Pearson In

[Stuliasz]

Mostly drivel after the initial post. Svens crap loans resulted in a 38 pts from 22 games run from Jan 1st last year - W 11, D5, L6 - including defeats to both QPR and Norwich and only 2 home defeats. 2 points a game is promotion form and we were on 1.72, an average that would have got us 79 points in a full season. You are totally wrong to suggest that the loans didn't work, they almost pulled off a miracle after being bottom after 9 games with 5 points (or 0.55 points per game). In the summer there was an attempt to replace the loan players with permanent signings - some were right and some were wrong - keeper, spot on, right back, spot on, striker, half right so far, - the numbskulls who were led to believe or just wanted to believe that because we were going forwards automatic promotion was a bolt on (and I include the morons that run the club in this) are responsible for our current situation and it will only get worse now this season. Big mistakes made over and over, and if Nigel Pearson is removed the mistake will be perpetuated. Get behind him, accept that we need to start again - we have demoralised players who have thrown their lot in with Sven to find they are in the cold because Nige prefers what he knows - but changing it again this season - well who would come to Leicester????

Fair point on the loans, they did work to a point but I think eventually we overused the system, particularly in defence. However some of the loans we did bring in were clearly because of Sven's profile, I think the profile of the club has seriously diminished since then and we would struggle to get in loans of the same calibre as Yakubu, Naughton etc. in our current state. Think you are also right in that some of the permanent signings made in the summer worked, unfortunately this seems to be everywhere but midfield which is costing us majorly right now.

If we are righting this season off we are condemning ourselves to a relegation battle mark my words this is where we heading at the moment. Do you think the Thais will be happy not a chance they will just get rid of NP but the problems lie and have done so for the past two years in the midfield the WHOLE midfield plus the excess deadwood, the personnel on the books Wellens, Gallagher, Dyer, Howard etc need to removed as quickly as possible and this January should have been the opportunity to have done so.

The summer was the opportunity to do so, an attempt was made and it failed. I do agree that we should do what we can to improve in January to avoid getting sucked down further but you are simply unrealistic in expecting an overhaul of any kind, let alone one that could improve the squad dramatically. In other threads you have suggested we should pay off the contracts of the deadwood (Wellens, Gallagher etc.) now. This is completely ludicrous and would leave us with precisely no-one with little chance or time to bring in anything better and would inevitably result in sub-standard panic buys. Personally I don't think we're bad enough to be involved in a relegation battle even with this squad and I do agree that we should do what we can, but massive changes in January ARE unrealistic.

[Tielemans63]

He had to get rid of a lot of underperforming players at Hull City - they were destined for League 1 before he got there. They got worse before they got better because he rattled a few cages - now thye have one of the best young squads in the league. He needs time to do that here.

[Kitchandro]

Right I was dying to respond to some of the comments that were made on this board yesterday evening but I thought it was best to sleep on it so that this was more objective than emotive.

The first thing to point out is that yesterday's performance was very very poor. The formation and possibly team selection was questionable prior to kick-off and this contributed towards a defeat against an average in quality but very well organised and hard-working Barnsley side who deserve a lot of credit for their progression this season. It was acknowledged after the game by NP that this was not the formation he wanted to play, he admitted explicitly that he's a 4-4-2 fan. So why didn't he use Beckford and play 4-4-2?

One possible explanation for this is that the majority of Beckford's performances could be categorised somewhere between poor and shocking under both Sven and Pearson. The question could also be asked - why the fook does he stick with Gallagher, Wellens and King in midfield then who have probably been just as bad? Well unfortunately and I hate to break it to the people who were ironically cheering when Gally went off and were chanting for Beckford to come on for about 10 minutes (which incidentally was probably the loudest our "supporters" were during the game) but the alternatives are probably not any better.

If I was a City player, I'd never want to play because it seems that almost any player who doesn't play miraculously has a huge increase in ability. The phone-ins and some of the comments made on here are cringeworthy. Beckford would suddenly have been a world-beater if he'd have started. And I wonder how many of those fans chanting for Beckford to come on are the same people who were making sarcastic cheers when he got subbed a few games ago. And no Pearson did not make the decision based on your chanting.

Gelson Fernandes, yes the same Gelson Fernandes who was anonymous for 95% of his pitch-time was our "best midfielder" and should never have been let go. Yuki Abe should have started - he was poor at Forest and we looked better when he went off and Wellens came on last week, sound managerial justification for a change to me. Liam Moore should have started, yes over Peltier who yesterday aside has probably been one of our more consistent performers this season. Tom Kennedy has a decent game at Palace, so naturally he should be starting over Paul Konchesky who has almost without question been our best outfield player this season. I could go on.

It has become increasingly clear as the season has progressed that the summer's recruitment policy was extremely flawed and has resulted in a squad that has not progressed at all. The quality in the squad, even with the players that have been released recently was not and has never been good enough for promotion. We have not been able to string two wins together all season for crying out loud. A squad capable of achieving promotion was the target given to Sven by the owners and he failed comprehensively. Pearson has clearly identified that this is the case and has indicated the need to make major changes to the squad to actually build a team that are capable of working together. With very few exceptions, this is generally impossible and ill-advised in January. I think we could maybe get a few players in that are improvements over what we have but we will be paying over the odds for there possibly to be better options available in the summer so lets see out this season and wait until then.

As for the Pearson out brigade, give me a break. What good could changing the manager possibly do to the players and the club at this stage of the season? We would be seen as even less attractive a proposition as what we currently do and even the one or two decent players that we have now would be looking for a way out. No doubt Pearson has an incredibly difficult job on his hands. Recruiting players in a situation like ours without paying over the odds is near impossible and paying inflated prices has nothing but a negative impact on the club, the team and the player himself (e.g. Mills/Beckford). I don't think it's any co-incidence that our best performing signings are the likes of Nugent and Konchesky who were signed on the cheap.

So I guess the final point would be to simmer down on the expectations for this season. It was doomed from the start, even though it has taken a while for most of us, including me to see it. Of course we should always be aiming as high as possible but you also have to be realistic about what is possible and the fact of the matter is our team is nothing better than a mid-table Championship team, whoever plays. There is too much to change for this to be improved this season so why not back the manager and the players to get us through to the end of this season and then lets look forward to a proper re-build in the summer. Pearson had time to build a team last time he was here and it nearly got us promotion. He had time to build a team at Hull and they are in the top six. Don't assume that Pearson thinks that a promotion-capable team includes his old-boys, if he needs to change it he'll change it but there just might be too much work to do this season so let's be realistic about what we expect and not take our frustrations of the previous mis-management out on what we are stuck with. Pearson in!

[ROKERITE]

Everybody, however stupid, is entitled to their opinion. Even so, it is hard to find words to describe the infantile idiocy of anyone calling for the head of a man who has been in the job for TWO months, particularly when he has proved in the past just how capable he is. Pearson even made it into the top five on Quinny's Sack Race on Talksport this morning.

If there no signs of improvement a year from now start moaning, until then let Nigel Pearson create a successful team as he's done before.

Children, fools and a large percentage of football fans really shouldn't see a thing half-finished; but a lot of them belly-ache before the first brick's in place!

[Charl91]

Everybody, however stupid, is entitled to their opinion. Even so, it is hard to find words to describe the infantile idiocy of anyone calling for the head of a man who has been in the job for TWO months, particularly when he has proved in the past just how capable he is. Pearson even made it into the top five on Quinny's Sack Race on Talksport this morning.

If there no signs of improvement a year from now start moaning, until then let Nigel Pearson create a successful team as he's done before.

Children, fools and a large percentage of football fans really shouldn't see a thing half-finished; but a lot of them belly-ache before the first brick's in place!

This.

[artursteppe]

Spot on, NP is f**ked imo, because he won't get rid of the deadwood AKA Wellens, Dyer, Howard etc their is only one place we are going and it isn't up.

That is my worry. Pearson does need to get rid of Wellens King and Howard at least, and he won't. There have been problems at the club for a long time now and I do suspect the 'manc mafia'.

[Lineker's Left Foot]

Let the poor bloke have chance to get his own players in. The good thing about NP compared to Sven is that he doesn't go for 'old has beens' on a last payday e.g. Diomansy Kamara, Yakubu etc. but players with 'something to prove' i.e. Jay Spearing - an up and coming youngster at Liverpool that had to prove himself at the time he was here to his parent club. So glad he goes down this route of recruitment, and even I'd imagine that Steve Walsh - the scout - is lining up fringe players from clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, Man.Utd etc that we've never heard of, who turn out to be quality - Muzzy Izzet anyone????

That's why it may not be a nightmare if we make a move for Fleetwood's Jamie Vardy for a start - a player with something to prove.

[chris_lcfc_85]

Hi folks, im normally a common viewer on this forum but dont normally post. However, having read all the comments since yesterday, i felt it was now necessary. I appreciate everyone's opinion but im just in shock at the vile abuse on here aimed at certain players/the manager.... Granted we are in a POOR league position and we have underachieved badly with everyone to blame, that includes Sven, Pearson and the players but seriously, get a grip!!! Maybe we also get rid of Sven too quick but lets just review his signings since the summer where he was supposed to make us title contenders....

Success

Schmeichel

Peltier

Konchesky

Nugent

Danns

Failure

Mills

St Ledger

Ball

Pantsil

Johnson

Fernandes

Beckford

I've put Danns in the success column as he's done ok when he's played in his best position plus he was free....

Look at the money Sven has wasted!!! Mainly on Beckford and Mills when he had Hobbs that cost Hull 750k..... Yes others he signed were free but total dross!!! Im not saying go back but are Beckford and Mills at around 8-9m really better than Fryatt and Hobbs....!!!?? I think Mills is ok for the record but no better than Hobbs.

Plus the constant barracking of King/Wellens is a disgrace. They've both been average/poor of late but people have short term memories. Wellens player of the season last season and King was the next best thing.... Just cos they've not been doing well doesnt make them shit!! Means they are 'out of form' and need resting but Nigel hardly has alot of options currently! Plus not his fault that Vassell, Schlupp and Waghorn are injured which leaves him with bare bones in attack! Did Pearson panic buy Beckford? No! Did Sven leave him any wingers or creative players? No! As some of said, Nigel didnt seem to do alot in his first season at Hull but he did completely change their side and look at them now....

Apologies for ANOTHER thread but some things need saying and please can we support Nigel and back him to sort it out? Getting another manager now would be CRAZY!

Up the foxes

[deep blue]

We all get sucked into kneejerk reactions after such a disappointing day as yesterday. So it's nice, after a night's sleep to calm us down, to see a more measured and balanced thread such as this one. Puts things more into perspective. Well done Sheffield_fox.

At the end of the day, tempting though it is to boo and show our contempt, we have to maintain positive vibes about our club. Overreaction doesn't help the situation. Up the City!