They're talking about us

[Fox Fan]

 

[Rock Fox]

I'd have scoffed at ending in 13th position at the beginning of the season - but I'd take it now

 

[Blue Maniac]

That would be brilliant, finally getting shot of Everton, but I’d be happy with any one of the next four as well.

 

[Tango Fox]

Why are we not in 12th?

 

[Rock Fox]

Why are we not in 12th?

Alphabetical order trumps goal difference.

 

[Blue Maniac]

Proximity to London trumps goal difference.

Correct

 

[fitz]

Glad i haven't parted with £1/m to read such shit

 

[glyn]

Article on the Athletic on Harvey Barnes and how he compensates for terrible dribbling stats (see graphic) with being one of the best in the business at one-twos. He’s scored more give and go goals this season (four) than anyone else

Harvey Barnes' mastery of the one-two has made up for his dribbling deficiencies

The Leicester winger has scored four Premier League goals following one-twos this season - two more than any other player

theathletic.com

 

[glyn]

And another Saturday stat

 

[Brown Nose]

Hopefully this isn't a sign of our prospects in the month ahead.

 

[city-faithful]

Hopefully this isn't a sign of our prospects in the month ahead.

To think that only a few weeks back we were an injury away from this as a starting center back pairing.

Genuinely worrying.

 

[Brown Nose]

We're named several times through this. Dodgy sponsorship deals.

I remain surprised that our main sponsor hasn't been investigated yet. They're very odd.

Whilst it's easy to highlight obvious shenanigans at other clubs, we're clearly up to no good too.

 

[FryattFox]

Kelechi fan piece (somewhat focused on his Man City days):

Your Belief Must Always Stay

The Spoiled Magic of Kelechi Iheanacho

4lexgm.substack.com

 

[give_us_a_wave]

We're named several times through this. Dodgy sponsorship deals.

I remain surprised that our main sponsor hasn't been investigated yet. They're very odd.

Whilst it's easy to highlight obvious shenanigans at other clubs, we're clearly up to no good too.

No worries. The government is on the case. They'll sort it all out by passing legislation making me send bookies my income details if I want to have 20 quid on the 2:30 at Kempton Park.

Meanwhile the chair of the Gambling Commission will continue to pull a 6 figure salary for doing feck all except look the other way when bookies close accounts for anyone who wins anything.

At the same time organised crime in Shanghai & Jakarta continues to flourish thanks to billions being bet on premier league Asian handicaps.

Its all a far cry from having a few quid on a horse in your local bookie...& yet that's the area they'll look to attack while leaving all this hideously corrupt shit well alone.

 

[bocadillo]

I remain surprised that our main sponsor hasn't been investigated yet. They're very odd.

I seem to remember that you expressed your anxiety about this when the deal was first announced. I'm sure you're correct. Dodgy connections and a betting site in disguise.

 

[Brown Nose]

I would rarely recommend listening to Radio Leicester. However, this episode of their 'When you're smiling' podcast featuring a chap called Jake Watson is excellent. Well worth 25 mins.

 

[Miles Away]

This Leicester side buckle under the slightest pressure – and it could spell doom​

Rob Tanner
It has been a horrendous week for everyone associated with Leicester City.

After the shocking midweek home exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Championship promotion hopefuls Blackburn Rovers, on the back of the abject performance against Arsenal, manager Brendan Rodgers said it was worrying how much better Rovers had been.

In the build-up to a crucial clash with rock-bottom Southampton, who started the day with the worst home record of any side in all top-four English divisions, defender Wout Faes called it a must-win game.

Well, they didn’t win and everyone should be worried, not just Rodgers, because Leicester are well and truly entrenched in the relegation dogfight and are displaying the attributes of a team ripe for the drop.

Rodgers is losing personnel at a key period at an alarming rate again. On the back of Youri Tielemans being ruled out for six weeks after landing awkwardly and twisting his ankle against Arsenal, Rodgers confirmed promising young defender Victor Kristiansen had twisted his ankle in training and would also be sidelined for a month. Then Harvey Barnes limped off with another ankle injury, caused by fouling James Ward-Prowse.

The treatment room at Leicester is once again like a scene from MASH.

Rodgers is still without captain Jonny Evans, as well as long-term absentee James Justin, while James Maddison is still being managed through his knee issue, and Ricardo Pereira has had to play twice in five days after nearly seven months out and looks incredibly rusty.

At least the Portuguese full-back has mitigation for his form. Some of Rodgers’ regulars are way off their best levels, including two of the new arrivals.

After a wonderful debut at Aston Villa, in which Tete looked an incredible signing, the Brazilian has struggled to cope with the physicality of the Premier League. Rodgers believes he needs time, but time is running out.

Tete’s threat came from his ability to run in behind the defence down the middle off the right, but after the Villa game he has hardly made that run at all.

Leicester still attacked over 44 per cent of the time down the left and constantly looked to Barnes when he was on the pitch, even though he is having his own struggles, with variety in his runs needed.

Like Tete, Faes is also struggling after a bright start to his Leicester career. The Belgium international is almost trying too hard, wanting to win every challenge and get to the ball first, but being caught out of position repeatedly.

For the goal he drifted wide away from Che Adams, expecting the pass down the line, but Adams, now inside Faes and unmarked, had the space to receive and turn to find the run of Carlos Alcaraz behind Harry Souttar to score.


Even then, despite his penalty save, Danny Ward should have done better. At times the Leicester keeper seems extremely vulnerable when facing a one-on-one. The goal suddenly looks big — or Ward shrinks. Rodgers may have a big decision to make among many.

It is a new look back four and there are signs they are struggling to remain on the same wavelength. Repeatedly in the last few games, huge spaces have appeared for opposition runners.

But as Rodgers says, the defending starts from the front and Leicester are never more vulnerable than when they are on the attack. So often this season Rodgers has lamented a goal being conceded after squandering possession in an attacking position, revealing their vulnerability to a swift counter-attack. It happened again when Iheanacho lost possession in attack — just three Saints passes forwards and Ward was picking the ball out of the net.

Leicester have not kept a clean sheet for the last 10 league games, which was before the World Cup.

On the attacking front, they had chances at Manchester United but failed to take them, denied by superb saves by David de Gea; against Arsenal and Southampton they failed to make the keeper make a single save, the first time they have failed to have a single shot on target in back-to-back Premier League games since gaining promotion back to the top flight in 2014.

At St Mary’s, however, they created some wonderful chances that were all squandered, mostly by Iheanacho, whose form in front of goal evaporated.

Leicester’s players react after a missed chance against Southampton (Photo: Alex Pantling via Getty Images)
Talisman striker Jamie Vardy came on but the 36-year-old is now struggling to make an impact and Rodgers seems to have lost faith in Patson Daka — he’s not the only one in the squad Rodgers seems not to trust.

What about fighting spirit and game management? Kiernan Dewsbury-Halldisplays plenty of fight in midfield and there is effort, but there is little game management.

When Ward saved Ward-Prowse’s penalty that should have given Leicester a huge boost. They needed to settle and take the sting out of the game, but appeared to do the opposite, galvanising the hosts who turned the screw. Under the slightest hint of pressure, this Leicester side can buckle, as they did for the goal.

Injuries, loss of form, poor defending, wasteful finishing, and a lack of game management and leadership — it has all the ingredients of a relegation side. So what is the answer?

Some in the away end called for the sacking of Rodgers. It certainly wasn’t all, but enough to be heard.

This was at the same ground where they experienced one of their best nights, the 9-0 win at the start of Rodgers’ reign. He could do no wrong then. Now he is being seriously questioned by some fans and their number are growing, despite there being no obvious successor, and very few fans offering a credible alternative.

At the end, the players applauded the travelling fans for sticking by them. Some applauded back as Maddison handed his shirt to a young fan, but others vented their frustration. The fans seem divided.

However, they will all share the feeling of dread as, in a topsy-turvy campaign, the momentum seems to be shifting in one awful direction.

 

[Miles Away]

Maddison didn’t like it:

 

[homer]

Win comfortably on another day, when we haven’t got hopeless ****s playing who couldn’t hit a cow’s arse with a banjo

Maddison talking total shite there

 

[Graz]

Win comfortably on another day, when we haven’t got hopeless ****s playing who couldn’t hit a cow’s arse with a banjo

Maddison talking total shite there

I'm glad to see a bit of fight from one of them though, got no problem with him replying to that.

Makes the whole "they're not playing for Rodgers" idea sound like it's not true too.

Then again, we all know Maddison isn't the problem... if we had more like him we'd be fine!