Am I on a different planet?

[flashyfox]

I am certainly not saying we should sack CL, but neither should people believe that all in the garden is rosy. We are in the bottom six of the championship just going into the xmas / new year period and the next few games will be crucial in moulding the second half of our season, but lets also be realistic whilst CL has had a big job in rebuilding the squad, he has as yet failed to deliver a team capable of WINNING many football matches, we have a right to be concerned, I dont believe we are in a position at present that is acceptable but neither do I believe Levein should be sacked. However were things to continue in terms of results over the coming weeks then I feel that the pressure will start to mount.

Agree with you there. I'm concerned with the lack of winning football, but am miles happier with the type of football we're playing now. I know MA had a winning team last time in the Champioship but the football wasn't that pretty. If only...

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

Overall the majority of Levein's signings as individuals look good players, my concern is that Levein is unable to mould what is good squad of talented players into a winning team, a job that Billy Davies and Steve Cotterill have both achieved at clubs that arguably contain less resources and poorer squads, it is with that reasoning that I am starting to share Redditch Fox's viewpoint that Levein maybe isnt the right man to take the club forward.

Who is to say that given our current squad, which certainly has the talent to be at least in the top half of the table, that another manager couldnt find the tactics, formation and formula to make this team gel. Maybe Levein is struggling to come to terms with English football, but at the moment we are not producing results, and whilst the average age of the squad has reduced dramatically, it is not an excuse to use the age as a number of the players are in their early twenties, they are not teenagers, for some reason Levein is unable to find the answer to our inconsistencies, too be honest whilst the performances have been decent, results havent really improved from the Watford game away, when Levein had been studying our play during the break to establish where we were going wrong. This suggests to me that he doesnt have the answers.

 

[Redditch Fox]

Overall the majority of Levein's signings as individuals look good players, my concern is that Levein is unable to mould what is good squad of talented players into a winning team, a job that Billy Davies and Steve Cotterill have both achieved at clubs that arguably contain less resources and poorer squads, it is with that reasoning that I am starting to share Redditch Fox's viewpoint that Levein maybe isnt the right man to take the club forward.

Who is to say that given our current squad, which certainly has the talent to be at least in the top half of the table, that another manager couldnt find the tactics, formation and formula to make this team gel. Maybe Levein is struggling to come to terms with English football, but at the moment we are not producing results, and whilst the average age of the squad has reduced dramatically, it is not an excuse to use the age as a number of the players are in their early twenties, they are not teenagers, for some reason Levein is unable to find the answer to our inconsistencies, too be honest whilst the performances have been decent, results havent really improved from the Watford game away, when Levein had been studying our play during the break to establish where we were going wrong. This suggests to me that he doesnt have the answers.

The point is that the rose tinted shades brigade have made something simple into something complicated.

Relegated teams are always considered to be firmly amongst the favourites to get back up pretty quickly. We all know the reasons for that and anyone who doesn't understand should stick to their comics.

Given the parachoute monies etc this club is drastically underperforming.

Levein has done some good things ;he got rid of overpaid never has beens and has made some imaginative signings e.g. bringing in Ryan Smith on loan; he has also tried to give younger players opportunities - albeit not very consistently.

However, he doesn't seem he have it in him to fire up a team nor does he appear to be particularly tactically astute based on the evidence tthat 'weaker on paper' sides seem to find it a bit too easy to achieve results against us.

It isn't down to bad luck.... everybody knows that luck evens itself out.

We seem to have a group of posters who are effectively saying that they don't care if we are consistently at the wrong end of a crappy division as long as the football is a bit prettier. I think thay are in a minority - most people want to see a winning side....and in the simplest possible terms Leicester should be a bit of a winning side in this division.

 

[Willlow]

The point is that the rose tinted shades brigade have made something simple into something complicated.

Relegated teams are always considered to be firmly amongst the favourites to get back up pretty quickly. We all know the reasons for that and anyone who doesn't understand should stick to their comics.

Given the parachoute monies etc this club is drastically underperforming.

Levein has done some good things ;he got rid of overpaid never has beens and has made some imaginative signings e.g. bringing in Ryan Smith on loan; he has also tried to give younger players opportunities - albeit not very consistently.

However, he doesn't seem he have it in him to fire up a team nor does he appear to be particularly tactically astute based on the evidence tthat 'weaker on paper' sides seem to find it a bit too easy to achieve results against us.

It isn't down to bad luck.... everybody knows that luck evens itself out.

We seem to have a group of posters who are effectively saying that they don't care if we are consistently at the wrong end of a crappy division as long as the football is a bit prettier. I think thay are in a minority - most people want to see a winning side....and in the simplest possible terms Leicester should be a bit of a winning side in this division.

Why should we be a bit of a winning side? because we were in the premiership, so what. How many players who played in the premiership are still here? We have got a young squad now that needs to develop and if that means struggling against weaker teams then so be it. Obviously i dont want to be in the bottom half of the table but im not going to start chanting Levein out because we aint winning every game

 

[highland fox]

Just because I don't want Levein sacked doesn't mean I'm wearing Rose tinted Spectacles,I'm well aware the team isn't producing the Results and it isn't good enough but I believe the performances have improved in the last month although the Results haven't.It's opinions and mine is that we will improve as the season progresses and next season will be Cl's make or break.However we don't have a divine right to be in the Premier League just because we used to be.I'll go and polish my Rose tinted Spectacles now....

 

[Willlow]

Just because I don't want Levein sacked doesn't mean I'm wearing Rose tinted Spectacles,I'm well aware the team isn't producing the Results and it isn't good enough but I believe the performances have improved in the last month although the Results haven't.It's opinions and mine is that we will improve as the season progresses and next season will be Cl's make or break.However we don't have a divine right to be in the Premier League just because we used to be.I'll go and polish my Rose tinted Spectacles now....

If you are wearing rose tinted spectacles then i guess i am as well!!

Totally Agree, Great post

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

I certainly dont believe people are wearing rose tinted spectacles, my view is based that regardless of the fact we aint got premier league players anymore, we do still have a very talented squad of championship players with a smattering of players capable of progression into the top flight, we are nowhere near the 6th worst squad in the division and we do still have a decent budget compared to many of our counterparts and for that reason IMO we are underperforming, I do not expect promotion just like yourselves but neither did I expect us to win only 5 of our first 23 league games and be languishing in 19th place.

It does concern me, and I am voicing these concerns on this forum, I dont boo the team nor will I chant for the manager to be sacked, as I have also stated I am not denying that in some areas we are making progress, but in a results driven industry we appear to be struggling to improve in the most important area and after over 12 months in charge and half a season with his own squad I would have by now expected to see some turn around in results.

 

[Brauny Blue]

I certainly dont believe people are wearing rose tinted spectacles, my view is based that regardless of the fact we aint got premier league players anymore, we do still have a very talented squad of championship players with a smattering of players capable of progression into the top flight, we are nowhere near the 6th worst squad in the division and we do still have a decent budget compared to many of our counterparts and for that reason IMO we are underperforming, I do not expect promotion just like yourselves but neither did I expect us to win only 5 of our first 23 league games and be languishing in 19th place.

It does concern me, and I am voicing these concerns on this forum, I dont boo the team nor will I chant for the manager to be sacked, as I have also stated I am not denying that in some areas we are making progress, but in a results driven industry we appear to be struggling to improve in the most important area and after over 12 months in charge and half a season with his own squad I would have by now expected to see some turn around in results.

Fair comment. IMO we are close to being a decent outfit in this league.( remember the Sheff U game). We need a mini run of 4-5 games unbeaten to build confidence. The problem is that its hard for us to make that breakthrough and you can sense the anxiety amongst the fans for the lack of progression in terms of results. I feel that CL Leicester career is coming to a watershed and its imperative that we improve between now and the end of the season . The fans need hope for next season and that is the challenge that CL faces. Failure to do so and we should say thanks but no thanks Craig.

 

[PFKAKTF FOX]

Fair comment. IMO we are close to being a decent outfit in this league.( remember the Sheff U game). We need a mini run of 4-5 games unbeaten to build confidence. The problem is that its hard for us to make that breakthrough and you can sense the anxiety amongst the fans for the lack of progression in terms of results. I feel that CL Leicester career is coming to a watershed and its imperative that we improve between now and the end of the season . The fans need hope for next season and that is the challenge that CL faces. Failure to do so and we should say thanks but no thanks Craig.

Spot on Brauny, I want CL to succeed as much as anybody, but our inability to turn performances into results is not only causing concern short term but it is also starting to give me nagging doubts as to whether we will see the necessary up turn in results to provide the platform for next season. My concerns are if we dont start to show some progression as a team and demonstrate to the likes of the two Paddy's, Stearman, Joey and Hume, it wont be long before the bigger clubs come sniffing and then we will be even further behind, we have to be able to demonstrate to these players that coming to Leicester will realise their ambitions to play in the prem, at the moment that seems a long way away.

 

[Brauny Blue]

Maybe a couple of signings in the right areas could make all the difference. Imo we have the nucleus of a decent team, but CL needs to tweek out a transfer that might just tip the balance in our favour. I remember the boost that both the team and the fans got when Pontus Kaamark signed for us. Compared to what were used to at that time, he was a class act and Leicester's upturn in fortunes could be marked back to near when he signed for us. Although money is the key factor i'm sure that within a certain budget we could bring a player in to improve things.

 

[fitz]

Maybe a couple of signings in the right areas could make all the difference. Imo we have the nucleus of a decent team, but CL needs to tweek out a transfer that might just tip the balance in our favour. I remember the boost that both the team and the fans got when Pontus Kaamark signed for us. Compared to what were used to at that time, he was a class act and Leicester's upturn in fortunes could be marked back to near when he signed for us. Although money is the key factor i'm sure that within a certain budget we could bring a player in to improve things.

one area would be enough i think. we look a complete team at this level but something just isnt there, a spark from somewhere. money earning time from our manager as he has to work it out, and i dont think it is as easy as kicking momo away to africa for the cup

 

[DesertFox]

Maybe my spectacles are the rosiest of them all, but I honestly think that sooner or later (and probably sooner) we are going to "click" and start wiping the floor with most of the teams in this division. Probably too late for this season, but maybe next...

OK, I'm an optimist! :icon_wink

 

[Granite Fox]

I am also hopeful DF.

There is something missing and it may be as simple as anxiety and lack of confidence. If we just get the rub of the green and string a few results together I think this may develop all of a sudden. The fans are anxious and the media are stirring things up, so it is no wonder that this transfers to the management team and the players.

A goalscorer in the transfer window to play alongside Hume may also help (as we have had more attempts at goal than nearly every other club in the league), also Hughes or Williams gettting in the team and playing more 'killer balls' rather than the more predictable football we have been playing.

 

[Dunc]

Lets put it this way. At the start of the season we were playing poorly, not creating chances and people were moaning that this was the worst footballing team of recent memory, even worse than MA's last year, and the results are poor.

Now we are playing good football, creating chances and people are moaning that we aren't getting results, which is a fact, there is no getting away from it.

However, the improvement in the team/quality of football/effort is significant in comparison to 2-3 months ago and as with many young sides its consistency and concentration lapses that is costing us.

The difference between CL & Billy Davies/Steve Cotterill is that BD had a nucleus of a good team before he arrived to which he added shrewdly. CL has a completely new team the majority of which are under 25. Cotterill has added veterans and older players on short term contracts in a similar manner to MA and plays extremely dour 4-5-1 football.

The improvement from my perspective is continuing, the next stage is to combine the attractive football with results which I don't think is unsurmountable by any stretch.

I'm with CL because I buy into the long term building programme he is undertaking not the quick fix MA tried. I'm also with him because I cannot see any benefit in replacing him with our 4th manager in 4 years, stability for these young players is the key.

I might be proved wrong but I see ourselves in the same position as Derby 2/3 years ago when they finished in the bottom 6 with a very young and inexperienced side but finished 4th the season after because of the tough grounding they had the season before.

 

[Real Sharapova]

I am also hopeful DF.

There is something missing and it may be as simple as anxiety and lack of confidence. If we just get the rub of the green and string a few results together I think this may develop all of a sudden. The fans are anxious and the media are stirring things up, so it is no wonder that this transfers to the management team and the players.

A goalscorer in the transfer window to play alongside Hume

Pretty much agree, but I wouldn't mind seeing Huuuume & DeVries playing up front with Hammond on the right wing.

 

[lazzer]

quality post dunc

 

[Yorkshire Vixen]

well said dunc

 

[Real Sharapova]

Lets put it this way. At the start of the season we were playing poorly, not creating chances and people were moaning that this was the worst footballing team of recent memory, even worse than MA's last year, and the results are poor.

Now we are playing good football, creating chances and people are moaning that we aren't getting results, which is a fact, there is no getting away from it.

However, the improvement in the team/quality of football/effort is significant in comparison to 2-3 months ago and as with many young sides its consistency and concentration lapses that is costing us.

The difference between CL & Billy Davies/Steve Cotterill is that BD had a nucleus of a good team before he arrived to which he added shrewdly. CL has a completely new team the majority of which are under 25. Cotterill has added veterans and older players on short term contracts in a similar manner to MA and plays extremely dour 4-5-1 football.

The improvement from my perspective is continuing, the next stage is to combine the attractive football with results which I don't think is unsurmountable by any stretch.

I'm with CL because I buy into the long term building programme he is undertaking not the quick fix MA tried. I'm also with him because I cannot see any benefit in replacing him with our 4th manager in 4 years, stability for these young players is the key.

I might be proved wrong but I see ourselves in the same position as Derby 2/3 years ago when they finished in the bottom 6 with a very young and inexperienced side but finished 4th the season after because of the tough grounding they had the season before.

Too bloody right

 

[Durham Fox]

We have the players who seem to be playing well in spells. However we fall for a 'sucker punch' at home all too often. When does that start to become an issue that the manager isn't addressing???

 

[alex]

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