Jack Hobbs signs for...?

[MikeyT]

Stringer just posted this:

Centre-back Bruma to join #lcfc on loan from #chelsea and Jack Hobbs to join #celtic until the end of the season. Could all happen tomorrow

[cc_star]

The manager didn't play the games, the players did.

If its down to the players how can they finish in 5th, then following the intervention of a new manager end up bottom of the table?

Haven't you seen the changes at Liverpool since Woy was sacked and Kenny came in, worked with the players & turned things around with massively improved organisation, attacking tactics - its like night & day, just like the change from Pearson to Sousa and then the change from Sousa to Sven.

It's down to the manager, every day of the week and twice on match days.

[Guest Basildon Fox]

Stringer just posted this:

Centre-back Bruma to join #lcfc on loan from #chelsea and Jack Hobbs to join #celtic until the end of the season. Could all happen tomorrow

Have a look at the time it was posted!!

[MikeyT]

Have a look at the time it was posted!!

When i logged in it said it was posted 20 seconds ago. So don't roll you're eyes at me eh.

[Guest Basildon Fox]

When i logged in it said it was posted 20 seconds ago. So don't roll you're eyes at me eh.

[MikeyT]

[Dom_Harborough Fox]

I think Hobbs is a cracking player with the potential to step up and play at a higher level. I hope he'll get the chance to do that with us.

I think, given a good run in the team under Sven, he would've grown in confidence & proven his worth. He hasn't had that since Sven came in. Instead he's been in and out of the side. Having said that, I don't think anyone can say that Svan hasn't given Hobbs a chance because he has played & to be fair, he hasn't really stepped up when he has made the team. I still think, given an extended run he would be able to do this.

Regarding the possible loan move, it's not necessarily a bad thing. If Hobbs is getting first team football at another championship team or at a similar level elsewhere, I think it could do him the world of good in the long term. I hope he stays personally though.

[Guest Basildon Fox]

[Haydos]

I agree with Marbelladave's opinion on why he's not quite looked the player he was, in that its basically come down to us being a more open side where everyone needs to be comfortable on the ball, Hobbs looks like he is (or could be) a great old fashioned centre-half in the Steve Walsh mould, but our defence isn't being asked to play like that, instead being asked to play higher up the pitch, its quite likely there won't be a full back on hand to back him up. This is on top of the playing on the wrong side, playing with about 30 other people etc.. Perhaps he'd just be better a club that prefers their CBs just to get rid of the ball (like Pearson's Leicester)

Like you say he either needs to rediscover his form, if he does we can have him back so its not a problem & if he doesn't rediscover his form then its not our problem anyway as we'll just get rid.

At his age he needs to be playing and gaining experience and not sitting on the bench so the loan move is good for him & therefore good for us, I'd rather he stay though, I don't get the logic in giving experience, coaching & training to someone elses players at the expense of our own, it stinks of short-termism, but I suppose whilst the short-termism is good we can celebrate. Also, he a player that people can identify with, we gave him his first team breakthrough & we reaped the rewards, he's potentially a future club hero in the making, something which is more substantial & permanent than the wave of transient loan players, something which fans identify with and someone who embodies the club, however Hobbs himself was a loaner who we signed permanently, so there's nothing to say we can't sign our current loaners and they can become people we identify with.

You do come out with some absolute dross.

[marbelladave]

Now, now children, play nice.....

Our fans seem to split two ways;

Firstly those who think that the players who did so well last season under Pearson should have been given more of a chance this season, the suggestion being that given more consistency in selection and more game time they would have made the step up.

Secondly, those who think that playing well under Pearson, in a rather conservative team with the defence sitting deep and playing mostly hoofball is no kind of qualification to play the open, passing style that we have been playing this season.

Taking Hobbs as the example, he has undoubtably been troubled by the selection and positional issues, so the arguement is, would he, given reasonable time and stability, have been capable to make the step up.

Given that once Sven came in time has been of the essence, my view is that he would not have made it, this season anyway and at the moment this season and our promotion push is what we have, like it or not.

[STUHILL]

Not sure how any one can really question Sven's decisions considering how well he is doing for us. Hobbs has been given golden chances all season and has looked nothing like the player he was last season under a "no-nonsense" defending style.

I think Sven has given him more than enough time to establish himself, just look how King, Wellens and Gallagher have stepped up to the mark.

Bamba has replaced Hobbs and has been excellent if every game so far. I don't want to see Hobbs sit on the bench for the rest of the season so a loan move is spot on.

He will need to come back an improved player though as he just hasn't been cutting it in this new EXCITING, WINNING system Sven has us playing.

For those worried about Loan players leaving at the end of the season, Sven will have a number of targets ready to sign come Summer, some which will potentially be better than what we already have so I don't see why we are worried.

[muzzy1981]

Nobody really knows whats going on internally but likely Hobbs is miffed that he's been (rightly so) replaced by a 19year old who had never played a league game before.

Sven appears to have got Waggy and Bruno back on the promotion fun bus and will be a key cog in our push! But convincing a player who was player of the seaon last year will be a harder task!

Everyone in the squad needs to believe that we can get to the prem and if Hobbs is being even slightly negative then i'd rather him move than risk upset in a squad that is riding high!

[kimmy619]

I like Hobbs, but I do get a bit concerned by the worried look on his face when someone passes the ball to him and he actually has to play football!!

[nickelbyfox]

Feel a tad sorry for Hobbs as was brutally exposed by Tevez, Silva and co. in the two games against them due to lack of pace, and remember him falling over being turned by Hammil I think it was, but could have easily performed in the last couple of matches.

So he was replaced by a young lad who had a poor debut which we still won! Thats just a bit of luck, take Nani for example, wasn't really getting a look in at Man Utd early in the season, injury to Valencia and he is all of a sudden one of the best and most influential players in the premiership.

Send him out on loan, so he can get some confidence back, and come back full of fight and into a more settled structure for next season. On the flip side, may just decide to bugger off, but dont see that if we get into the prem! will be dying to come and prove his worth imo

[Stevosevic]

IanStringerBBC Ian Stringer

Speaking to Sven at 2. I'll confirm Bruma from #chelsea + Hobbs situations. Hobbs move to #celtic still pos if papers were done last Monday

[Captain...]

I think Sven has made mistakes this season, especially in terms of transfers and treatment of the squad he inherited, and my views on his treatment of Weale, Waghorn, Berner etc are elsewhere, but I think it makes a lot of sense to send Hobbs on loan, firstly we have no reserve team, so if he isn't playing in the first team he isn't playing anywhere. Secondly we have a very small margin of error if we need to make the playoffs, thanks to Sousa's start and a poor december we have given ourselves a lot to do.

Hobbs is our player and he is young and he can be developed, the middle to late stages of a hectic Championship season is not the best time, we can't be experimenting and moving players around to try and find their best position and develop partnerships at what is a crucial stage. Bamba has shown he doesn't need time to settle in and plays great regardless of who is around him and after a dodgy first game Mee and Bamba have shown they can operate well together. It would be foolish to change it for someone who hasn't looked comfortable all season and barring a few great performances has been well below par. Whether we sign Bruma or not and how he fits into it Sven's plans is yet to be seen, but as long as Hobbs' loan allows us a recall option it shouldn't be a problem, and benefit both parties. If Hobbs comes back has a full preseason playing Sven's way and shows he can cut it, depending what league we are in next season then great. If not then that's life.

I am a big fan of Hobbs, but he has had a lot of games this season and a lot chances and has underperformed, I really hope that he has the character and ability to fight for his place and become the Leicester legend that we all want him to be, it's just doesn't like it's going to happen this season.

[breadandcheese]

I'm in the camp opposed to this move.

If he goes on loan to Celtic, he will not return to us and will more than likely be sold for less than a player of his calibre. We've sold Gradel and Fryatt far too cheaply over the past two years. I don't want to see us make mistake and sell a player who could form the bedrock of our team for a number of years.

You don't turn into a bad player over night. This is, after all, a player who was linked with premier league Stoke during the Summer.

Like others, I'm not sure why we're going for broke by loaning players (and paying big money to do so on wages), whilst moving on our team. Next season, we could be starting with just one first-team defender in Bamba, as the others will have returned to their parent clubs.

[Roy Cropper]

Feel a tad sorry for Hobbs as was brutally exposed by Tevez, Silva and co. in the two games against them due to lack of pace, and remember him falling over being turned by Hammil I think it was, but could have easily performed in the last couple of matches.

So he was replaced by a young lad who had a poor debut which we still won! Thats just a bit of luck, take Nani for example, wasn't really getting a look in at Man Utd early in the season, injury to Valencia and he is all of a sudden one of the best and most influential players in the premiership.

Send him out on loan, so he can get some confidence back, and come back full of fight and into a more settled structure for next season. On the flip side, may just decide to bugger off, but dont see that if we get into the prem! will be dying to come and prove his worth imo

Tevez ran straight at him for their 1st goal in the replay and he put in the sorriest excuse of a tackle Ive ever seen. Mee would have put Tevez in the stand.

[Wymsey]

Like i said earlier on today, this would be one of Sven's biggest mistakes so far. We need Hobbs when required as he can do well for us, he only had a few blips.

[Captain...]

I'm in the camp opposed to this move.

If he goes on loan to Celtic, he will not return to us and will more than likely be sold for less than a player of his calibre. We've sold Gradel and Fryatt far too cheaply over the past two years. I don't want to see us make mistake and sell a player who could form the bedrock of our team for a number of years.

You don't turn into a bad player over night. This is, after all, a player who was linked with premier league Stoke during the Summer.

Like others, I'm not sure why we're going for broke by loaning players (and paying big money to do so on wages), whilst moving on our team. Next season, we could be starting with just one first-team defender in Bamba, as the others will have returned to their parent clubs.

If he goes to Celtic and does well we will get a much higher fee for him than if he sits on our bench for the rest of the season.

The reason why we are going for broke with loanees is that Sven's brief for this season was to get us into the premiership, this is the best and cheapest why of doing it, whether it will be the most successful and effective way of doing it we will see.

[muzzy1981]

I think Sven has made mistakes this season, especially in terms of transfers and treatment of the squad he inherited, and my views on his treatment of Weale, Waghorn, Berner etc are elsewhere, but I think it makes a lot of sense to send Hobbs on loan, firstly we have no reserve team, so if he isn't playing in the first team he isn't playing anywhere. Secondly we have a very small margin of error if we need to make the playoffs, thanks to Sousa's start and a poor december we have given ourselves a lot to do.

'I think Sven has made mistakes this season' Thats nuts!

Any of Svens so called mistakes can be scrutinised at the end of the season or if we are playing poorly (Unbeaten in 5). He has performed a minor miracle with us so far.

IN SVEN WE TRUST!

[EmLeee]

From Stringer:

Hobbs to #celtic cannot happen as the paperwork wasn't done last week but Sven says he will possibly go out on loan in England somewhere

[Kitchandro]

I don't agree with those who say this is a good move for the reason that he will come back with confidence next season and will want to prove himself in the Prem. Sven obviously just doesn't rate him. If he doesn't want him now in the Championship he won't want him in the Premiership will he, especially if he can just bring more loans in from Premiership teams, or buy the one's we've already got should they prove good enough.

And if he proves himself somewhere else I can't imagine him wanting to come back here when it's clear he's not in Sven's first team plans. He could probably sign for another promotion challenging Club in the Championship and get games, other Clubs were talking about him last season.

[Haydos]

I don't agree with those who say this is a good move for the reason that he will come back with confidence next season and will want to prove himself in the Prem. Sven obviously just doesn't rate him. If he doesn't want him now in the Championship he won't want him in the Premiership will he, especially if he can just bring more loans in from Premiership teams, or buy the one's we've already got should they prove good enough.

And if he's getting in Celtic's team, I can't imagine him wanting to come back here when Sven has already sent a message out that he is not in his first team plans.

See above

[Guest Basildon Fox]

From Stringer:

Hobbs to #celtic cannot happen as the paperwork wasn't done last week but Sven says he will possibly go out on loan in England somewhere

Both going to Derby after the match on Saturday?