Post Match Leicester 1 Barnsley 2

[gregs_y2k]

I wish people would validate this claim. There were more new players than old in the team at the weekend and even more when Bamba plays for Tunchev. The only area he has played old players is in midfield, where he has no other viable options; he has even played Abe and Danns there a couple of games which swings it even further the other way.

Midfield is the one place where we do have options. He may or may not be trying to reconstruct his previous team, but the evidence so far suggests he is far more comfortable with his former players. The only reason there are more new players than old is because the old have moved on. Up front we only have Howard left from his regime and despite him being past it, he has been selected often by Pearson. In defence it's a similar case with the likes of Morisson, Hobbs and Brown gone. The only notable omission is Weale and I think even Pearson realises he cannot really drop Schmiechal, who is a far better keeper.

 

[gregs_y2k]

To be fair to Pearson, it seems clear that once Sven went, Fernandes was no longer really interested in playing for us and I suspect that if it weren't for Sven he never would have agreed to join us in the first place. I don't know if the same is true of Michael Johnson - but if rumours are to be believed, he's been calling in sick quite a bit and missing loads of training sessions - what kind of signal does it send to the rest of the team if you drop players who work hard in training and are committed to the team for players who don't really want to be here?

You can say what you like about Dyer, Wellens, King and Gallagher - they all certainly have their flaws, but they all want to play for the club. There's no use fielding players who have no desire to be here. Danns has been given a pretty fair crack of the whip - he's no really shown anything to say that he should be an automatic choice in the first team and he's been played on the wings out of necessity so far this season. I think when we get a bit more balance in the team, we'll see a lot more rotation in the centre of midfield.

We really, really need around 3 players to give the midfield creativity, balance and competition for places. Two wingers and someone in the Mark Davies mould on loan would be perfect.

Doesn't Johnson fit the Mark Davies mould? When Davies came to us, it was after a long time on the sidelines injured and was seeking to get back to fitness with us.

 

[indierich06]

Doesn't Johnson fit the Mark Davies mould? When Davies came to us, it was after a long time on the sidelines injured and was seeking to get back to fitness with us.

Mark Davies is a far better player, their careers seem to have gone in completely opposite directions over the past couple of years - Davies' has gone up and Johnson's stock just keeps on falling. I suppose you could say that they were similar players, but the problem with Johnson is that he's not fit and we're not in the position where we can take the luxury of giving him match time to get fit, it was different with Davies in League One - we had a midfield which was more than capable of doing well in the league and the whole side were performing well - we had that luxury then. Secondly, Johnson doesn't appear to be interested in playing for us since Sven left - if the rumours are to be believed. What's the point in having him here if he doesn't want to play, or has a bad attitude?

Do you really think if Johnson was still the talent everyone believed him to be, that Pearson would leave him out? He has bemoaned the lack of balance in midfield - do you think if he had a player in the ranks who could perform like Mark Davies did, that he'd leave them out? Especially when the team is performing so poorly?

 

[Hazzman]

Doesn't Johnson fit the Mark Davies mould? When Davies came to us, it was after a long time on the sidelines injured and was seeking to get back to fitness with us.

Having watched the pair of them, Johnson now possesses the turning circle speed of a milkfloat (very similar to Wellens) and Davies still had that turn of pace post-injury.

 

[gregs_y2k]

Mark Davies is a far better player, their careers seem to have gone in completely opposite directions over the past couple of years - Davies' has gone up and Johnson's stock just keeps on falling. I suppose you could say that they were similar players, but the problem with Johnson is that he's not fit and we're not in the position where we can take the luxury of giving him match time to get fit, it was different with Davies in League One - we had a midfield which was more than capable of doing well in the league and the whole side were performing well - we had that luxury then. Secondly, Johnson doesn't appear to be interested in playing for us since Sven left - if the rumours are to be believed. What's the point in having him here if he doesn't want to play, or has a bad attitude?

Do you really think if Johnson was still the talent everyone believed him to be, that Pearson would leave him out? He has bemoaned the lack of balance in midfield - do you think if he had a player in the ranks who could perform like Mark Davies did, that he'd leave them out? Especially when the team is performing so poorly?

But on paper, he fits the mould, even to the point of unfitness. Mark Davies was far from fit and very injury prone when he came to us and his fitness was one of the reasons that Wolves ended up selling him to Bolton. The gamble looks as though it didn't pay off with Johnson, perhaps if Sven was still here he may have began to feature by now in matches. The change of manager has left him on the sidelines, perhaps due to a lack of fitness, perhaps for his attitude, or perhaps Pearson thinks he has other players in the squad that can do the job.

 

[indierich06]

But on paper, he fits the mould, even to the point of unfitness. Mark Davies was far from fit and very injury prone when he came to us and his fitness was one of the reasons that Wolves ended up selling him to Bolton. The gamble looks as though it didn't pay off with Johnson, perhaps if Sven was still here he may have began to feature by now in matches. The change of manager has left him on the sidelines, perhaps due to a lack of fitness, perhaps for his attitude, or perhaps Pearson thinks he has other players in the squad that can do the job.

Davies signed of the 27th November and was playing on the 6th of December. How many appearances did Johnson make under Sven, even after a full pre-season with Man City and us? I can't remember, but has he even started a game? Mark Davies looked class from day one, Michael Johnson has flattered to deceive.

 

[Miles Away]

Davies signed of the 27th November and was playing on the 6th of December. How many appearances did Johnson make under Sven, even after a full pre-season with Man City and us? I can't remember, but has he even started a game? Mark Davies looked class from day one, Michael Johnson has flattered to deceive.

He started against boro. Came off injured though.

 

[indierich06]

He started against boro. Came off injured though.

Sounds like he had a stormer.

 

[Miles Away]

Sounds like he had a stormer.

He actually played quite well I thought. Very tidy on the ball. But also looked very unfit.

 

[homer]

He actually played quite well I thought. Very tidy on the ball. But also looked very fit, especially his firm, full buttocks

He's a dream.

Oh FFS, give it a rest

 

[gregs_y2k]

Davies signed of the 27th November and was playing on the 6th of December. How many appearances did Johnson make under Sven, even after a full pre-season with Man City and us? I can't remember, but has he even started a game? Mark Davies looked class from day one, Michael Johnson has flattered to deceive.

I'm not disputing any of what you said. Davies came to us to after a long time out, as did Johnson. They are the type of young players that realisitcally we can get in the loan or transfer market from the Premier League. Ramsay was the same last season after his leg break. It's very difficult to get fully fit, top class young midfielders. A couple of exceptions were Spearing and Cleverly but they are extremely hard to come by and usually only have a season or 2 playing for Championship teams before they either make it into their first team or get loaned out in the Premier League.

 

[indierich06]

I'm not disputing any of what you said. Davies came to us to after a long time out, as did Johnson. They are the type of young players that realisitcally we can get in the loan or transfer market from the Premier League. Ramsay was the same last season after his leg break. It's very difficult to get fully fit, top class young midfielders. A couple of exceptions were Spearing and Cleverly but they are extremely hard to come by and usually only have a season or 2 playing for Championship teams before they either make it into their first team or get loaned out in the Premier League.

Well I suppose the best way to look at it is that we took gambles with Johnson and Davies - it paid off with one, it doesn't seem likely that it will with the other.

 

[gregs_y2k]

Well I suppose the best way to look at it is that we took gambles with Johnson and Davies - it paid off with one, it doesn't seem likely that it will with the other.

I agree, I think Sven thought that given some time to become match fit, he could be the creative midfielder that we were in need of. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way.

 

[Kingy_85]

I agree, I think Sven thought that given some time to become match fit, he could be the creative midfielder that we were in need of. Unfortunately, it didn't work out that way.

I think Sven was the only one.

 

[Biffa Bacon]

I've just had a text from a mate who has seen king today, he is on crutches and might be out for the season apparently. If true we need a midfielder or 2 by the weekend.

 

[homer]

I've just had a text from a mate who has seen king today, he is on crutches and might be out for the season apparently. If true we need a midfielder or 2 by the weekend.

We already did anyway