Stability

[JimmyJam]

Everyone is panicking about where we currently are in the league and what’s going to happen in January and with the rest of the season etc and to be honest I think everyone needs to get a little realistic and chill out.

Firstly we over performed last year; no one could honestly say at the start of last season that the playoffs were a realistic target for us. Because of how we performed last year everyone now expects us to be up there again. I personally don't believe we are ready to be up there yet; we need to get some stability back in the club again. It is no coincidence that the most successful time Leicester have had in the last few years has come under the two seasons we had the same manager i.e. Pearson. In the two years he had us he was able to bring in his own players and cement the style of football he wanted us to play (a defensive style). You look at the top teams in the country both in the premiership with the likes of Wenger and Ferguson and in the championship with the likes of Dave Jones they have had their managers there for years allowing success to happen, these managers have had a chance to bring in the players they want and the play the style of football they want.

I believe in terms of manager we aren’t going to do much better then Sven for the league we are in and the position we find ourselves in currently. If we are going to go up we need to give him the 2 seasons Pearson had to give him any chance of making Leicester into the team we know they are capable of being. He has arrived to the squad and team of two previous managers and has had only loans to fill in our weaknesses. He came in and immediately saw our, GK, DEFENSE and STRIKERS as the weaknesses. I couldn’t agree more!!! Sven has attempted to mend this short term through loans and has managed to piece a ‘make-do defense’ together, that is all I believe it to be. He has seen where we are weak and has done his best in the loan market to fill the gaps. I am not hiding the fact that we are conceding to much and there is a lot of work that needs to be done but I rate our defense much better now then under Sousa in terms of ability and potential and I believe the fact that Sven has seen it as an immediate weakness shows he knows what he is doing in the transfer market weather the current players on loan are the ones for the job is debatable but I feel much more confident having them there then Neilson, Morrison and Berner. Vassell was a great piece of business and has bought us something new in the last quarter of the pitch. I think we all knew he wasn’t going to be a 20 goal a season player but on a free transfer I think we have done a good piece of business he will be great for the younger players and will provide that something different. Bednar has been poor but based on his record in the division you can see why Sven bought him in it is a shame it hasn’t worked out but I believe Sven has the right idea. He looked at Miller and Bednar two proven championship scorers that are smart in my books. Behind the scenes he is constantly looking at players on trial. He is well aware of the situation and is doing the best he can to sort it as quickly as possible.

I agree that the football is a bit hit and miss at the moment but when it’s a hit I haven’t seen us play football that well in a long time. I believe given time that these weaknesses will be filled and we will start to move up the table but realistically I believe next season is our year we need to get the stability back in the club and the team this year. Sven needs to bring in his players and cement his style of football (attacking/built from the back/wingbacks). You listen to him in interviews and unlike some managers he is completely honest he admits we lose to much away and are too easy to score against where other managers might try and defend themselves he seems to be seems honest about where we currently are and I like that. I trust Sven and think everyone needs to just chill out and let Sven have some time to sort it out I say by March time you will start to see a massive difference in the way we play football and the results we are getting. Stop being inpatient and let him get on with his job. January will show us all what he has been up to behind the scenes and put to death the endless rumors that follow us around. Bring on some good old fashioned stability, in Sven we trust!!!!!

[Edmund]

I don't think I've read anyone calling for Svens head?

Stability is obviously needed but sometimes stability can be achieved quickly i.e. QPR and Warnock but I agree Sven should definitely get a full pre season and bring his own squad in before any real judgements are made.

[cc_star]

Firstly we over performed last year; no one could honestly say at the start of last season that the playoffs were a realistic target for us.

I'm fed up with this last season we over-achieved bullshit

The league table doesn't lie. We had a manager who wasn't tactically naive, who knew how to motivate the players to work hard for him, and he did what managers are paid to do. Get results

He didn't sign a load of loan signings, instead just a few to improve competition for starting places. He wasn't obsessed with celeb-footballing OAPs looking for one last loan move for, he signed players who could do a job for him rather than to create headlines & wealth around the world.

Last season we finished where we deserved, narrowly missing out on a trip to Wembley.

Sven has a huge reputation, no sensible person wants him out but he's showing he knows fook all about this notoriously difficult division - throwing money around and signing a load of players isn't the answer when you're so tactically naive you can't change things to stop the worst defence in living memory despit making 4 signings at the back.

Naive is naive. Sven isn't on borrowed time as far as I'm concerned, but I'm not sure how much longer the owners will think that

[Guest BlueBrett]

I agree that the football is a bit hit and miss at the moment but when it’s a hit I haven’t seen us play football that well in a long time. I believe given time that these weaknesses will be filled and we will start to move up the table but realistically I believe next season is our year we need to get the stability back in the club and the team this year. Sven needs to bring in his players and cement his style of football (attacking/built from the back/wingbacks). You listen to him in interviews and unlike some managers he is completely honest he admits we lose to much away and are too easy to score against where other managers might try and defend themselves he seems to be seems honest about where we currently are and I like that. I trust Sven and think everyone needs to just chill out and let Sven have some time to sort it out I say by March time you will start to see a massive difference in the way we play football and the results we are getting. Stop being inpatient and let him get on with his job. January will show us all what he has been up to behind the scenes and put to death the endless rumors that follow us around. Bring on some good old fashioned stability, in Sven we trust!!!!!

You're not wrong there. It was around the same time that I got sick of Sousa always saying how nice our football was after defeats that I realised he had to go. Sven isn't trying to kid anyone and he knows as well as anyone that he has work to do and it simply isn't enough to just wait for things to 'fall into place'.

[Bob Weasel Fox]

JimmyJam - thank you that was an awesome piece to start this topic and i agree. Spot on, long live :sge: he will get it right for next season im sure. Come on City

[ta-fc]

For once a sensible topic... I rarely comment on these boards, preferring a more 'voyeuristic' approach, usually shaking my head with a smile on my face…

I've been saying for a while there's a massive need for stability within our club, the farcical manager merry go round has been ripping the heart out our club for an age. We now have no identity and constantly have to ‘re-build’ our squad dependant on how our latest manager decides to play.

If a few more City fans had a reality check and realised where we are not quoting that we should be looking at getting into the Champions League in the next few seasons I‘m certain we‘d be in a better shape. Call me a cynic but for me I’d be happy to finish upper/mid table this season with a good run at the end, next year play off’s but with a quality, sustainable squad.

Do I think Sven’s the man for the job?.. I’m not sure but how the hell will we ever know if he doesn’t get a decent crack with the FANS BEHIND HIM! Then again opinions are like arseholes, everyone’s got one…

[sphericalfox]

Everyone is panicking about where we currently are in the league and what’s going to happen in January and with the rest of the season etc and to be honest I think everyone needs to get a little realistic and chill out.

Firstly we over performed last year; no one could honestly say at the start of last season that the playoffs were a realistic target for us. Because of how we performed last year everyone now expects us to be up there again. I personally don't believe we are ready to be up there yet; we need to get some stability back in the club again. It is no coincidence that the most successful time Leicester have had in the last few years has come under the two seasons we had the same manager i.e. Pearson. In the two years he had us he was able to bring in his own players and cement the style of football he wanted us to play (a defensive style). You look at the top teams in the country both in the premiership with the likes of Wenger and Ferguson and in the championship with the likes of Dave Jones they have had their managers there for years allowing success to happen, these managers have had a chance to bring in the players they want and the play the style of football they want.

I believe in terms of manager we aren’t going to do much better then Sven for the league we are in and the position we find ourselves in currently. If we are going to go up we need to give him the 2 seasons Pearson had to give him any chance of making Leicester into the team we know they are capable of being. He has arrived to the squad and team of two previous managers and has had only loans to fill in our weaknesses. He came in and immediately saw our, GK, DEFENSE and STRIKERS as the weaknesses. I couldn’t agree more!!! Sven has attempted to mend this short term through loans and has managed to piece a ‘make-do defense’ together, that is all I believe it to be. He has seen where we are weak and has done his best in the loan market to fill the gaps. I am not hiding the fact that we are conceding to much and there is a lot of work that needs to be done but I rate our defense much better now then under Sousa in terms of ability and potential and I believe the fact that Sven has seen it as an immediate weakness shows he knows what he is doing in the transfer market weather the current players on loan are the ones for the job is debatable but I feel much more confident having them there then Neilson, Morrison and Berner. Vassell was a great piece of business and has bought us something new in the last quarter of the pitch. I think we all knew he wasn’t going to be a 20 goal a season player but on a free transfer I think we have done a good piece of business he will be great for the younger players and will provide that something different. Bednar has been poor but based on his record in the division you can see why Sven bought him in it is a shame it hasn’t worked out but I believe Sven has the right idea. He looked at Miller and Bednar two proven championship scorers that are smart in my books. Behind the scenes he is constantly looking at players on trial. He is well aware of the situation and is doing the best he can to sort it as quickly as possible.

I agree that the football is a bit hit and miss at the moment but when it’s a hit I haven’t seen us play football that well in a long time. I believe given time that these weaknesses will be filled and we will start to move up the table but realistically I believe next season is our year we need to get the stability back in the club and the team this year. Sven needs to bring in his players and cement his style of football (attacking/built from the back/wingbacks). You listen to him in interviews and unlike some managers he is completely honest he admits we lose to much away and are too easy to score against where other managers might try and defend themselves he seems to be seems honest about where we currently are and I like that. I trust Sven and think everyone needs to just chill out and let Sven have some time to sort it out I say by March time you will start to see a massive difference in the way we play football and the results we are getting. Stop being inpatient and let him get on with his job. January will show us all what he has been up to behind the scenes and put to death the endless rumors that follow us around. Bring on some good old fashioned stability, in Sven we trust!!!!!

Jim have you been reading my blog? Not specifically this article, but I have been shouting this exact sentiments for a good long while!

Exhibit A

Either this or great minds are thinking alike.....

[Babylon]

I'm fed up with this last season we over-achieved bullshit

The league table doesn't lie. We had a manager who wasn't tactically naive, who knew how to motivate the players to work hard for him, and he did what managers are paid to do. Get results

He didn't sign a load of loan signings, instead just a few to improve competition for starting places. He wasn't obsessed with celeb-footballing OAPs looking for one last loan move for, he signed players who could do a job for him rather than to create headlines & wealth around the world.

Last season we finished where we deserved, narrowly missing out on a trip to Wembley.

Sven has a huge reputation, no sensible person wants him out but he's showing he knows fook all about this notoriously difficult division - throwing money around and signing a load of players isn't the answer when you're so tactically naive you can't change things to stop the worst defence in living memory despit making 4 signings at the back.

Naive is naive. Sven isn't on borrowed time as far as I'm concerned, but I'm not sure how much longer the owners will think that

Pearson didn't make many loan signings? You having a laugh.

And it's the owners putting pressure on Sven to buy a "name" so perhaps you focus your anger at them.

The manager you keep praising (Pearson) wasn't looking tactically astute at Hull earlier this season and it's taken him 6 months to start to see the results to come in. Yet you don't seem prepared to afford our own manager the same luxury before you start getting on their back.

You say you don't want him out but you sound about one step away from it.

[JimmyJam]

I don't read blogs or post on here very often so 'great minds' i think. I just find it frustrating everyone having a go at the team all the time. I know we can perform better but when you are on your second manager before x mas the team has to be given time to adjust to a new managers methods. It doesn't just happen in a couple of months. The only regulars in our team from the Pearson days our Hobbs, Wellens, King. Howard, Gallagher, Dyer although Howard and Dyer our rotated a lot. Thats a huge change in 1 season. A new GK, A new back 4 and a frontline that changes more then I have hot dinners. What we need to do is allow Sven to start to cement players into their positions, the team needs to start picking itself if you know what I mean. The squad isn't going to be comfortable coming up to January with loans ending, and players going to be leaving and coming in. Things are going to change and no one likes change!!! There are certain areas we need to sort this season,

We need to start with a regular No.1, I am fine with Weale or someone else in the transfer window but that needs to be sorted soon because an unstable situation with the GK can't be helping our defense. A commanding No.1 is vital in this league.

Naughton has to be a must buy, easily the best right back we have had for a long time. Davies for me has got his head on other things now the transfer window is about to re open so Vitor and Hobbs are a given in the middle but an experienced central defender in January is a must. Cunningham is doing a good job at left back and needs to be given that time and trust in that position. The more that defence plays with each other the better they will get, the potential is there. A regular No.1 and a regular back 4 will click eventually but give it time.

The middle of the park looks pretty good to me I think Yuki Abe and Wellens do a great job for us on the whole and the way they play has allowed King to get forward more and get the goals we desperately need. In terms of a midfield 3 that doesn't need to be changed in my opinion. Back-up Oakly (only back-up shouldn't be starting these days) and Moussa, he could do a job in the middle of the park, when he signed thats where he said he wanted to play. Maybe a cheeky loan or free transfer for extra cover but I would say midfield 3 is done for this season.

Up top I think Dyer, Vassell and Gallagher being rotated works to a certain extent although they need someone in the middle of them to bang in 15-20 goals a season and that isn't Howard, Fryatt, Bednar or in my opinion Waghorn (who sadly I don't think figures in Svens plans, wasn't his buy). We need someone to take the pressure of King on the goal front, e.g a Billy Sharp/James Vaughn style player someone who plays on the shoulder of the defenders. If Sven is going to play a target man rather then a Defoe style striker then he has got to score goals and however much I love him Heskey(the ongoing rumour) he isn't going to do that, Howard works hard but wastes more then he scores. Bednar hasn't worked out.

Based on this alone its going to take Sven a season to put together the team to go with the way he wants us to play. Its all about next season for me. Let the team and Sven get used to each other, get the STABILITY in the squad and team. Like I said let the transfer window happen give it a few months and a difference will be seen but for a new group of players under a new manager it takes time.

[sphericalfox]

I don't read blogs or post on here very often so 'great minds' i think. I just find it frustrating everyone having a go at the team all the time. I know we can perform better but when you are on your second manager before x mas the team has to be given time to adjust to a new managers methods. It doesn't just happen in a couple of months. The only regulars in our team from the Pearson days our Hobbs, Wellens, King. Howard, Gallagher, Dyer although Howard and Dyer our rotated a lot. Thats a huge change in 1 season. A new GK, A new back 4 and a frontline that changes more then I have hot dinners. What we need to do is allow Sven to start to cement players into their positions, the team needs to start picking itself if you know what I mean. The squad isn't going to be comfortable coming up to January with loans ending, and players going to be leaving and coming in. Things are going to change and no one likes change!!! There are certain areas we need to sort this season,

We need to start with a regular No.1, I am fine with Weale or someone else in the transfer window but that needs to be sorted soon because an unstable situation with the GK can't be helping our defense. A commanding No.1 is vital in this league.

Naughton has to be a must buy, easily the best right back we have had for a long time. Davies for me has got his head on other things now the transfer window is about to re open so Vitor and Hobbs are a given in the middle but an experienced central defender in January is a must. Cunningham is doing a good job at left back and needs to be given that time and trust in that position. The more that defence plays with each other the better they will get, the potential is there. A regular No.1 and a regular back 4 will click eventually but give it time.

The middle of the park looks pretty good to me I think Yuki Abe and Wellens do a great job for us on the whole and the way they play has allowed King to get forward more and get the goals we desperately need. In terms of a midfield 3 that doesn't need to be changed in my opinion. Back-up Oakly (only back-up shouldn't be starting these days) and Moussa, he could do a job in the middle of the park, when he signed thats where he said he wanted to play. Maybe a cheeky loan or free transfer for extra cover but I would say midfield 3 is done for this season.

Up top I think Dyer, Vassell and Gallagher being rotated works to a certain extent although they need someone in the middle of them to bang in 15-20 goals a season and that isn't Howard, Fryatt, Bednar or in my opinion Waghorn (who sadly I don't think figures in Svens plans, wasn't his buy). We need someone to take the pressure of King on the goal front, e.g a Billy Sharp/James Vaughn style player someone who plays on the shoulder of the defenders. If Sven is going to play a target man rather then a Defoe style striker then he has got to score goals and however much I love him Heskey(the ongoing rumour) he isn't going to do that, Howard works hard but wastes more then he scores. Bednar hasn't worked out.

Based on this alone its going to take Sven a season to put together the team to go with the way he wants us to play. Its all about next season for me. Let the team and Sven get used to each other, get the STABILITY in the squad and team. Like I said let the transfer window happen give it a few months and a difference will be seen but for a new group of players under a new manager it takes time.

From what you've written, and you can correct me if I'm wrong, that you believe that we should stick to a 4-3-3? I think this is one of the roots of our problem away. We have no other choice but to play this formation. It's putting Gallagher, and Vassell, and when he plays Waghorn out on the wing. This isn't working. Sven will definetly bringing in a midfielder who is a bit stronger both in the tackle and on the ball. The striker issue will be attended to, but it'll all depend on who's available. Heskey is definetly not the answer! We need a goal scorer who can finish.

[Jakemoore]

I don't think we over achieved last season, we were consistently in the top six, reaching third at our peak, we stayed there all year beating the likes of Forest, Swansea, Cardiff, and premiership Blackpool twice. We also managed an impressive 0-0 against Newcastle with ten men for 60 minutes. I would love NP to still manage our club but unfourtunatley he fell victim of Milan's trigger finger. However, I like Sven and trust in him 100% I agree that we do need stability but I also think that can be achieved by winning promotion this season, although it's unlikely.