The Reality is........ well the way i see it

[Sedders4]

Ok, I am a newbie so please forgive me for coming on here and basically telling everybody how i see it. I hope that the majority of you will agree to what I have to say.

The backbone of the side is all wrong. From my personal experience you need a strong keeper, a commanding centre half next to Hobbs (who is still brilliant), a battling big midfielder, and a good big pacey centre forward. Without these i think we will struggle and so far it is plain to see we have struggled.

As for the team he has played so far.......

Defence

Moreno is clearly not a centre half, he is just too weak and cant win in the air. Lamey looks far too laid back and Neilson was playing well (hate to say it) so why drop him, he must be well p****d! Berner looks unfit at the minute. Hobbs needs support.

Midfield

Against middlesborough he played 3 centre mids and dyer. The shape was bad and we were always exposed down one side. Pearson played king, wellens and oakley for a good 6-8 games at the beginning of last year and it didnt work and he had to change it. Saturday he played a flat 4 across the midfield. Oakley shouldnt be playing, he is past it and can somebody explain why he is captain???i dont think he played for the last 2-3 months of last season so why now?King has potential but I am not a huge fan. Yes he gets a few goals but he doesnt work hard enough, lacks pace, doesnt tackle or head and whenever he gets it he plays a 5 yard pass to whoever is near him and disappears for another 5 minutes. Dyer again doesnt work hard enough, yes he has pace but he is so frustrating to watch off the ball. (please do this next game when he loses the ball). Wellens is our creative player and constantly wants the ball, our best centre midfielder. Nguessan had a good game sat but is too hot and cold and is not going to step up to the mark. Gallagher has premiership class and should always play wide right.

Attack

Ok so DJ is surrounded by a big question mark at the minute. If he goes good luck to him but after middlesborough he should still play every game. He is exactly what we missed last year, someone who scares defenders with pace and opens the defence up. James Vaughan also showed this when on loan and would be a good signing. Howard has to stop playing. He is past it, his goal scoring rate is abismal and his only attribute is his aerial ability to which he still manages to foul the defender 90% of the time and then moans and gets booked. The rumour that he might get a contract extension is worrying. Fryatt scores goals but again lacks pace. When he came on against middlesborough the game went stale and we didnt look like scoring and against reading the 1st 3 times he got the ball he gave it away. Get him the service in the 18 yard box and thats where he can cause damage but too many times you see him miss one on ones and giving the ball away.

The new signings will take time to settle but so far it doesnt look good, even though moussa looked lively when he came on. I always question a manager when he brings in freebies from teams who got relegated the previous year or who you have never heard of. If we are a premiership club in waiting then we need to start signing premiership fringe players, or take advantage of the loan market and get good premier league players in. Pearson did this well, vaughan, waghorn, spearing, cleverley, davies. Bostock for hull. Players who would make a great young footballing team.

So the next two days is make or break to see what we will have until January. You might not believe it but I am optimistic we will get it right, but we dont have long to start getting results if we want to replicate last seasons play off place. After all we need to 'keep the faith'..............

Just to reflect on people who keep saying sack sousa and get o neill back. Have a reality check, why would we want our greatest manager in history back?if he failed he would no longer be the same amazing manager. He should remain in the history books as a Leicester legend.

[Bob Farley]

Plus, why would oneil want to come back?

[wurmer]

Anyone who thinks that Martin O'Neill would be even remotely interested in coming back to Leicester are seriously deluded.

He was a great manager, but we were but a stepping stone in his career.

Harsh but true.

[davieG]

Disagree on your views about, King, Wellens and Gallagher.

King does more than 5 yard passes and passes quickly and rarely gives it away, heads the ball and closes people down instead of tackling

Wellens gives the ball away a lot, is also robbed because he's too slow and thus slows any break from the back down.

Gallagher may as well not be playing if he's wide right and is best employed in the hole behind the striker with support from midfield, preferably King

Witness the difference between the 1st and 2nd halves against Leeds.

[OutFoxing-Cov-Since1884]

Well, I do agree with one thing you are saying mate, something is fundementally wrong but I don't think it is Paulo's management. A person who takes Swansea to 1 place outside the playoffs and takes QPR to their best start to a season until this year - for a number of years - after a similar start we have made, indicates that his managerial quota takes time to implement (not forgetting he's never been at a club longer than 1 year by choice or not thus far). However, I doubt seriously if he was useless, he would have ever been asked by Carlos Queiroz to assist him as he started out on the national front for Portugal.

My opinion is as thus. Paulo likes passing football, like me. He is a purist of the game and when push comes to shuv, most of these players he has inherited have the skill factor of a cow being asked to weightbear in a field. So, how will he succeed?

Buy players who play passing football, as he has done so far and let them play in their proper positions. As for people like Jack, he is a quality player, but does look slightly unfit this year. So maybe, it is now time for people like him to look at themselves and think, I am a good player, now I want to show Liverpool why I am a quality one!

P.S. Final Point - Our best manager Martin O'Neill only came good at the final hurdle of the 1995/96 season and as they say, the rest was history...

[Sedders4]

It's just very frustrating watching the team you love struggle. Sousa has bought something different to the side and its better than a big hoof up the field. We just need a few things changing, and i think it really comes down to signing a strong centre half next to hobbs, a quality grafting creative centre midfielder, and a big pacey (i really hate playing against you) striker.

[OriginalRobboFOX]

Ok, I am a newbie ...

Bore off! There are already threads for this drivel. Stop being a thread whore!

[Sedders4]

Well please point me in the right direction as like i said i am a newbie! I thought forums were a tool for creating constructive discussions on a topic? If you have nothing constructive to say then don't reply.

[OutFoxing-Cov-Since1884]

It's just very frustrating watching the team you love struggle. Sousa has bought something different to the side and its better than a big hoof up the field. We just need a few things changing, and i think it really comes down to signing a strong centre half next to hobbs, a quality grafting creative centre midfielder, and a big pacey (i really hate playing against you) striker.

[davieG]

Bore off! There are already threads for this drivel. Stop being a thread whore!

Back off if you're not interested don't open it or post in it. If there's sufficient interest it will survive if not it will die, your contribution doesn't help either way.

[doughnut]

Ok, I am a newbie so please forgive me for coming on here and basically telling everybody how i see it. I hope that the majority of you will agree to what I have to say.

The backbone of the side is all wrong. From my personal experience you need a strong keeper, a commanding centre half next to Hobbs (who is still brilliant), a battling big midfielder, and a good big pacey centre forward. Without these i think we will struggle and so far it is plain to see we have struggled.

As for the team he has played so far.......

Defence

Moreno is clearly not a centre half, he is just too weak and cant win in the air. Lamey looks far too laid back and Neilson was playing well (hate to say it) so why drop him, he must be well p****d! Berner looks unfit at the minute. Hobbs needs support.

Midfield

Against middlesborough he played 3 centre mids and dyer. The shape was bad and we were always exposed down one side. Pearson played king, wellens and oakley for a good 6-8 games at the beginning of last year and it didnt work and he had to change it. Saturday he played a flat 4 across the midfield. Oakley shouldnt be playing, he is past it and can somebody explain why he is captain???i dont think he played for the last 2-3 months of last season so why now?King has potential but I am not a huge fan. Yes he gets a few goals but he doesnt work hard enough, lacks pace, doesnt tackle or head and whenever he gets it he plays a 5 yard pass to whoever is near him and disappears for another 5 minutes. Dyer again doesnt work hard enough, yes he has pace but he is so frustrating to watch off the ball. (please do this next game when he loses the ball). Wellens is our creative player and constantly wants the ball, our best centre midfielder. Nguessan had a good game sat but is too hot and cold and is not going to step up to the mark. Gallagher has premiership class and should always play wide right.

Attack

Ok so DJ is surrounded by a big question mark at the minute. If he goes good luck to him but after middlesborough he should still play every game. He is exactly what we missed last year, someone who scares defenders with pace and opens the defence up. James Vaughan also showed this when on loan and would be a good signing. Howard has to stop playing. He is past it, his goal scoring rate is abismal and his only attribute is his aerial ability to which he still manages to foul the defender 90% of the time and then moans and gets booked. The rumour that he might get a contract extension is worrying. Fryatt scores goals but again lacks pace. When he came on against middlesborough the game went stale and we didnt look like scoring and against reading the 1st 3 times he got the ball he gave it away. Get him the service in the 18 yard box and thats where he can cause damage but too many times you see him miss one on ones and giving the ball away.

The new signings will take time to settle but so far it doesnt look good, even though moussa looked lively when he came on. I always question a manager when he brings in freebies from teams who got relegated the previous year or who you have never heard of. If we are a premiership club in waiting then we need to start signing premiership fringe players, or take advantage of the loan market and get good premier league players in. Pearson did this well, vaughan, waghorn, spearing, cleverley, davies. Bostock for hull. Players who would make a great young footballing team.

So the next two days is make or break to see what we will have until January. You might not believe it but I am optimistic we will get it right, but we dont have long to start getting results if we want to replicate last seasons play off place. After all we need to 'keep the faith'..............

Just to reflect on people who keep saying sack sousa and get o neill back. Have a reality check, why would we want our greatest manager in history back?if he failed he would no longer be the same amazing manager. He should remain in the history books as a Leicester legend.

Spot on with your comments on most of the players you have spoke about.

I aint too sure on Gallacher down the right, i personally like pace out wide and sometimes think gallacher doesnt work hard enough.

Think you are spot on with your comments on Andy King, he goes missing for too many minutes in games for a centre mid but on the other hand he is still young and will still improve.

Got to diasagree with Dave G, i think wellens is quality, him and Hobbs would be my first two names on the team sheet each week.

We need a dominant centre back, we slagged off Wayne Brown last season but hes the kind of player we need, a no nosense centre back who will just go win every header.

Overall though i agree with most of your comments

SOUSA OUT- SEDDERS 4 IN!!!!!!! :giggle: :giggle:

[davieG]

Spot on with your comments on most of the players you have spoke about.

I aint too sure on Gallacher down the right, i personally like pace out wide and sometimes think gallacher doesnt work hard enough.

Think you are spot on with your comments on Andy King, he goes missing for too many minutes in games for a centre mid but on the other hand he is still young and will still improve.

Got to diasagree with Dave G, i think wellens is quality, him and Hobbs would be my first two names on the team sheet each week.

We need a dominant centre back, we slagged off Wayne Brown last season but hes the kind of player we need, a no nosense centre back who will just go win every header.

Overall though i agree with most of your comments

SOUSA OUT- SEDDERS 4 IN!!!!!!! :giggle: :giggle:

I don't think Wellens is a bad player but he's not the Mr Perfection some posters paint him, he has improved over the last few games but he still has the unfortunate habit of trying to be overly clever with his passing when a few more King type passes would suffice and he still too slow to release the ball giving the defence time to get numbers back. It's no use having players like Dyer and N'Guessan down the wings or even Fryatt up front if by the time Wellens has made his mind up they've got defenders all over them.

As for King I've only ever seen him being played in his best position once and that was the 2nd half of the Leeds game, who do you think made the 5 yard sideways pass to Wellens to allow him to score.

[Guest]

I've only watched the Boro and Reading games this season but here's my take:

Sousa isn't a great manager, he has a style in mind but he doesn't have the players to play that style (neither is it a traditional Leicester style - we do like our players to work and run their socks off, closing players down). Nonetheless he has tried to implement his style of play which has so far failed. Not totally, we have some lovely build up play but we don't have any defensive set up with this style and we don't have players in position to finish this style of play off. The players need to be incredibly fit and able to move up and down the field in small groups (and larger formations) continually. Our players turn off too much.

We have lost a lot of good on loan players and not replaced them. Over the last two years it is the on-loan players who have taken the club to the brink of prem football. We have bought a number of players that Sousa believes fits his system, maybe one day we'll see but not yet.

Defence - this is always the most important area for a team with promotion hopes. You can't let other teams score and you need to give the rest of your team the confidence to go out and win games. Weale, Berner, Hobbs, Morrison gave me great confidence in our defence coming into the season but they seem to have no confidence in the system. Hobbs doesn't know who'll be next to him and what mess he'll have to clear up - having said that he is our best player. Weale - seemed to have lost all confidence - I liked him last year but ... Berner is still decent and able to adapt to passing from the back better than the others, mixes it well with the winger in front of him. Morrison has been dropped in favour of a player who doesn't understand defence at all, doesn't know his responsibilities and has no idea what his team mates are doing Moreno may have a role at this club but it is not in central defence and he needs to gel with his teammates and know where they want the ball passing. Lamey seems to be able to defend, I've liked what I see apart from his pass distribution which seems to always be to the opposition. Our passing out of defence is ponderous and inaccurate - it's a big problem for us.

Midfield - Our Midfield needs to work with both our defence and our attack, at the moment it doesn't, it is weak defensively. Wellens is superb, he's a lennon type terrier but he can also pass the ball well and hit a superb shot. He should shoot more. IMO he should be the team captain until Hobbs is ready to take over. he also needs to shut his mouth a little. The Midfield should be set up around Wellens. Oakley has served the club well but his time is past if we want to challenge for a prem place. He would be better sold off to a Div 1 club to lead them to promotion. Andy King - I wasn't impressed with him in the early days but he has shown a good attacking spark. He must develop an "all the time" mentality and then I'm happy for him in midfield. The new Jap defensive Midfielder is exactly what we need to anchor Wellens and King

The others - Can't really say attackers as some of them aren't attackers but netither are they midfielders. Dyer - went he's going forward taking people on he has looked good this season - a danger everytime he has the ball - he has two problems - one he's inconsistant on the attack, sometimes a stunning shot or decent cross other times a lot of nothing; two his defending is questionable, he runs back well at times but all too often just hopes that someone else will do the work. As a team we are very poor against the counter-attack and going backwards. Howard - he really gets some shit on here. He is old, he is not a sprinter (though he puts more effort in at both ends than any other player) but he is integral he is the only player who can get a touch on or control the aimless balls that get thrown up front. He flicks on or tries to hold up everything and he works hard (like a cart horse). He isn't right for Sousa's passing plan but that is far from ready at the city. He also encourages every player. sure I wish he was 10 years younger but he isn't and without him the ball would be in our box a hell of a lot more. Gallagher - I like him, think he has great skill and thought he should have replaced Fryatt last season. He didn't make the most of his chance against Reading though. I wonder if his 20mins are all that he really has and he's not a 90minute player. Hope not though and hope he wins the attacking role alongside Howard. Fryatt, if only he was a stride faster. Having said that I like him more every time I see him. Fryatt has brains, he's an intelligent footballer. reminds me a lot of Teddy Sheringham. We shouldn't seel him because he'll be able to play at the top level for a long time. He has learned how to cause problems despite not having speed. His understanding with Howard makes me think the two of them should start and that Howard should be subbed after 70 mins when he's given his all. NGuessan - I'm still waiting for 3 good games in a row. potential is there but he has to do soemthing with it. DJ - waste of space at the City, it has never worked fo him here - he should leave and good luck to him elsewhere.

Finally have we stopped practicing set pieces. I can see that we do practice a few types of attacking set pieces but defensively we NEVER seem to know where we should be and we've been giving away weak goals.

In short - let's get some serious work in on team defence and get some clean sheets and confidence back. Let's get the link play between the different areas working and then look at our final ball - don't waste it. I've never seen a City side getting into so many good positions but it's been a little while since defensively we've been so bad.

[fleckneymike]

I don't think Wellens is a bad player but he's not the Mr Perfection some posters paint him, he has improved over the last few games but he still has the unfortunate habit of trying to be overly clever with his passing when a few more King type passes would suffice and he still too slow to release the ball giving the defence time to get numbers back. It's no use having players like Dyer and N'Guessan down the wings or even Fryatt up front if by the time Wellens has made his mind up they've got defenders all over them.

Agree. He's often too keen to play the perfect pass rather than being patient and retaining possession. As always the truth lies somewhere between brilliant and inept, he's certainly got the key ingredients for a decent championship midfielder, he's energetic, takes up good positions, always wants/demands the ball from colleagues but his footballing CV tells you there is something missing. For me that missing ingredient is patience and that results in possession being squandered.

[Leicester_Mad]

Anyone who thinks that Martin O'Neill would be even remotely interested in coming back to Leicester are seriously deluded.

He was a great manager, but we were but a stepping stone in his career.

Harsh but true.

5 years is a big stepping stone....he left because the team who he supported came in for him and he always said that he'd leave if they came in at the right time (i.e. his contract expired)

[spirefox]

Anybody who went to Leeds saw a very effective and sucessful line up with Morrison at the back King and Moussa in midfield and Gallagher just behind Howard up front.Why only one of these was retained against Reading has haunted me from the moment I saw the line up and for two nights since.The blindingly obvious conclusions that a) Moreno is not a centre back b) Oakley and Wellens can't play together ,and c) N'Guessen and Dyer both playing leaves the midfield short when the opposition have the ball , seem to be taking time to sink in with our new manager.I only hope they do quickly before we play a good team.

[smudgerfox]

I've only watched the Boro and Reading games this season but here's my take:

Sousa isn't a great manager, he has a style in mind but he doesn't have the players to play that style (neither is it a traditional Leicester style - we do like our players to work and run their socks off, closing players down). Nonetheless he has tried to implement his style of play which has so far failed. Not totally, we have some lovely build up play but we don't have any defensive set up with this style and we don't have players in position to finish this style of play off. The players need to be incredibly fit and able to move up and down the field in small groups (and larger formations) continually. Our players turn off too much.

We have lost a lot of good on loan players and not replaced them. Over the last two years it is the on-loan players who have taken the club to the brink of prem football. We have bought a number of players that Sousa believes fits his system, maybe one day we'll see but not yet.

Defence - this is always the most important area for a team with promotion hopes. You can't let other teams score and you need to give the rest of your team the confidence to go out and win games. Weale, Berner, Hobbs, Morrison gave me great confidence in our defence coming into the season but they seem to have no confidence in the system. Hobbs doesn't know who'll be next to him and what mess he'll have to clear up - having said that he is our best player. Weale - seemed to have lost all confidence - I liked him last year but ... Berner is still decent and able to adapt to passing from the back better than the others, mixes it well with the winger in front of him. Morrison has been dropped in favour of a player who doesn't understand defence at all, doesn't know his responsibilities and has no idea what his team mates are doing Moreno may have a role at this club but it is not in central defence and he needs to gel with his teammates and know where they want the ball passing. Lamey seems to be able to defend, I've liked what I see apart from his pass distribution which seems to always be to the opposition. Our passing out of defence is ponderous and inaccurate - it's a big problem for us.

Midfield - Our Midfield needs to work with both our defence and our attack, at the moment it doesn't, it is weak defensively. Wellens is superb, he's a lennon type terrier but he can also pass the ball well and hit a superb shot. He should shoot more. IMO he should be the team captain until Hobbs is ready to take over. he also needs to shut his mouth a little. The Midfield should be set up around Wellens. Oakley has served the club well but his time is past if we want to challenge for a prem place. He would be better sold off to a Div 1 club to lead them to promotion. Andy King - I wasn't impressed with him in the early days but he has shown a good attacking spark. He must develop an "all the time" mentality and then I'm happy for him in midfield. The new Jap defensive Midfielder is exactly what we need to anchor Wellens and King

The others - Can't really say attackers as some of them aren't attackers but netither are they midfielders. Dyer - went he's going forward taking people on he has looked good this season - a danger everytime he has the ball - he has two problems - one he's inconsistant on the attack, sometimes a stunning shot or decent cross other times a lot of nothing; two his defending is questionable, he runs back well at times but all too often just hopes that someone else will do the work. As a team we are very poor against the counter-attack and going backwards. Howard - he really gets some shit on here. He is old, he is not a sprinter (though he puts more effort in at both ends than any other player) but he is integral he is the only player who can get a touch on or control the aimless balls that get thrown up front. He flicks on or tries to hold up everything and he works hard (like a cart horse). He isn't right for Sousa's passing plan but that is far from ready at the city. He also encourages every player. sure I wish he was 10 years younger but he isn't and without him the ball would be in our box a hell of a lot more. Gallagher - I like him, think he has great skill and thought he should have replaced Fryatt last season. He didn't make the most of his chance against Reading though. I wonder if his 20mins are all that he really has and he's not a 90minute player. Hope not though and hope he wins the attacking role alongside Howard. Fryatt, if only he was a stride faster. Having said that I like him more every time I see him. Fryatt has brains, he's an intelligent footballer. reminds me a lot of Teddy Sheringham. We shouldn't seel him because he'll be able to play at the top level for a long time. He has learned how to cause problems despite not having speed. His understanding with Howard makes me think the two of them should start and that Howard should be subbed after 70 mins when he's given his all. NGuessan - I'm still waiting for 3 good games in a row. potential is there but he has to do soemthing with it. DJ - waste of space at the City, it has never worked fo him here - he should leave and good luck to him elsewhere.

Finally have we stopped practicing set pieces. I can see that we do practice a few types of attacking set pieces but defensively we NEVER seem to know where we should be and we've been giving away weak goals.

In short - let's get some serious work in on team defence and get some clean sheets and confidence back. Let's get the link play between the different areas working and then look at our final ball - don't waste it. I've never seen a City side getting into so many good positions but it's been a little while since defensively we've been so bad.

Isn't it a bit reckless to insist on the style without having the players to play that style? You let off MOF and PS too easily in that regard. And while we're about it we could ask whether there's any evidence that playing a flowing passing open game gets you out of the Championship and into the Premiership? None of the teams that went up last season fitted that description and I can think of few examples in recent years. So we're playing a style of football which isn't suited to the squad and which isn't guaranteed to bring success anyway. So why have we changed so radically, so quickly?

The on loan players were crucial and haven't been replaced. Agreed. Waghorn, Spearing, were big losses, either Brown or Bruce alongside Hobbs would be better than Moreno. Either could have been retained.

We need a settled defence so the players can get used to playing together. Instead the formation has changed every single game this season. It's wasting settling-in time playing Moreno at CB because his position will be midfield. So you might as well lay everyone in their preferred position and play either Lamey or Neilson (not much to choose there I'd say), with Hobbs, Morrison and Berner. Familiarity and stability even if Morrison isn't quite good enough (we'll see) is preferable to playing a new signing out of position.

I disagree entirely about Wellens. He's a showboater who rarely does the simple when there's something more flashy on. As a result he gives away possession quite a lot. Technically his shooting is poor ((the stats bear this out) He's a decent tackler though always liable to get booked with a reckless one . In short he will occasionally play the crucial pass but quite often he won't. He gets caught in possession weighing up the options. Comparison with Lennon could hardly be more misplaced. He played entirely for the team who tackled ruthlessly without fouling and hardly ever gave up possession. King is the midfeld's mainman.

"The others" (as you put it) are all flawed which we have to accept because they'd be playing in the Premiership if they weren;t. So -

DYER - great speed and trickery but the end product isn't there often enough...poor crossing/passing and choosing wrong option are often his downfall

HOWARD - for me he's setting up the play beautifully but his finishing is woeful - he blazed a really good chance over the bar like a kid on debut on Saturday when he had time to pick his spot. Neither does he "encourage" - he moans at his team-mates constantly and blames them for his poor control by implying the pass wasn't good enough in the first place

GALLAGHER - where's the end product? Eight long range goals a season isn't anything like good enough. Played in his favoured position Saturday and barely had a shot at goal.

FRYATT - easily our best option if DJ leaves though as has been said before - far from a clinical finisher - contributes more to build up play than he used to and always looking for goals

N GUESS - not going to make it sadly. His final ball lacks any precision and he doesn't get into the crucial positions often enough. Seems very happy to pass inside.

DJ - most effective striker but divisive and determined to leave

[ithuriel]

The reality is that we have no longer got the services of the loaned players we had last season, we have only signed freebies and one player on a low ammount of money in football terms and the team is trying to learn a different style of play.

All the paper talk of plenty of moneys and big transfers has been just that, paper talk.

Thus we have a weaker team than last year with a new manager who wants to play a passing game with a squad that may not be upto the task.

[marbelladave]

I don't think Wellens is a bad player but he's not the Mr Perfection some posters paint him, he has improved over the last few games but he still has the unfortunate habit of trying to be overly clever with his passing when a few more King type passes would suffice and he still too slow to release the ball giving the defence time to get numbers back. It's no use having players like Dyer and N'Guessan down the wings or even Fryatt up front if by the time Wellens has made his mind up they've got defenders all over them.

As for King I've only ever seen him being played in his best position once and that was the 2nd half of the Leeds game, who do you think made the 5 yard sideways pass to Wellens to allow him to score.

The point about Wellens is critical, by slowing up the play and/or hitting long chipped passes that take an age to reach their target he makes sure that the defence has time to get into position and close down our forward players, this is why we get the ball foeward a lot but fail to create clear cut chances.

King's best position is to play box to box, that is is natural game and he is good at it. Push him too far forward; as in the 'boro game and he is much easier to mark!

Agree. He's often too keen to play the perfect pass rather than being patient and retaining possession. As always the truth lies somewhere between brilliant and inept, he's certainly got the key ingredients for a decent championship midfielder, he's energetic, takes up good positions, always wants/demands the ball from colleagues but his footballing CV tells you there is something missing. For me that missing ingredient is patience and that results in possession being squandered.

The missing ingredient is the ability to make the right choices, when we need to move the ball quickly he dwells on it allowin the defence time to recover, if our players are marked up we need to hold possession and switch the play, Wellens invariably tries an extravagant pass to a player already marked and just gives the ball away.

Once you get past his fiesty combativeness and work ethic, admirable though they are there is really not not much else on offer. A midfield of King and Moreno/Abe with Gallagher in the hole is currently our best option...

[AyewJoking]

I think MON could kill some time as manager of Leicester until Capello quits/gets sacked/dies.

[bluefox9er]

I agree with most of your points. I do think whilst Sousa might not be a bad manager, he isn't the *right* manager for us.

We are also lacking a solid keeper and a defender who OWNS the game, a striker who can get into posiitons like Fryatt, but unlike Fryatt, can score from 3 yards out. Our lack of leadership isn't just the manager..we have no leaders on the pitch, and i am really fearful the only players we have capable of playing in this division, namley King and Hobb might well be off to pastures greener.

but the overall backbone of the club is all wrong and this is a serious worry for me. Apart from 1 or 2 players, we are at best right now a very average division 3 outfit on the field, and a VERY poor division 3 outfield OFF the field.

[OutFoxing-Cov-Since1884]

Talk about deep doom imploding, but this is just ridiculous. We are on the brink of letting at least one of our most expensively paid players leave and now everyone thinks it is Doomsday. Now isn't the time to be getting on anyones back, in fact, this is the time we can truly see who actually SUPPORTS or just follows this club - our club.

Now, I will not shy away from the fact that I feel Paulo Sousa's arrival has been a breath of fresh air. Most people, I am sure, will disagree with me heavily, but for the first time in a long time, he is saying how HE - and no-one else - wants the show to be ran! Now, isn't that the sort of thing we should be welcoming instead of turning against each other because person A has one view on this current situation and person B another?

As for players wishing to leave. Fine, if they want to go, let them. I can honestly say, there have been players over the last few years I never wished to see leave - Iain Hume, David Connolly - even Robbie Savage. But they did and that is (I'm afraid to say) part and parcel of this sport and always has been. There are only a handful of players who have stayed at one club throughout their career and I am sure that feat will carry on for many more years to come.

So, please, if for no one else but yourselves, let's pull together, stop whining about things we cannot affect and whoever is here at end of shopping tomorrow afternoon/evening, welcome or whatever we may say to them - for just being OUR Club's Players!

FOXES NEVER QUIT!!!

[Guest ttfn]

I don't understand how you reconcile your passion for "our" club and Sousa running things "his" way

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Ok, I am a newbie so please forgive me for coming on here and basically telling everybody how i see it. I hope that the majority of you will agree to what I have to say.

The backbone of the side is all wrong. From my personal experience you need a strong keeper, a commanding centre half next to Hobbs (who is still brilliant), a battling big midfielder, and a good big pacey centre forward. Without these i think we will struggle and so far it is plain to see we have struggled.

As for the team he has played so far.......

Defence

Moreno is clearly not a centre half, he is just too weak and cant win in the air. Lamey looks far too laid back and Neilson was playing well (hate to say it) so why drop him, he must be well p****d! Berner looks unfit at the minute. Hobbs needs support.

Midfield

Against middlesborough he played 3 centre mids and dyer. The shape was bad and we were always exposed down one side. Pearson played king, wellens and oakley for a good 6-8 games at the beginning of last year and it didnt work and he had to change it. Saturday he played a flat 4 across the midfield. Oakley shouldnt be playing, he is past it and can somebody explain why he is captain???i dont think he played for the last 2-3 months of last season so why now?King has potential but I am not a huge fan. Yes he gets a few goals but he doesnt work hard enough, lacks pace, doesnt tackle or head and whenever he gets it he plays a 5 yard pass to whoever is near him and disappears for another 5 minutes. Dyer again doesnt work hard enough, yes he has pace but he is so frustrating to watch off the ball. (please do this next game when he loses the ball). Wellens is our creative player and constantly wants the ball, our best centre midfielder. Nguessan had a good game sat but is too hot and cold and is not going to step up to the mark. Gallagher has premiership class and should always play wide right.

Attack

Ok so DJ is surrounded by a big question mark at the minute. If he goes good luck to him but after middlesborough he should still play every game. He is exactly what we missed last year, someone who scares defenders with pace and opens the defence up. James Vaughan also showed this when on loan and would be a good signing. Howard has to stop playing. He is past it, his goal scoring rate is abismal and his only attribute is his aerial ability to which he still manages to foul the defender 90% of the time and then moans and gets booked. The rumour that he might get a contract extension is worrying. Fryatt scores goals but again lacks pace. When he came on against middlesborough the game went stale and we didnt look like scoring and against reading the 1st 3 times he got the ball he gave it away. Get him the service in the 18 yard box and thats where he can cause damage but too many times you see him miss one on ones and giving the ball away.

The new signings will take time to settle but so far it doesnt look good, even though moussa looked lively when he came on. I always question a manager when he brings in freebies from teams who got relegated the previous year or who you have never heard of. If we are a premiership club in waiting then we need to start signing premiership fringe players, or take advantage of the loan market and get good premier league players in. Pearson did this well, vaughan, waghorn, spearing, cleverley, davies. Bostock for hull. Players who would make a great young footballing team.

So the next two days is make or break to see what we will have until January. You might not believe it but I am optimistic we will get it right, but we dont have long to start getting results if we want to replicate last seasons play off place. After all we need to 'keep the faith'..............

Just to reflect on people who keep saying sack sousa and get o neill back. Have a reality check, why would we want our greatest manager in history back?if he failed he would no longer be the same amazing manager. He should remain in the history books as a Leicester legend.

Very good post. Just about sums it up, but easier said than done.

[Jacnah]

Disagree on your views about, King, Wellens and Gallagher.

King does more than 5 yard passes and passes quickly and rarely gives it away, heads the ball and closes people down instead of tackling

Wellens gives the ball away a lot, is also robbed because he's too slow and thus slows any break from the back down.

Gallagher may as well not be playing if he's wide right and is best employed in the hole behind the striker with support from midfield, preferably King

Witness the difference between the 1st and 2nd halves against Leeds.

Agree with your points particularly Wellens...a good player but, for what ever reason, he does get caught to often and loses the ball often by trying a daft 50 yard 'hollywood' pass

As for Gally.. I really like him as a footballer; he's quality but he just doesn't deliver often enough and for long enough.... I know he's been playing out of position and i agree with many others when they say they would like to see him given an extended chance just behind a front two