Generic small time football blather thread 2015/16

[Park Life 71]

Kante.

[ewerk 30647]

Sounds like he had completely lost the dressing room.

[Alex 35103]

Kante.

Yeke Yeke

[Park Life 71]

Rub a dub stylee..

[Dr Gloom 21959]

Kante.

I think he's the biggest issue when you look st how Chelsea are doing and how Leicester have fared without him. It was always going to be tough to replace him but they haven't done an adequate job there, realising how important a role he played. Should Raneri carry the can for that lack of foresight? Possibly. still seems harsh given where they were when we took over

[ewerk 30647]

It's part of the problem of course but their issues are much bigger than that.

[Dr Gloom 21959]

You could get away with the likes of huth and Simpson in your back line with Kante doing the work of three men in front of them.

[Alex 35103]

He's not the single difference between winning the league and being in a relegation fight though.

[Ayatollah Hermione 13887]

Kante.

No need to call me that

[Dr Gloom 21959]

He's not the single difference between winning the league and being in a relegation fight though.

Not the only issue - you had players collectively performing to their maximum and then some at the same time, the likes of vardy being found out this season, Mahrez being man marked out of games now people know what he's about etc - but imo it was the biggest issue. He wasn't replaced adequately for ranieri to continue playing a lot of the workman-like defenders kante protected last season. And you only have to look at Chelsea this season to see the impact he's had there.

[Alex 35103]

Not the only issue - you had players collectively performing to their maximum and then some at the same time, the likes of vardy being found out this season, Mahrez being man marked out of games now people know what he's about etc - but imo it was the biggest issue. He wasn't replaced adequately for ranieri to continue playing a lot of the workman-like defenders kante protected last season. And you only have to look at Chelsea this season to see the impact he's had there.

I know he's been a big player for Chelsea but there's loads of other things at play there too. I think Kante's made a difference to both teams but you're probably only talking about a couple of league places at Leicester anyway (all other things being equal). It's hard to quantify but you can't just say look at Leicester, look at Chelsea therefore he's the main difference. Well you can, but you'd be wrong

[ewerk 30647]

Not the only issue - you had players collectively performing to their maximum and then some at the same time, the likes of vardy being found out this season, Mahrez being man marked out of games now people know what he's about etc - but imo it was the biggest issue. He wasn't replaced adequately for ranieri to continue playing a lot of the workman-like defenders kante protected last season. And you only have to look at Chelsea this season to see the impact he's had there.

 

Post hoc ergo proctor hoc.

[Dr Gloom 21959]

I know he's been a big player for Chelsea but there's loads of other things at play there too. I think Kante's made a difference to both teams but you're probably only talking about a couple of league places at Leicester anyway (all other things being equal). It's hard to quantify but you can't just say look at Leicester, look at Chelsea therefore he's the main difference. Well you can, but you'd be wrong

I think at Chelsea you've got the new manager bounce and the fact they massively underachieved last season after mourinho lost the dressing room - they should have always been competing for the title with that squad but hazard and costa stopped playing for him.

 

Leicester were always going to struggle to repeat what they did last season but I thought if they'd still manage to finish around the top 8 given they were able to hang on to the rest of their top players.

 

Kante just looks like the sort of player who should be playing for the champions.

Edited February 24, 2017 by Dr Gloom

[Dr Gloom 21959]

Post hoc ergo proctor hoc.

Alright then, what was the biggest reason behind it for you? It's a pretty spectacular fall from grace.

[rob032 38]

He's not the single difference between winning the league and being in a relegation fight though.

Massive massive miss though, the whole way they play has had to change without him and they haven't adapted at all. They and unfortunately Ranieri looked lost without him. Look at Matic, a decent, highly rated player. He looks like a lumbering elephant next to Kante.

[Dr Gloom 21959]

Massive massive miss though, the whole way they play has had to change without him and they haven't adapted at all. They and unfortunately Ranieri looked lost without him. Look at Matic, a decent, highly rated player. He looks like a lumbering elephant next to Kante.

I think they needed to invest more to replace the hole Kante left. Not necessarily by replacing him with a like for like player. You could argue he's unique in that position in the PL, given how much ground he covers and the speed at which he does it. In which case surgery was needed on that back line - which would have been harsh after they'd just won the title but, as Mike Ashley demonstrates time and time again, you go backwards if you fail to invest sufficiently from a position of strength. And they won the title despite having a couple of donkeys in their defence. Danny Simpson man ffs, Huth and Morgan didn't become world class players overnight in the twilight of their careers. Kante made their jobs a lot easier and they have been as exposed as ordinary defenders since he left.

Edited February 24, 2017 by Dr Gloom

[rob032 38]

Aye agree with all that. Danny Simpson man, unreal. Best thing about Kante for me is how quickly he turns on the ball when he gets it, how many times he won the ball last season and before you can blink Vardy Mahrez were 100mph bearing down on goal. Got the ability to pick them out as well. Same at Chelsea now with Willian Hazard and co. So hard to defend against.

 

Anyone reckon the mackems will be thinking about Claudio?

Edited February 24, 2017 by rob032

[adios 717]

Alright then, what was the biggest reason behind it for you? It's a pretty spectacular fall from grace.

Early onset dementia. 

[David Kelly 1245]

They are pretty much back to where they should be this season.  Last season was the most perfect of all storms for them.  All the other top teams played shit, they had Kante and Vardy and Mahrez had the seasons of their lives.  I didn't expect them to drop from champions to relegation in the space of one season but without making excellent signings I expected them to start to drop this season and continue in the coming seasons to drop back to their usual position.  They made some very risky signings and I don't think any of them have paid off.  Most of the players don't seem to have managed to really cement positions in the team.

 

I don't think it's any surprise they have sacked Ranieri though.  I'm sure most of the supporters would have been happy for him to stay even if they went down, but the owners were never going to sit back and allow that.  The money in the premier league is all important these days and whereas as a supporter most of us would take it in a heartbeat if someone offered you the league one season but only if you were relegated next, no owners with millions invested would.   

[The Fish 10870]

Alright then, what was the biggest reason behind it for you? It's a pretty spectacular fall from grace.

 

Loads of reasons.

 

Key players enjoyed a purple patch last season. that's over now. Vardy was hitting the back of the net with every swing of his boot, things aren't going his way this season (like Cisse's fall from grace). Mahrez wasn't recognised as a good player early doors, now he's marked out of games.

Key players may have had their opinions of themselves fluffed by agents and now feel the graft that got them the title is beneath them.

Maybe they wanted to leave Leicester in the summer and were denied that opportunity and subsequently aren't as motivated.

The new players may have disrupted the core of the squad.

The new players weren't improvements on last seasons squad.

Ranieri could keep a winning team's morale and commitment high, but can't reinvigorate an ailing squad.

Kante's departure depressed morale

Other clubs know how to set up against Leicester

Other teams are performing more in line with their norm (Chelsea, Liverpool, the Manchester clubs)

 

and so on.

[The Fish 10870]

naw he isn't

 

last year they just had one of those moments like mentioned above where you had a striker in wonder form, a couple of pure class players (mahrez and kante) both also playing well, no big injury hits, and the likes of Huth/Morgan having the best period of their entire careers with some unexplainable form where they looked good when they're both brutal.

 

all fell into place pretty much in one massive purple patch, i don't think Ranerai would've took them down, close but not down

next season no europe etc probably back to doing "alright" , and i can't see anyone else who comes in either being better than him, or doing much more than he could've tbh.

 

Daft sacking imo

 

Or what he said

[Dr Gloom 21959]

Loads of reasons.

 

Key players enjoyed a purple patch last season. that's over now. Vardy was hitting the back of the net with every swing of his boot, things aren't going his way this season (like Cisse's fall from grace). Mahrez wasn't recognised as a good player early doors, now he's marked out of games.

Key players may have had their opinions of themselves fluffed by agents and now feel the graft that got them the title is beneath them.

Maybe they wanted to leave Leicester in the summer and were denied that opportunity and subsequently aren't as motivated.

The new players may have disrupted the core of the squad.

The new players weren't improvements on last seasons squad.

Ranieri could keep a winning team's morale and commitment high, but can't reinvigorate an ailing squad.

Kante's departure depressed morale

Other clubs know how to set up against Leicester

Other teams are performing more in line with their norm (Chelsea, Liverpool, the Manchester clubs)

 

and so on.

Yes, the first few of those I mentioned already as contributing factors.

 

Still think the biggest blunder of all was letting Kante go without properly gauging what affect it would have on the rest of squad, in particular the bang average defence.

[Alex 35103]

[Howmanheyman 33270]

Those palace fans are so edgy and mysterious. Wish I was one, tbh.

[Rayvin 5223]

Knackers.