Schlupp

[inckley fox]

He's playing for their U21s, if he was here he'd be playing for our U21s. What's your point?

We have spent plenty of time recruiting cast offs from their u21s. If Ferguson has seen enough from him in training to believe that he might be up to their standard then the assumption that he doesn't train well, or doesn't come across in training as being good enough to be a squad player for Leicester in training, is bizarre.

[nickelbyfox]

Do find this odd. I believe he'd offer more than vardy or waghorn

Agreed - think on the wing also would be a better option than Gallagher

[Charl91]

He might not be stupid but he's made mistakes before. He deemed Matt Oakley a better right winger than Max Gradel and the signing of vardy in itself was an error.

When you put it like that, it does sound ridiculous! Makes you wonder.....

[LCFC_FAN_1995]

So when he's here people never speak about him, now he's gone on trial we need him? Jesus.

[JonnyBoy]

play him ahead of Vardy and Waghorn any day of the week

[Thracian]

The very notion of using either Gallagher or Wellens is a Pearson mistake to me. As for Schlupp it is quite clear that he has pace and ability.

What is not clear is why we've shown so little faith in him, giving him little more than bit-part cameos in various positions and given him no real chance to establish any kind of understanding within the team structure.

He looked most promising as a left-back and should probably have been schooled in that position given our situation of having no cover in that position.

But no. Instead he was effectively crucified after one bad mistake and that was an appalling decision and guaranteed to do nothing for the lad's confidence or self-belief - another Pearson mistake to follow his mistakes with Gradel and others i could mention.

If Pearson took that attitude with everyone who cocks up Morgan wouldn't be in the team on Tuesday and we'd have 11 empty shirts taking the field.

The disappointments of successive managers at Leicester means that Nigel Pearson is so over-rated as to be reverred by some and, no, this is not meant as a managerial character assassination of the bloke because I do believe he's the best we've had for a long time because he's got some sound principles, some organising ability and the capacity to recognise and attract some decent signings for sensible money

But that's seems about all.

And he's a long, long way short of anything that would warrant idolising and for various reasons I've mentioned on many occasions including what's referred to above concerning Schlupp and Gradel, though there are bigger things.

Pearson has had so many chances this season to be effective, so many opportunities to ruthlessly build on a position of strength.

But on each occasion caution or whatever else seems to hold him back means he's failed to take them. We've lost top spot, we've lost our automatic promotion spot and we've recently completed our worst month of results this season - all on the back of a woefully unprofessional giveaway to Huddersfield in the Cup.

We've failed to strengthen obvious weaknesses in the transfer window, we've allowed our best alterrnative option at left-back to train with United and yet we've brought back people like Gallagher and Wellens who really seem well short of what we require now.

Worst of all are the basic shortcomings in so many aspects of our general play which cost us so dearly when we're playing below our best. It's only after major criticism by fans that we raise the standard of our corner-kicks though sadly, this is rarely sustained. We still go all negative away from home and still have the habit of conceding space (even at home) when we lead against decent opponents and we still fail to show the tactical ability to change the game from the sidelines.

Schlupp could contribute to improving this because his pace and control asks questions of people both as a wide defender and as a central attacker and even as a creative midfielder. Not using this ability would perhaps be understandable if we had senior alternatives but we don't. Not at left-back, not in attack (unless you count the almost constantly disappointing Vardy, Waghorn and Futacs and not in central midfield.

[Thracian]

So when he's here people never speak about him, now he's gone on trial we need him? Jesus.

I spoke about him plenty and have no idea why he should have been sidelined from our first team so unjustly and so destructively. There were lots of opportunities to involve him and aid his development.

[Webbo]

We have spent plenty of time recruiting cast offs from their u21s. If Ferguson has seen enough from him in training to believe that he might be up to their standard then the assumption that he doesn't train well, or doesn't come across in training as being good enough to be a squad player for Leicester in training, is bizarre.

Are you saying anyone in their U21 squad could just walk into our side?

[inckley fox]

Are you saying anyone in their U21 squad could just walk into our side?

Stop putting words in my mouth. Just read what I've written. I've quite clearly stated that he would be a useful SQUAD PLAYER.

How many of their u21 squad have they paid 2.5m for? How many of their u21 squad are Leicester City players? We have picked up five members of their u21 squad in a year, three of which were unwanted by Man U. If we already own a player that they actually do want, and he plays in three positions where we currently have a problem, then it doesn't take a genius to figure out that he could be useful.

[Webbo]

Stop putting words in my mouth. Just read what I've written. I've quite clearly stated that he would be a useful SQUAD PLAYER.

How many of their u21 squad have they paid 2.5m for? How many of their u21 squad are Leicester City players? We have picked up five members of their u21 squad in a year, three of which were unwanted by Man U. If we already own a player that they actually do want, and he plays in three positions where we currently have a problem, then it doesn't take a genius to figure out that he could be useful.

Anybody could be useful. Pearson has to pick the team he thinks has the best chance of winning.You are saying is that because he's played 2 games on trial for ManU he's good enough for our first team squad. What are you basing that on? Ferguson might not sign him because he doesn't think he's good enough. If he does sign him he won't go straight into the first team, he might never make the first team, like a lot of promising youngsters he might end up playing for Rochdale because he couldn't cut it.

Despite all the expert opinion on here Pearson isn't a moron. If he thought that Schlupp would improve the team he'd play him.

[inckley fox]

Anybody could be useful. Pearson has to pick the team he thinks has the best chance of winning.You are saying is that because he's played 2 games on trial for ManU he's good enough for our first team squad. What are you basing that on? Ferguson might not sign him because he doesn't think he's good enough. If he does sign him he won't go straight into the first team, he might never make the first team, like a lot of promising youngsters he might end up playing for Rochdale because he couldn't cut it.

Despite all the expert opinion on here Pearson isn't a moron. If he thought that Schlupp would improve the team he'd play him.

Again you're assuming that Pearson doesn't make mistakes. We lack options at LB, LW and CF. We have a player who has played well this season in a few games, who has attracted the interest of one of the best clubs in the world, and is our player, and plays in those positions. Our current crop of back-up have demonstrated that they're not good enough, so who in their right mind wouldn't give him a seat on the bench?

What do you mean 'anybody could be useful'? Like you, me? George Taft? Liam Moore? Conrad Logan? Seriously, this is a player who could command a 2.5m fee to sign for Manchester United at a time when we are short of options and struggling for competent subs in the positions he plays in. That, and the fact that no manager of any side ever to get promoted from this league has allowed a senior professional to train with one of the top sides in Europe instead of adding to their competition for places, is what I'm basing it on.

There is a reason for this.

You've accused me of supposition for speculating that a player who has played well for us in a handful of games this season and attracted the interest of Man U MAY be a useful option (which is pretty much stating the obvious), if only on the bench. That we've had a habit of collecting their ex-youth players, many of which they've considered not good enough and have turned out to be good players for us, only strengthens the argument.

And yet you back up your claim that he most probably isn't worth a spot on the bench by supposing that, if he signs for Man U, he could end up playing for Rochdale. If anyone is guilty of crafting a hefty slab of guesswork, then it certainly isn't me.

[nickm]

Agreed - think on the wing also would be a better option than Gallagher

Anybody would be a better option than gallagher, there can be only one reason gallagher gets in any championship team and that's 'cos the manager's bumming him

[Webbo]

And yet you back up your claim that he most probably isn't worth a spot on the bench by supposing that, if he signs for Man U, he could end up playing for Rochdale. If anyone is guilty of crafting a hefty slab of guesswork, then it certainly isn't me.

I haven't claimed anything. You're the one with the ifs buts and maybes. Pearson may be mistaken but then so could you. If Pearson makes enough mistakes he'll lose his job, if you're mistaken who cares?Pearson is the one who is paid to make the decisions and has a fairly decent record as a manager. I'll trust his judgement for now.

[inckley fox]

I haven't claimed anything. You're the one with the ifs buts and maybes. Pearson may be mistaken but then so could you. If Pearson makes enough mistakes he'll lose his job, if you're mistaken who cares?Pearson is the one who is paid to make the decisions and has a fairly decent record as a manager. I'll trust his judgement for now.

Yes he does have a fairly decent record as a manager. But that doesn't mean he's right.

If I'm mistaken, and Schlupp isn't better equipped than Vardy, Futacs, Gallagher, Dyer or Taft to serve as back-up in the aforementioned positions, then I tend to think that this is pretty important, whether you care or not. If he turns out not to be good enough then it will weaken our options in the promotion run-in and quite possibly deny us a 2.5m fee from Man U, so yes, I think it's worth caring about.

And as for 'ifs and buts'... isn't that the nature of every suggestion ever made on a football forum? I prefer my glass-half-full 'Schlupp could be a useful member of our squad' to your 'he might not be'. And, if truth be told, they both amount to the same thing.

[Webbo]

Yes he does have a fairly decent record as a manager. But that doesn't mean he's right.

If I'm mistaken, and Schlupp isn't better equipped than Vardy, Futacs, Gallagher, Dyer or Taft to serve as back-up in the aforementioned positions, then I tend to think that this is pretty important, whether you care or not. If he turns out not to be good enough then it will weaken our options in the promotion run-in and quite possibly deny us a 2.5m fee from Man U, so yes, I think it's worth caring about.

And as for 'ifs and buts'... isn't that the nature of every suggestion ever made on a football forum? I prefer my glass-half-full 'Schlupp could be a useful member of our squad' to your 'he might not be'. And, if truth be told, they both amount to the same thing.

Don't really understand the middle paragraph. If he's not good enough then our options are still exactly the same as before, if he's not good enough then we won't get any fee anyway(£2.5 million is paper talk, nobody knows what the fee might be).

I'm not telling you to shut up, you're entitled to your opinion, I'm just asking what you're basing it on.

[Alex_LCFC]

If he was still here then we wouldnt even be having this discussion. He never has made a difference and he still wouldnt make a difference.

[inckley fox]

Don't really understand the middle paragraph. If he's not good enough then our options are still exactly the same as before, if he's not good enough then we won't get any fee anyway(£2.5 million is paper talk, nobody knows what the fee might be).

I'm not telling you to shut up, you're entitled to your opinion, I'm just asking what you're basing it on.

No I don't get the impression you're telling me to shut up, don't worry.

You said 'if you're mistaken who cares?'

My claim is that he might be good enough to be a useful squad member. If I am mistaken (or not - I've not actually said that he is good enough) then I think that is important, because it would mean that our options are not as strong as they would be if he were to be good enough. In addition to that, if he isn't as good as Man U suspect him to be, then it could also cost us a hefty sum in transfer money.

As for what I've based my assessment on-

a) A string of decent - albeit flawed - performances before Christmas.

b) How highly rated he has been said to be within the club.

c) The interest from Manchester United, and talk of a fee which would constitute our biggest incoming amount in years.

d) The fact that we have acquired five Manchester United u21 players since Pearson's return, four of which have been good additions to the squad and three of which were considered not good enough by Manchester United. Therefore any player that they suspect to be good enough is likely to be useful, in some capacity, to the squad.

e) He plays left back, where we have no cover.

f) He has played left wing, where we have struggled in some games.

g) He is a centre forward, where our covering players (Vardy, Futacs etc.) have looked poor since Christmas.

h) The fact that he's ours and can't sign for Man U until the end of the season anyway.

If in some way the Keane loan depends on this, then yes I could understand the situation, although this has been denied. As it stands this is a very very unusual thing for a promotion-changing manager to do, and without any precedents that I'm aware of.