Are we any better than last year?

[Lambert09]

The reason I dont think we will be able to mount a final play-off push is because we have the same problem as last year.

We simply arent a team......we have a squad of incredibly talented Individuals and the main issue is that the majority are here for the money.

There is simply not enough players in the team that care. We were just as inconsistent last year but to be quite frank the squad could have been considered better.

Yakubu, Kamara, Bruma (even though he was gash), PVA, Naughton, Vitor and Mee could all be considered better than what we have already got.

The annoying thing is as a Leicester fan you always think your better than you are..... my mates who support prem teams who come to games with me have said since day one we look no better than a mid table club ..... Even if we win on Sat I am not going to let myself get carried away.... we simply are not good enough

Oh and Wealcardo is way better than Kasper

[cc_star]

Last year's loanees were exciting, but problem was they all belonged to other clubs... Sven was on to a good thing but then ruined that by tinkering too much, dropping Mee & then Vitor after MotM performances just to fit Bruma in who was a right carthorse for us in comparison to players dropped. It saw our 4 match revival drop to nothing in 14 remaining games.

Problem was Sven thought you could buy a team like he did at Lazio etc, you can't always you have to build one, which we've just started doing with the additions of Marshall & Drinky...

I always think back to Derby's side full of million pound signings that we beat at Wembley with a team

We had a team, Sousa coached it out of them & then Sven dismantled it, we're not as good as 2 years ago.

[Lambert09]

Last year's loanees were exciting, but problem was they all belonged to other clubs... Sven was on to a good thing but then ruined that by tinkering too much, dropping Mee & then Vitor after MotM performances just to fit Bruma in who was a right carthorse for us in comparison to players dropped. It saw our 4 match revival drop to nothing in 14 remaining games.

Problem was Sven thought you could buy a team like he did at Lazio etc, you can't always you have to build one, which we've just started doing with the additions of Marshall & Drinky...

I always think back to Derby's side full of million pound signings that we beat at Wembley with a team

We had a team, Sousa coached it out of them & then Sven dismantled it, we're not as good as 2 years ago.

I agree we seemed better then and they were a team but I also think the league was a lot less competitive. This year has probably been the hardest to get out of the league, which is why so many clubs have been inconsistent. If we had that exact team this year we would find our selves in a similar position this season IMO

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

Last year, one paper we had better playes than Norwich did, and this seasons side is also better as individuals than their team which went up.

But they gained momentum through League One and then again in the Championship, working hard for each other and having a real spirit within the camp.

We had this under NP the first time before it was dismantled. We will have to start again to get it back and NP knows this and has already started brining in the quality young players which are hungry for success.

[Happy Fox]

Yes we we have squad of players, the last thing we want to do is dismantle the whole squad, this summer is key: Realistically I hope that Kasper, Konch, Nugent, Beckford, Danns, St Ledger, Morgan, Drinkwater, Pelts and Marshall stay this is what I feel are the nucleus of a promotion worthy side

Maybe keep category: Vassell, Waghorn, Bamba and King

Get rid of if feasible : Wellens, Gallagher, Dyer, Howard, Pantsil, Tunchev and Mills

Then in the summer sign: Chester, Henderson, James Henry, McNaughton, Stewart and Back up Goalie.

[Leicester_Loyal]

I think our squad is about the same as last years, however, the coinciding factor is that Sven build both these 'teams'. We are a bunch of individuals again.

However, in recent times we have reached the play offs, with a bunch of individuals who are no where near as good as what we have now, but they were a proper team who was built by Nigel and never knew when they were beaten.

I hope we can create a 'team', which is better than the one that got us into the play offs, because some of the individual talent we have on offer is unreal, but they need to be working in a team unit if we are to get out of this division.

[Raw Dykes]

Last year's loanees were exciting, but problem was they all belonged to other clubs... Sven was on to a good thing but then ruined that by tinkering too much, dropping Mee & then Vitor after MotM performances just to fit Bruma in who was a right carthorse for us in comparison to players dropped. It saw our 4 match revival drop to nothing in 14 remaining games.

Problem was Sven thought you could buy a team like he did at Lazio etc, you can't always you have to build one, which we've just started doing with the additions of Marshall & Drinky...

I always think back to Derby's side full of million pound signings that we beat at Wembley with a team

We had a team, Sousa coached it out of them & then Sven dismantled it, we're not as good as 2 years ago.

Exactly.

I think the reason Sven kept messing with the defence might have been a case of bringing one too many loans in. I expect they were lent to us on the condition that they play whenever available, or a set number or % of games. Sven was likely expecting an injury or suspension or two that he never got, and so was forced to leave a different loanee out each match. Bruma was a rubbish centre-half, but the sad thing was, he actually played really well in midfield at the end of the season and bagged some good goals if I remember correctly. Might have been a case of the pressure being off, but then again we might have found a winning formula too late.

[bmt]

In a word, no. Last years and this years teams both had severe problems, which ultimately have made both campaigns failures.

Long term problems:

- inconsistency. We are the definition of consistently inconsistent. For years we have struggled to put a string of results together, even within games we lack consistency. For me there has been (at least this season) an obvious reason for this. Expectations of the Leicester team have been strong all season- everyone knows we have quality players and expect to be winning. For most good teams, they think they can beat us by playing better than us- they set up to their own strengths, and we tear them apart with our quality and brilliant football when not under pressure. When we play a 'worse' team, they set up to nullify our strengths. They'll happily sit back, putting us under pressure on the ball and not letting us have any space around the box. When they get the ball, knowing that we will be happily bombing forward to try and get the result our team obviously merits, they counter attack quick and direct, easily getting past the one or two defenders we leave back and frequently stealing a goal or two, which they can happily sit on for the rest of the game as we're too slow when attacking to make a goal back for ourselves when contained.

- Atmosphere. I for one hope this is turning a corner. I don't think we need ultras, or safe standing or anything like that. But the team always responds to a good vocal following. We have been in the unfortunate position where the team won't play well until we sing, but the fans won't sing until the team play well. This is why, when we played Hull, I was ridiculously happy when we sang louder when we conceded. The effects were obvious, the unrelenting love shown for the team boosted the players to turn round the deficit and hold on until the end after Danns took his marching orders. We can fix this, and we have been much better the past few months. It needs to continue (however hard it is when nothing is at stake).

Problems last season:

- a terrible, terrible start. I don't actually think Sousa was that bad tactically, but was thrown a team who played proper English football rather than the continental passing style he wanted to play. His main failure in my view was not emphasising the importance of fitness in pre-season, probably because he was too busy trying to teach the players to ignore everything they had learned about how to hoof a ball up field and instead to pass, pass and pass some more. If you think about how hard it would be to teach the players a new way to play and concentrate on other things aswell, he did have a fairly big task. However, there is no doubt that with us languishing at the bottom end of the table when Sven came in, having a good season was always going to be a bigger ask.

- lack of a 'team'. With both the new managers attempting to tear up our true English football roots for a more continental style, we were always going to have a major overhaul of playing staff. Sousa (probably fortunately in the long run) underhired in my opinion, he should have been bringing in 9 or 10 players rather than the few he did. Vitor was excellent, but as Sven came in it was obvious he wanted his own signings. Being forced to operate in the January window, Sven had to take what he was offered, a few excellent signings on loan from prem teams, although none of them gave half a shit about Leicester, or even about winning games in the championshup. We had some real, genuine quality last season (far better than this year arguably) in Yakubu, PVA, Vitor etc. however they all knew they should be playing at a higher level and that Leicester was just a small step in their careers, so were never likely to put all their efforts into winning.

Problems this year:

- changes. Changes all over the place. How are we meant to find our form with all the constant changes. The manager, the formations, the style, the players. Game to game at least one thing changes. If we truly want to find our feet we need to find a squad, style, few formations, and manager and keep it for a lengthened period. This season there has been massive changes, which clearly haven't aided our aim for consistency. I can't really blame NP, everyone would tamper indefinitely when under pressure for instant success (when i play on fm and lose more than one fluke game in a row I'm tinkering with everything immediately). However, nothing is at stake now, so it's time to find and keep a style and blend a squad for next season we can stick with and try and push on. I'm not a massive NP fan (I think sometimes his tactics are crap and I don't like the way he deals with some players) but he has the right attitude and he's nearly got us there before, so we might aswell give him the whole of next season to get the team firing.

- individual player performance/stupidity. Every player goes through patches of bad form. However a few of our players this season have faded in and out game to game. I think it's to do with the expectation etc. and don't really know how to overcome it, but hopefully they'll settle over the summer or be moved on. For stupidity, our discipline has been crap. And we've had far too much playing around with the ball outside our box. I like the cbs to pass it round and keep the ball on the deck, but I don't like to see them dawdling on the ball so they have to turn themselves out of trouble, it's not what they are there for.

- tactics. Whilst I like 4-2-3-1 that we're currently playing, some tactics this season have been appaulling from both the managers. First with Sven, putting Gallagher up front with 20 minutes left to go is inviting pressure. Second, with Pearson, bringing Howard on to get a goal back will never work. Great servant to the club but no longer the impact he once had. Also, on many occasions I see the wrong player running towards the dugout near the end of the match (although admittedly they may be tired). There basic errors, but inviting pressure onto the shakey defence for 20 minutes a game when winning, or basically surrendering when losing are not good tactical decisions.

Ultimately, this years and last years teams have had obvious problems. We need to change them for us to stand a chance next season.

[Corky]

No we're not better now.

Although better defensively, our attack is not as prolific.

[bmt]

Also I wish we'd have signed Mee

[Libertine Dream]

Also I wish we'd have signed Mee

Without a doubt, I think NP would have liked him had things turned out the same. I know many Leicester fans didnt like him but Id have liked to see PVA again, exciting player and could maybe have worked on his defensive game. Having said that Konchesky has been excellent this year. And of course everybody wanted Naughton back but he was always better than us, shame we ended up with Peltier instead though.

[Ozwin]

PVA was the worst left back I have ever seen, stick him on the wing and you might be onto something.

[Mark_w]

We simply arent a team......we have a squad of incredibly talented Individuals and the main issue is that the majority are here for the money.

There is simply not enough players in the team that care. We were just as inconsistent last year but to be quite frank the squad could have been considered better.

You are completely right, and the last time we were a proper team was under Nigel Pearson.

[Captain...]

We are in a better position this year than last year in terms of players owned by the club, as cc_star said we have the nucleus of a good side and need a couple of additions to get promotion, then a couple more when we go up, but all of this relies on one thing, consistency. We need to give this manager and this squad a pre season and a full season to get it right

[Danny the Fox 95]

Yes we we have squad of players, the last thing we want to do is dismantle the whole squad, this summer is key: Realistically I hope that Kasper, Konch, Nugent, Beckford, Danns, St Ledger, Morgan, Drinkwater, Pelts and Marshall stay this is what I feel are the nucleus of a promotion worthy side

Maybe keep category: Vassell, Waghorn, Bamba and King

Get rid of if feasible : Wellens, Gallagher, Dyer, Howard, Pantsil, Tunchev and Mills

Then in the summer sign: Chester, Henderson, James Henry, McNaughton, Stewart and Back up Goalie.

Agree with everything apart from also sign that Taylor from P'boro as well.

[bmt]

PVA was the worst left back I have ever seen.

Massive overreaction. Good going forward, ligtning quick. Just a bit inexperienced.

[Ozwin]

Even Wigan said '**** that' and sent him back. He's rubbish.

[Raw Dykes]

PVA was the worst left back I have ever seen, stick him on the wing and you might be onto something.

Worse than Ryan McGivern?

[Karljohn]

Massive overreaction. Good going forward, ligtning quick. Just a bit inexperienced.

Must admit I thought he was shit too, would have been just as effective stood on the car park some games such was his shocking positional sense. Classic example of pace and not much end product, see Lloyd Dyer. He had half a season at Cov prior to coming to us, so he should have been used to having to defend.

[vandamman]

We just haven't got that player who is willing to put him self out there.

Naughton and the Yak could change the game from nothing. Apart Nugent, I don't think we have many players with drive to go forward.

I think Peltier could be a lot better if he just ran the line, instead of being conservative and passing back when he gets to the half way line.

Still, Drinky/Marshall could be these players, so I wont go on.

[bmt]

Even Wigan said '**** that' and sent him back. He's rubbish.

Must admit I thought he was shit too, would have been just as effective stood on the car park some games such was his shocking positional sense. Classic example of pace and not much end product, see Lloyd Dyer. He had half a season at Cov prior to coming to us, so he should have been used to having to defend.

My issue isn't that I think he's great it's just your wording was a bit OTT. He does have some good points, as I posted, which a few LBs I've seen in recent years certainly don't!

[Reynard Bleu]

Some different players but similar problems losing games we should win.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

We have certainly had some shocking results, and many reverses which should, on paper, never have happened.

Technically, I believe we have players who are better than last season, but have not performed as they should. Many have let themselves down as well as the team, and one rightly must point the finger at them. However the manager also must carry a share of the blame. Sven did not get the results, and neither has Pearson, who seems to be causing friction in the dressing room, also. i wont add any more, as I don't wish to repeat myself.

Don't wish to ruffle "Babble Ons' feathers. -- "A new brooms sweeps clean"

[Mav]

Please dont, I feel like crying. We could have signed Yakubu, Mee and Kamara no problem and attempted to get Vitor back but Sven has to be a bellend. If we still had the Yak we would be top right now but no, Sven wouldnt break the bank to pay his wages...

[Gold Coast Fox]

On paper we are.