GRADEL

[STUHILL]

This isn't a criticism of Pearson as he is doing brilliantly but what has happened to Gradel?! He doesn't even get on the bench anymore and I don't understand why. Surely he is better attacking option than Hayles, Dickov or even Chambers.

With Dyer's continuous below par performances, I was certain Gradel would be re-introduced, at least on the bench anyway.

I just find it a bit strange he can't get a game now, as I do think he has a lot to offer, and even though he went off a bit, so has Dyer and look how Pearson has backed him!

Anyone know or have any ideas? Not heard anything about him being injured or falling out with anybody but I could be wrong.

[maddog]

This isn't a criticism of Pearson as he is doing brilliantly but what has happened to Gradel?! He doesn't even get on the bench anymore and I don't understand why. Surely he is better attacking option than Hayles, Dickov or even Chambers.

With Dyer's continuous below par performances, I was certain Gradel would be re-introduced, at least on the bench anyway.

I just find it a bit strange he can't get a game now, as I do think he has a lot to offer, and even though he went off a bit, so has Dyer and look how Pearson has backed him!

Anyone know or have any ideas? Not heard anything about him being injured or falling out with anybody but I could be wrong.

NP don't like him.

Hes got that coky twat look like Drogba and Anelka

Dyers been shit for months but has bagged some good crucial goals and we are top of the League with him playing, Pearson blatantly doesn't like changing it around too much, and he hasn't really had to because we are winning most games.

[DB11]

Gradel's poor Ronaldo-esque DIVING has made me glad he doesn't play

[Katy]

Gradel's poor Ronaldo-esque DIVING has made me glad he doesn't play

I was upset with him for that at Palace, shame because he doesn't need to do things like that.

[Corky]

NP don't like him.

Hes got that coky twat look like Drogba and Anelka

Dyers been shit for months but has bagged some good crucial goals and we are top of the League with him playing, Pearson blatantly doesn't like changing it around too much, and he hasn't really had to because we are winning most games.

Maybe because he's a Coky-Cola League player?

[General Smuts]

Learn to cross, sort your temperment out, then we'll talk.

[GLC]

Maybe because he's a Coky-Cola League player?

Would be nice to see him on the bench atleast

[Rocky Dennis]

NP don't like him.

Hes got that coky twat look like Drogba and Anelka

Dyers been shit for months but has bagged some good crucial goals and we are top of the League with him playing, Pearson blatantly doesn't like changing it around too much, and he hasn't really had to because we are winning most games.

You should consider journalism when you leave school

[Edmund]

A lot of people have quickly forgotten how much he has had to deal with off the field. You don't know how well he is coping and this could be having an effect on his game. I still think he is very much in nigel's plans and maybe just needs some time.

He is still young and has the potential. Don't forget he has only just signed a new contract.

[General Smuts]

A lot of people have quickly forgotten how much he has had to deal with off the field. You don't know how well he is coping and this could be having an effect on his game. I still think he is very much in nigel's plans and maybe just needs some time.

He is still young and has the potential. Don't forget he has only just signed a new contract.

This is a fair comment and im more than happy to take on board this is why his form is lacking and may account for his temperment issues, however having seen him play before his off the field issues - his crossing has always been pants.

Thracian may be able to confirm this having seen him play more than i have.

[Houdini Logic]

NP don't like him.

Hes got that coky twat look like Drogba and Anelka

Dyers been shit for months but has bagged some good crucial goals and we are top of the League with him playing, Pearson blatantly doesn't like changing it around too much, and he hasn't really had to because we are winning most games.

I don't think that's true, otherwise why would he extend his contract?

Just needs some time...

[StanSP]

Would be nice to see him on the bench atleast

Well you would say that wouldn't you

[Thracian]

This is a fair comment and im more than happy to take on board this is why his form is lacking and may account for his temperment issues, however having seen him play before his off the field issues - his crossing has always been pants.

Thracian may be able to confirm this having seen him play more than i have.

I honestly think Gradel should leave Leicester. In fact unless he can link up with a manager who really believes in attacking football* I think he'd be better playing on the continent than in English football and that may well make his family issues easier too.

Gradel has wasted this season and has been wasted. I have no great criticism of Pearson on the issue. He has a small group of players he feels he can rely on. He's resisted making panic changes if things have gone wrong either for the team or the individuals and by and large that approach has been wise and justified.

Pearson has played to win and has only really made minor modifications to his team along the way - one being that he's rejected the idea of two out and out wingers and chosen instead to use Oakley as a right-side attacker cum utility midfield player.

He was never going to leave Oakley out anyway but the effect has been to retain the ball better and defend more soundly than might be the case with the altogether more risk-taking Gradel.

Being frank I'd doubt Gradel's mixed, but generally indifferent form this season has been due to his family problems. I wonder though if he simply doesn't know how to please Pearson or how to fit in with the manager's style given that he's competing against two players Pearson obviously wants in the team.

The big surprise to me is that Pearson's not used Gradel more from the bench because some of the bench choices he has made have seemed short sighted to me and none of them much likely to change the course of a match.

Gradel needs to play and to feel fit and confident. He needs to feel that people believe in him. Even now his tally of assists is good for the number of minutes he's played and I really wish he was under the wing of someone like Dario Gradi or even Steve Coppell - Gradi because he gets so much out of young players and Coppell because he knows about being a winger.

But he's not so he's just got to knuckle down, work even harder at improving his game and hope that somehow he does what seems to be a rare thing at Leicester - return from being out of favour.

I hope he does. He is an enormously talented player but not necessarily the sort of disciplined, rugged, play-the-averages professional Pearson seems to like.

As for his diving I'd like him to cut it out too. But one warning from Pearson should be able to sort that.

* I don't want that comment to sound as if I don't consider Pearson attack-minded. Unlike Rob Kelly, Pearson always arms our team with sufficient attackers to score goals and to win matches - and both our results and tally of goals scored have reflected that.

But Pearson only commits seriously to attack until we are winning. Once ahead we are more considered. We play disciplined football with plenty of people behind the ball and seek to hit the opposition either on the break or route one via Howard.

We don't ever really push forward as a team and seek to overwhelm the opposition by getting numbers forward like Manchester United when they choose to.

In fact we're not a particularly fast side anyway. We don't have great movement and we certainly don't have much in the way of attacking defenders.

[maddog]

You should consider journalism when you leave school

I had considered it, i just lazily write on here, therefore a high proportion of what i post is not in full sentences, and doesn't make sense

Maybe because he's a Coky-Cola League player?

[jonw88]

So where's Levi Porter then?

[MC Prussian]

In essence, what we're probably all agreeing on is that Max Gradel is not League One material because he's too small, too weak, too quick and still not good enough. He's not physical enough and thus doesn't feature in Pearson's plans - for now.

He should be given a chance out on loan someplace else. Like giving Luton or Bournemouth another boost in their quest for remaining in the Football League.

[StanSP]

In essence, what we're probably all agreeing on is that Max Gradel is not League One material because he's too small, too weak, too quick and still not good enough. He's not physical enough and thus doesn't feature in Pearson's plans - for now.

He should be given a chance out on loan someplace else. Like giving Luton or Bournemouth another boost in their quest for remaining in the Football League.

I can't see how being too quick in football, especially in this league can be a bad thing?

I do agree with the loan option though. It's no use wasting someone's career or at least reducing it by keeping them out of the line-up.

[Edmund]

Being frank I'd doubt Gradel's mixed, but generally indifferent form this season has been due to his family problems. I wonder though if he simply doesn't know how to please Pearson or how to fit in with the manager's style given that he's competing against two players Pearson obviously wants in the team.

Maybe not his form on the pitch but there is more to footballers than just playing on a Saturday. Maybe it has had an effect on his training which then has an impact on him being selected in the squad.

I am another one who doesn't know why he doesn't at least make the bench but I sometimes do wonder if dickov is picked ahead due to wages being spent on him. Even though I questions nigels decison on this I have full trust that he knows better than us and will back his decisions.

[Thracian]

So where's Levi Porter then?

It is significant that no-one ever asks Nigel Pearson that - or at least on rare occasions when the subject is raised they never pursue the point even when they've received a bland and unsatisfactory answer.

I don't believe Porter ever lost his place in our squad for football reasons. And, in form and properly fit, we could certainly do with his presence on the bench right now.

For all our continued points collecting, Walsall apart, we're not playing particularly good football. We're competing, no question and we're remaining difficult to break down but I'd say we're malfunctioning in at least three and often as many as five positions.

And unlike Gradel, Porter is the sort of player who can retain possession. He remains one of the best passers in the club and could greatly help the likes of King, Cleverley and Oakley in delivering some telling passes into the danger area. Cos our bench at the moment looks pretty uninspiring.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

I can't see how being too quick in football, especially in this league can be a bad thing?

I do agree with the loan option though. It's no use wasting someone's career or at least reducing it by keeping them out of the line-up.

I know Gradel's not used atm but say Dyer gets himself injured. We have no other out and out wingers. I know we have either side of midfield players, but no proper wingers, what with Adams still at Rochdale.

[Flynny]

we don't ever really push forward as a team and seek to overwhelm the opposition by getting numbers forward like Manchester United when they choose to.

I have to say I think this is a bit unfair - for a League One team we're very good at going forward as a team and defending as a team. Our movement might not be amazing but it's better than it has been for years and continues to improve as the players learn more about one another.

We were even better at this when Tunchev was at the back, because if it was cleared he'd tee someone up a pass and we'd start again, rather than hoping Howard got his head to it. Luckily the more directly we've played the more committed in the air Howard's looked, in stark contrast to last season.

[MC Prussian]

I can't see how being too quick in football, especially in this league can be a bad thing?

I do agree with the loan option though. It's no use wasting someone's career or at least reducing it by keeping them out of the line-up.

It's got more to do with the fact that speed (and a certain scoring touch) seems to be Gradel's biggest asset at the moment. He's just not physical enough and that's what you need in this league. I do believe though that with time and enough care, he could turn into something really big. He's done really well in League One before and not really given time to flourish. My guess is, should we make it back to the Championship at the end of this season, Gradel will get playing time for a League One outfit once more. On loan.

[General Smuts]

ESSAY.

Suprisingly during all of that there wasn't one mention of his complete inability to beat the first man with a cross.

[Wezleylowski]

It's got more to do with the fact that speed (and a certain scoring touch) seems to be Gradel's biggest asset at the moment. He's just not physical enough and that's what you need in this league. I do believe though that with time and enough care, he could turn into something really big. He's done really well in League Two and not really given time to flourish one level higher. My guess is, should we make it back to the Championship at the end of this season, Gradel will get playing time for a League One outfit. On loan.

He was on loan at a league one club last season, Bournemouth. Think we will have to wait for next season to see Gradel in action. I think his family troubles have really affected him, and rightly so, he's had a lot to deal with. Hopefully he'll get a good pre season under his belt and start the championship brimming with confidence. Fingers crossed we see Maxi fulfill his potential.

[Thracian]

I have to say I think this is a bit unfair - for a League One team we're very good at going forward as a team and defending as a team.

As the years pass and my eyes fade I must have missed it. Or maybe I expect too much.

Yes it was better with Tunchev but he's not around.

We have two full-backs in Gilbert and Mattock who are capable of getting forward and sometimes try to do so but both underachieve. Gilbert looks cumbersome when a bit of control is needed and he looks lost when trying to shoot.

Mattock only rarely drives forward and his crossing/final passes simply don't make enough things happen - no more than they did last season.

As for the centre-backs, Hobbs and Morrison have two goals between them all season and rarely threaten at set-pieces despite Hobbs being one of the best headers of a ball we've had for years.

And we all know about their distribution - we're quite seriously just as likely to lose the ball as keep it when they gain possession in defence and, while I do see Hobbs moving forward with the ball and actually cramping the space in midfield, he just doesn't look confident encough to pass and move like Tunchev nor does he often choose to play early passes on the floor to set attacks in motion.