I read that in Thursday's press conference BR wanted sidelined players to 'prove him wrong'. A perfectly valid sentiment until you realise just how many of the squad he's definitely or probably had issues with at one time or another. I reckon we're talking about:
Iversen - reportedly told in the summer that he was available for transfer if Schmeichel stayed or would be back up only.
Soyuncu - publically called out several times last season and this season BR has said he's nowhere near the required levels in training.
Vestergaard - BR has said that his 'profile doesn't fit' whatever the feck that means.
Castagne - dropped this season and held responsible for goals conceded in early matches.
Praet - frozen out ages ago and made available for transfer but nobody would pay our price. BR has repeatedly indirectly said he isn't as good as other members of his squad.
Soumare - picked out negatively several times last season and made available for transfer this summer. Expected to leave but another one who nobody bid enough for.
Mendy - has had more comebacks into the squad than practically any other player in recent history. This is his 7th season here and he's still a bit part player who we'd be happy to sell but seem to keep giving new contracts to.
Iheanacho - performances criticised last season and his mobility questioned. Seems to have been made available for transfer this summer but no takers. Gradually seems to be coming back into picture.
Perez - another one sidelined from the entire squad at times last season and when asked BR said he was selecting players on their contribution in training. A player seemingly randomly selected and dropped.
In addition to these, you've got Justin, Ndidi and Maddison who have been messed about regarding their position constantly this season. Ndidi got randomly dropped too.
Then you've got the case of Tielemans who was initially dropped into the 'B' side in preseason with the obvious expectation that he was going. He didn't and is now sometimes in and sometimes not.
Ricardo and Bertrand are long term injured and Faes is yet to be seen so those three haven't contributed for different reasons.
Who does that leave us with?
- Ward in goal is a consistent selection despite his poor performances and low confidence.
- Evans is the constant in defence. Amartey and Thomas have been getting game time despite being nowhere near good enough.
- Dewsbury-Hall has dropped off a lot from his form in the second half of last season and was dropped for the last game. Albrighton hasn't featured for the first team in the PL at all yet. Barnes has been mainly off form and has been dropped too.
- Vardy has been well off form and Daka has been mainly sidelined until the last game.
That's 25 players and I can't really pick any out apart from Evans who has had a solid start to the season and he didn't play well for the first three or four games.
The complete lack of consistency in selection and formation together with the shambolic mess in the relationships between BR and his players means there really isn't any option but to sack him is there?
Does anyone seriously expect this to just turn around? A new manager could come in and there is immediately a clean slate for all these players and we suddenly look a decent squad again. Without that, we're going to continue to implode.
If, as seems likely, we don't play now until 3rd October, surely this is the time to make a change and bring in a new manager. The lack of action from the owner is either negligent or he's blind to the mess we're really in. If the manager is unmotivated and has demotivated most of his squad, there is only one course of action that's open.
