Post Match Leicester City 1 Charlton Athletic 2

[FryattFox]

how lob sided our squad is.

I've missed Hazzish.

I sympathise with Pearson because for me we have a massive issue with wages and inequality. We have Konchesky whose ready to graze on big wages, we have Beckford whose doing naff all, we have Danns similarly doing naff all and a crock in St Ledger doing naff all. You combine their wages, you could get in six or more decent players.

Agree with this. Pearson will have been brought in with the promise of money to spend, but the aim of reducing the inflated wage bill. At the current level of losses it's just not sustainable, for either FFP or the owners.

 

[Redditch Fox]

That's the past. Do you not think that this season is looking the most hopeful of all of those 9 seasons, barring maybe Pearson's last play-off season?

The way I see it, we have a 1 in 4 chance of making the automatic promotion spots (as it could easily be any one of 2nd-5th atm) and then subsequently a 1 in 4 chance in the playoffs. So a reasonable chance of promotion (~2 in 5 seasons we'd get promoted). That's not too bad in a competitive league where (as you say) we've struggled in previous years, and I'd definitely have taken it at the start of the season.

Anyone who thought that after either of our 5 win runs we were definites for the automatics is deluded.

But equally, imo, anyone who thinks it's all doom and gloom after a few defeats is equally deluded.

We're on a bad run. It will pick up. Move along.

Agree this season is looking more hopeful than most - but I believe that it will have to be via the play offs now - when only a matter of days ago I really thought that we had a strong chance of second place.

As I said above i think that the Watford loans are a game changer giving them not only additional quality but also considerably more depth in their squad.
Unfortunately I don't think there are many who believe that we have any depth in our squad.

I think anyone who knows anything about football - realises that results and form goes in phases and things will change in line with that - but I think Homer is correct in saying that we need to be more concerned about the clubs below us rather than those above.

 

[Willlow]

Agree this season is looking more hopeful than most - but I believe that it will have to be via the play offs now - when only a matter of days ago I really thought that we had a strong chance of second place.

As I said above i think that the Watford loans are a game changer giving them not only additional quality but also considerably more depth in their squad.
Unfortunately I don't think there are many who believe that we have any depth in our squad.

I think anyone who knows anything about football - realises that results and form goes in phases and things will change in line with that - but I think Homer is correct in saying that we need to be more concerned about the clubs below us rather than those above.

booooooo!

 

[Durham Fox]

Lets not get too silly about this. Yes, we've played poorly ever since we beat Wolves but didn't really deserve to and yes Watford and Palace look a threat, as do Dull.

We could do with a couple of experienced loan players coming in to boost numbers and I fully expect Pearson to be exploring possibilities. If we can find a bit of form again, win our games in hand then we are right back in the mix for second. The players on show last night are the same group who got us to second and built up an enviable home record this season.

 

[fitz]

Lets not get too silly about this.

That is probably the silliest thing I've read on here.

 

[Willlow]

Lets not get too silly about this. Yes, we've played poorly ever since we beat Wolves but didn't really deserve to and yes Watford and Palace look a threat, as do Dull.

We could do with a couple of experienced loan players coming in to boost numbers and I fully expect Pearson to be exploring possibilities. If we can find a bit of form again, win our games in hand then we are right back in the mix for second. The players on show last night are the same group who got us to second and built up an enviable home record this season.

The last time we lost 3 on the bounce we went on to win 6 of the next 7. I see no reason why we cant do it again. People also need to take into account that Dull still have to play Crystal Palace and Watford as do we. So teams will be dropping points before the end of the season.

 

[Macky]

the last time we lost 3 on the bounce we went on to win 6 of the next 7. I see no reason why we cant do it again. People also need to take into account that dull still have to play crystal palace and watford as do we. So teams will be dropping points before the end of the season.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo11111111111!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111111111!!

 

[Graz]

And whilst Dyer and King are both playing poorly at the moment (hence why they're on the bench), they've both shown that they are good Championship players previously.

Absolutely. I think most teams in this league would love to have players of Dyer and King's quality to bring on.

Gally on the other hand, yeah I agree with Homey.

 

[Graz]

big balls for Morrison to lap up

Should this be in the gay footballers thread?

 

[Willlow]

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo11111111111!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111111111!!

:icon_lol::icon_lol:

 

[alli1]

The way things are shaping up after watching last nights game we will be lucky to make any playoffs,they wont tackle,they have hardly any fight in them,and to top it all Nigel Pearson just stands in his technical area with his f*****ing hands in his pockets looking like he didnt want to turn up to see the f****ing game.that mans ego is getting up my f****ing nose.

 

[FryattFox]

Wouldn't it be great to see a Cleverley or Davies come in again.

 

[LeeCovFox]

My biggest worry after last night is that Pearson still hasn't worked out a way to beat teams who are going to press us hard. We have come up against a number of teams weaker than ourselves who attempt it and a lot of them have come away with something. If that doesn't change then we won't go up. And if we don't go up I suspect that's Pearson out of a job. He is on record as saying promotion is the aim this season. I wouldn't expect failure to achieve that aim to be rewarded with another crack at it.

In his favour he has made us a much better side than the one he found when he rejoined. Earlier this season he had us playing some great attacking stuff which was hardly a signature of his first tenure. That alone proves that he is capable of changing his style. Indeed just after Christmas he made tactical changes for the away games at Hull and Burnley to good effect. Which makes it all the more infuriating that he has chosen not to change a system which has been struggling since the Middlesbrough match. You can't just not change things and hope that things will sort themselves out at this level.

It should be remembered that Pearson has had to significantly reduce the wage bill since he came back here and also that there are average players (Konchesky, Danns, Beckford) who are very well paid, and thus difficult to shift, blowing a hole in his wage budget. He has done well to improve the side under the circumstances. If we go close but fail to go up this year I'd be in favour of giving him another year to further improve us.

That said, it would be hard to be too critical of the owners should they decide that not achieving promotion is a good enough reason to get rid. Particularly when it is likely that managers, such as Adkins and Warnock, who have proven in recent years that they know how to get out of this league will be available.

Pearson is in credit with Leicester fans at the moment. He got us out of the third tier at the first attempt and led us to a creditable fifth placed finish on our return to this level. But anything other than promotion from Division Three would have been a failure and our subsequent success in our first season back up is at the lower end of our historical norm. That is where we find ourselves currently and, as much as I am enjoying this season, it has taken a lot of money (much spent by Pearson himself) to get us there.

He led us to fifth on a shoestring three years ago and we are looking at similar this season after a large spend. It might just be that Pearson has hit his natural ceiling as a manager. There's nothing wrong with that. Plenty of others have one. Simon Grayson seems to have found his following three promotions from Divison Three and Neil Warnock struggles away from the top end of this league. Pearson is capable of being more than just a good second tier manager but he does need to be more adaptable to circumstance. If he doesn't learn that soon he will be leaving the club for the last time in the summer.

 

[Miles Away]

Failing promotion I'd give him another year.

He will need to dump a few of the hangers-on (Beckford, Danns, Konchesky, Wellens, possibly Gallagher) as best he can. He'll need to make decisions on a few of the other squad players (I'm thinking specifically of Waghorn and Vardy here).

Generally speaking the money he has invested appears to be well spent. Knockaert, Morgan, James, Wood are all good value. De Laet, Marshall and Drinkwater certainly aren't a disaster and Nige's only real mistake (based on appearances so far) seems to be the 1M invested in Vardy who, frankly, looks well out of his depth.

If he could keep the key players of the squad in place (Nuge, Wood, Kasper, Knocky, Morgan) and wisely reinvest some of the money misspent by Sven I think we would do well. That said, anything less than promotion from that season would mean the chop.

Just my thoughts, and all very hypothetical of course.

 

[Brauny Blue]

Regarding finishing 2nd, i believe the tendancy to convert games in hand into an healthy points tally will leave people disappointed. Cardiff away and Blackburn at home will both be very difficult, and imo we will do well to get 4pts from those.
The point people make about only having to win these games to be right back in contention, shadows the problem that at least 1 of the 3 rivals will push on from here. In that likely scenario we will need at least another sequence of 4 or 5 straight wins to still have a chance.
At the minute only those with their blue blinkered specs will see that happening.
Said it before,that when its all done and dusted the Posh game will have turned out to be the defining moment of our efforts for automatic promotion.
Whether its right or wrong i believe that NP will need to win at Wembley in order for him to be selecting the team on the opening day next season.
There as already been enough money put in to save NP from the benefit of doubt. I would expect that behind the scenes, the owners long ago told NP that it must be promotion this season.

 

[Lako42]

That's one exciting prospect, Wembley....

 

[M17TT C]

Can anyone find the pre-season expectations thread?

I've just searched and couldn't find it but I'm sure there was one.

EDIT - Found it! I think we all need to have a read of that and then re-evaluate our stances now.

The last 3 games have been disappointing but this is probably our best ever position to kick on for promotion in the last 10-15 years. Lets get behind the team, even if we do think they are ****s, as away teams must love it coming here and hearing the boos ring out after 15 mins without a goal or so.

**Awaits boooooooooooooooooooooo-ing**

 

[Lako42]

Can anyone find the pre-season expectations thread?

I've just searched and couldn't find it but I'm sure there was one.

EDIT - Found it! I think we all need to have a read of that and then re-evaluate our stances now.

The last 3 games have been disappointing but this is probably our best ever position to kick on for promotion in the last 10-15 years. Lets get behind the team, even if we do think they are ****s, as away teams must love it coming here and hearing the boos ring out after 15 mins without a goal or so.

**Awaits boooooooooooooooooooooo-ing**

Just had to make sure I didn't have us down for auto 7th is looking good though!!

 

[Waxed]

Failing promotion I'd give him another year.

He will need to dump a few of the hangers-on (Beckford, Danns, Konchesky, Wellens, possibly Gallagher) as best he can. He'll need to make decisions on a few of the other squad players (I'm thinking specifically of Waghorn and Vardy here).

Generally speaking the money he has invested appears to be well spent. Knockaert, Morgan, James, Wood are all good value. De Laet, Marshall and Drinkwater certainly aren't a disaster and Nige's only real mistake (based on appearances so far) seems to be the 1M invested in Vardy who, frankly, looks well out of his depth.

If he could keep the key players of the squad in place (Nuge, Wood, Kasper, Knocky, Morgan) and wisely reinvest some of the money misspent by Sven I think we would do well. That said, anything less than promotion from that season would mean the chop.

Just my thoughts, and all very hypothetical of course.

Hard to disagree with this. Sure Pearson has had time to mould this squad to his liking but he was also lumped with the fairly imposing job of trimming this squad right down. Could he do that properly with another full summer? I think so. By now he'd know full well who he'd like to retain and who to move on.

They might not be world beaters but you could easily move on the likes of Wellens, Gallagher, Waghorn, Futacs and Vardy with little fuss. Those wages off the books alone could help really shape this squad.

We don't need too many more additions but his (and technical team, to their full credit) track record with player acquisition is pretty damn good. If we fail to get promotion this season I think he deserves at least another shot. But sadly I don't believe the owners have that much patience with such a lucrative television deal rearing its head in the Premier League.

 

[M17TT C]

Just had to make sure I didn't have us down for auto 7th is looking good though!!

:icon_lol:

Looking back at it though, the general idea from everyone came across as lower play-off positions which is exactly where we are now. I just cannot fathom why our on fans boo that currently if that is what we expected!?!

Saying that though, a lot did have Vardy down for top scorer so it may not be the best of threads for a benchmark of accurate opinions! :icon_lol:

EDIT - +1 on Miles & Waxed too. Another pay off for a manager and complete upheaval of the squad would probably be the death of us imo.

Only point I'd disagree with would be the signing of James. Not saying he is shit but I've not really seen a lot from him which shows he is any massive improvement of Andy King.