realism.

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

You can spin it how you like and you can somehow imagine my idea of football to be less than combative (which might raise a laugh from my friends) but we will still need to score those goals I mentioned.

You call it idealism, I call it realism.

Why do you have to make every topic into the Thracian show, with your samish boring ramblings about the same old shit. It' s boring and makes this forum somewhat tiresome. I appreciate you're entitled to your opinion and thats what makes a good forum, but the last three or four threads I have looked at, it is you going on about 70 goals, Shush! and the need for pace.

Anyway, onto more pressing matters I think we will win at Blackpool confidence should be high and I can see us winning 2-1 or something like that. I'll be there gonna try and get there early and get on the front row too.

[The People's Hero]

I think we'll win at Blackpool, too.

Be interesting to see who IH goes with upfront.

[Thracian]

Why do you have to make every topic into the Thracian show, with your samish boring ramblings about the same old shit. It' s boring and makes this forum somewhat tiresome. I appreciate you're entitled to your opinion and thats what makes a good forum, but the last three or four threads I have looked at, it is you going on about 70 goals, Shush! and the need for pace.

Anyway, onto more pressing matters I think we will win at Blackpool confidence should be high and I can see us winning 2-1 or something like that. I'll be there gonna try and get there early and get on the front row too.

Welcome back. How long you staying this time?

[Manwell Pablo]

As you virtually gave up on City not many months ago I won't put you in this bracket but most City fans simply want us to be successful.

Judging by his investment that applies to Mandaric.

And the ONLY way we will be successful is by scoring 75/80-odd goals a season.

Free-flowing and pretty doesn't come into it.

And you insult our accomplished teams of the past if you imagine they didn't have to fight for their successes and fight damned hard at places like Anfield in an era when football had not been reduced to a virtually non-contact sport.

PS: I'm not supposed to be speaking to you but you don't make it easy. I'll try again.

Thats not true at all.

[Fez of Mahrez]

I think we'll win at Blackpool, too.

Be interesting to see who IH goes with upfront.

Presumably Howard and Hayles again. I can't see him dropping Big Bazza. Possibly see Bori on the left instead of Laczko. Could do with another winger in today IMO.

[andyh1884]

I think we'll win at Blackpool, too.

Be interesting to see who IH goes with upfront.

I'd expect Hayles & Howard, he's intimated that away from home the team will be more physical so I'd expect to see Hayles start with Campbell given a bit longer 2nd half.

[Fez of Mahrez]

Yeah that bit about having to score 75-80 goals is utter bollocks, especially when we have the joint best defensive record in the league.

[James.]

Presumably Howard and Hayles again. I can't see him dropping Big Bazza. Possibly see Bori on the left instead of Laczko. Could do with another winger in today IMO.

I don't want to see Hume on the wing. Doesn't do him justice. Maybe he'll play both Hungarians and bring Hume on for Hayles later on when he starts to tire.

I dunno. You're right though Baz will more than likely start.

[The People's Hero]

I don't want to see Hume on the wing. Doesn't do him justice. Maybe he'll play both Hungarians and bring Hume on for Hayles later on when he starts to tire.

I dunno. You're right though Baz will more than likely start.

This is the (welcome) selection puzzle up front.

Hume is strongest up front (albeit when dropping a little) - which is Howard's strength too as a bit of a target man.

Howard and Hayles aren't a natural partnership - but have been effective-ish in parts.

DJ coming back to fitness bringing the elusive pace.

We'll see.

[James.]

This is the (welcome) selection puzzle up front.

Hume is strongest up front (albeit when dropping a little) - which is Howard's strength too as a bit of a target man.

Howard and Hayles aren't a natural partnership - but have been effective-ish in parts.

DJ coming back to fitness bringing the elusive pace.

We'll see.

Ideally Howard and Hume for me. Bring Campbell/Hayles on later. We need to be getting DJ back into the frame, his pace could be important later in a game as could Hayles' strength.