Leicester City manager for the day...

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Micky

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One thing that struck me last night was the number of top players that we had missing yet we could still put out a very good side. As Leicester City fans we are in a fantastic position right now. A stunning new training groups set to be completed and a fantastically talented young squad. So then, no fence sitting allowed, when everyone is fit, who would be your first choice eleven and what system would you play?

For me it would be a 4-2-3-1 with a selection of...

Schmeichel

Pereira
Evans
Soyuncu
Castagne

Ndidi
Tielemans

Praet
Maddison
Barnes

Vardy

Subs:
Ward
Fofana
Under
Mendy
Perez
Iheanacho
Fuchs
 
Schmeichel

Ricardo Fofana Soyuncu Castagne

NDidi Tielemans

Under Maddison Barnes

Vardy

Subs: Ward, Evans, Justin, Mendy, Praet, Perez, Iheanacho​
 
It's a tricky one isn't it - I think that we have the rest of the players to fit into a 4-2-3-1 (or 4-1-4-1 or 4-3-3 depending on how you see it) apart from that right wing position. Shoehorning Maddison or Praet in there doesn't do it for me, and while I'm not as down on Perez as others are here I don't think he's the answer. I hope Under is the solution and, considering what a good job the recruitment team have clearly done with Castagne and Forfana, I believe that he will be. I'm perturbed that he's been given no playing time yet though, I would have thought that last night's game would be ideal.
 
Come on you bunch of fence sitting moaners....
 
Schmeichel

Ricardo Fofana Soyuncu Castagne

NDidi Tielemans

Under Maddison Barnes

Vardy

Subs: Ward, Evans, Justin, Mendy, Praet, Perez, Iheanacho​
I just can’t see Fofana and Soyuncu starting together, unless Evans is out. I suspect, where we don’t play 3 at the back, it’ll be Evans instead of Fofana in the short term.

I’m hoping Under comes good, as I think he’s been brought in in a position of need, so in an ideal world I agree with the rest, but Under is obviously the biggest question mark, as he hasn’t been able to show anything yet.
 
Come on you bunch of fence sitting moaners....

Okay, if everyone was fit, this is what I'd go for:

Schmeichel, Ricardo, Fofana, Evans, Castagne, Ndidi, Tielemans, Praet, Maddison, Barnes, Vardy

My rationale - I don't like a back three. I've gone for Fofana over Soyuncu because of his aerial ability as we are too often exposed in both penalty areas. Fofana has already proved to me his value in that respect. Aside from that, there is little in it between them but I think Fofana will be the better player over time. I'd try Ricardo at left back as I know he's played there more than Castagne has in his career but I'd be happy with them either side.

Praet has to be in the side for me, he gives us too much tactical and positional intelligence to ignore. The idea going forward is to give Maddison time and space to find the two forwards. I'd play this as a diamond with Barnes alongside Vardy but it can adapt to 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 easily enough too. You flex it based on who we're playing.

The bench would pick itself as: Ward, Soyuncu, Justin, Mendy, Perez, Under and Iheanacho. I'd also rotate a couple of outfield players each match to give them a rest every fifth game. We should have learnt that lesson last season - we played the same side and then when the injuries came we couldn't adapt because the bench players were too cold and the team couldn't manage with slightly different personnel.

That leaves us with Morgan, Fuchs, Choudhury, Albrighton, Gray, Slimani, Thomas, Jakupovic, Amartey as the unnecessaries. Thomas should be on loan and the rest are just treading water here because they are clearly not good enough (either ever or any more).
 
Okay, if everyone was fit, this is what I'd go for:

Schmeichel, Ricardo, Fofana, Evans, Castagne, Ndidi, Tielemans, Praet, Maddison, Barnes, Vardy

My rationale - I don't like a back three. I've gone for Fofana over Soyuncu because of his aerial ability as we are too often exposed in both penalty areas. Fofana has already proved to me his value in that respect. Aside from that, there is little in it between them but I think Fofana will be the better player over time. I'd try Ricardo at left back as I know he's played there more than Castagne has in his career but I'd be happy with them either side.

Praet has to be in the side for me, he gives us too much tactical and positional intelligence to ignore. The idea going forward is to give Maddison time and space to find the two forwards. I'd play this as a diamond with Barnes alongside Vardy but it can adapt to 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 easily enough too. You flex it based on who we're playing.

The bench would pick itself as: Ward, Soyuncu, Justin, Mendy, Perez, Under and Iheanacho. I'd also rotate a couple of outfield players each match to give them a rest every fifth game. We should have learnt that lesson last season - we played the same side and then when the injuries came we couldn't adapt because the bench players were too cold and the team couldn't manage with slightly different personnel.

That leaves us with Morgan, Fuchs, Choudhury, Albrighton, Gray, Slimani, Thomas, Jakupovic, Amartey as the unnecessaries. Thomas should be on loan and the rest are just treading water here because they are clearly not good enough (either ever or any more).
Fuchs proved on Thursday how much of a better option he is than Justin right now. If we are talking for this season alone, he would have to be involved in the squad over Justin for me. I thought he was excellent on Thursday albeit against a pretty sloppy opposition.
 
Surely there's a question about Fuchs' ability to play two games a week at this stage of his career though? I'd gladly play him if he can
 
The only question marks are right side of the attack and centre half. For me, Praet and Maddison have to play in our best 11. I hope Under turns out to be brilliant for us. But we’re a better team with both Praet and Maddison in it So Praet working off the right and Maddison in his best position in the middle.

Centre half is much trickier. I know he’s only played two games, but Fofana has to be one of two for his aerial abilities. That has been our glaring weakness for far too long.
 
Surely there's a question about Fuchs' ability to play two games a week at this stage of his career though? I'd gladly play him if he can
Oh without doubt, but where we are able to use him over Justin when there is a choice of both available, it is utter madness to play Justin ahead of him at the moment.

For the record however, I am of the opinion that Justin will be an excellent player. If he can play at the level he did against Manchester City and be consistent, he will make a fine full back.
 
Oh without doubt, but where we are able to use him over Justin when there is a choice of both available, it is utter madness to play Justin ahead of him at the moment.

For the record however, I am of the opinion that Justin will be an excellent player. If he can play at the level he did against Manchester City and be consistent, he will make a fine full back.
flip the full backs let Justin play on his natural side and get Castagne developing his relationship with Barnes, or play Luke Thomas
 
flip the full backs let Justin play on his natural side and get Castagne developing his relationship with Barnes, or play Luke Thomas
Why would you put Thomas in ahead of a fit Christian Fuchs? Your lack of appreciation for him always astounds me. He is still an excellent LB and our best option if we aren't going to put Castagne there. He proved as much on Thursday. He was calm and tidied up beautifully.
 
Why would you put Thomas in ahead of a fit Christian Fuchs? Your lack of appreciation for him always astounds me. He is still an excellent LB and our best option if we aren't going to put Castagne there. He proved as much on Thursday. He was calm and tidied up beautifully.
I was talking about the games in which Fuchs cannot play, currently I would have Fuchs over Justin at left back
 
I was talking about the games in which Fuchs cannot play, currently I would have Fuchs over Justin at left back
In which case apologies for misunderstanding. I'm a nob head.

In other news, water is wet.
 
Okay, if everyone was fit, this is what I'd go for:

Schmeichel, Ricardo, Fofana, Evans, Castagne, Ndidi, Tielemans, Praet, Maddison, Barnes, Vardy

My rationale - I don't like a back three. I've gone for Fofana over Soyuncu because of his aerial ability as we are too often exposed in both penalty areas. Fofana has already proved to me his value in that respect. Aside from that, there is little in it between them but I think Fofana will be the better player over time. I'd try Ricardo at left back as I know he's played there more than Castagne has in his career but I'd be happy with them either side.

Praet has to be in the side for me, he gives us too much tactical and positional intelligence to ignore. The idea going forward is to give Maddison time and space to find the two forwards. I'd play this as a diamond with Barnes alongside Vardy but it can adapt to 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 easily enough too. You flex it based on who we're playing.

The bench would pick itself as: Ward, Soyuncu, Justin, Mendy, Perez, Under and Iheanacho. I'd also rotate a couple of outfield players each match to give them a rest every fifth game. We should have learnt that lesson last season - we played the same side and then when the injuries came we couldn't adapt because the bench players were too cold and the team couldn't manage with slightly different personnel.

That leaves us with Morgan, Fuchs, Choudhury, Albrighton, Gray, Slimani, Thomas, Jakupovic, Amartey as the unnecessaries. Thomas should be on loan and the rest are just treading water here because they are clearly not good enough (either ever or any more).
Any change in thought to your 'unecessaries' BN? Surely after the last couple of weeks a number of them have proved their worth?
 
Any change in thought to your 'unecessaries' BN? Surely after the last couple of weeks a number of them have proved their worth?

My only reflection on the above is that I'm not adapting my approach to the compressed fixture list this season which is a mistake.

Some of the 'old guard' have come in brilliantly recently and I love them for their contribution to the cause over the years. It has proved to be a very effective approach in the current environment but, take away the pandemic effect, it's not how I would do things.

We do need two more senior players over and above the 18 named above, especially given the regular use of three central defenders.

After that, my way would be to have the first team much 'closer' to the U23s rather than the huge separation that we have now. There would be a stronger group of 18-20 year olds just below the main group who could come in if we had an injury crisis in one area like now.

The problem is that if we get most of our players fit, as has been the case in most seasons, the 'unnecessaries' have no role.

I know I said that I would have loaned out Thomas, but I'd rather we have a few like him to call on than those that are definitely not good enough (e.g. Gray, Slimani, Jakupovic) and those that are not getting onto the bench when we only have one or two injured (e.g. Albrighton, Morgan, Fuchs).
 
Manager for the day, this season, id pick a back four if we are playing anyone except Man City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs or Man Utd (I refuse to call them the top six). Because we've proven that we can play better against teams with 3 top forwards if we play 3 centre half's.
So against those teams id pick

Schmeichel
Fofana Evans Soyuncu
Pereira Ndidi Tielemans Castagne
Maddison Barnes
Vardy

Against everyone else id play

Schmeichel
Ricardo Evans Soyuncu Castagne
Ndidi Tielemans
Praet Maddison Barnes
Vardy

I don't subscribe to the school of thought that you need all of your best attacking players on the pitch from the start regardless of formation. So I'm happy to have Under and Iheanacho on the bench to come on.

If I were manager for the day id also be really happy that
Albrighton Morgan Fofana Justin Fuchs Thomas
Mendy Choudhury
Under Iheanacho
have proven absolutely capable of backing up and annihilating premier league and Europe league opposition.
 
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