Official Leicester City FC Thread

[HIF]

So I get to see my team in another couple of CL games at least.

[Merc_Porto]

Congrats to Leicester and HIF.
The dream is still alive after all, good luck to Leicester.

[HIF]

[HIF]

Once again - it's possibly the biggest day in our history again.

A 2 - 0 win away from the semi-finals of the CL. Huth is out and a big miss, Wes isn't fit but I can see him playing anyway.

I believe we can do it.

Come on you Foxes.

[HIF]

The end of our European campaign. We did well and any City supporter would have been proud of the way we went out. With a bang not a whimper. Atletico were lucky, from the penalty for the foul outside the box to holding out and blocking the last 30 minute onslaught.

We may not be in the same class of players as most of the other last 16 (let alone last 8) but as a team we showed class and style throughout the tournament.

We were the only English club to make the last 8 and we didn't embarrass the prem as many suggested we would prior to the tournament.

Well done Leicester. Maybe in 2 years time we can do it again.

[HIF]

Harry Maguire to Leicester. That's a decent start to the off-season.

We needed 2 CB, 1 RB, 1 LB backup, 1 striker/no.10

[HIF]

So Iheanacho now completed along with Maguire and Iborra and the GK replacement for the departed Zieler.

I'm very happy with these 3 signings. Maguire has shown signs of real class in the pre-season.

Now another young CB and a RB and I'll be happy.

[Baphomet]

What are your hopes and predictions for the season, HIF? Do you think Leicester can break back into the top half and push for a European place this season?

[HIF]

What are your hopes and predictions for the season, HIF? Do you think Leicester can break back into the top half and push for a European place this season?

I don't think you need to be that good to make the top half. On paper we can make top 6. If we get another CB and RB I'd expect us to otherwise top 8. Then again I'm Leicester through and through - all blue tinted glasses for me.

[HIF]

2 games in.

A loss which shouldn't have been against a defence deficient Arsenal and an easy win against a very weak Brighton.

Too early to make predictions but...

I think we're top 8 without any question and hopefully we're going to fight for top 6.

Good:

Vardy seems to be on fire again, great against Arse, good without the finishing touches against Brighton
Mahrez, still with us, poor against Arse, amazing against Brighton.
Maguire - excellent purchase possibly our best player so far.
Shinji - scored 2 goals, I can't believe it, still manages 70 mins of non-stop hassle
Albrighton - one of the most underrated players in the prem. 70 mins of hustle and crosses.
James - back as though he never left.
Kasper - looking good.
Ndidi - evolving into a top midfielder.

Bad:
Fuchs good going forward. Poor in defence
Simpson - we really need an RB
Morgan - age starting to show, still all heart but hopefully Huth is back against Manure and we buy another young good CB
Iheanacho - toe injury could drag on and on.
Lawrence - young talent sold.
Jasko - not even back up GK.

Who knows?:
Drinky injured or going to chelsea
Slimani needs gametime
Amartey - what is shakey doing with him?
Musa - off to Hull on loan?
Gray?
Iborra another injured party
Shakey - is he frightened to change things?

[and1GS]

I know Leicester won a title, but the best strategy for long-term stability IMO is to pile up 3-4 top 8 finishes and make some smart transfers, so I'd say your projection would be a fantastic outcome. Even Everton who consistently has a good pot of $$ has trouble staying in contention for Europa. That's not a bad thing, the reality is that it's really tough to challenge those spots when you can't spend $150m every transfer season.

Financial stability is the key to long-term success. Southampton is a good example - they're just now trying to turn the corner from collecting good players, finishing well enough and now trying to push for more.

Anyways, Leicester has some great pieces, but boy is Mahrez a puzzling one. I'm not sure you'd get market value at this point so I think you keep him unless you can immediately line up a replacement transfer of the Shaqiri/Jese caliber (strong wingers that will make your team better, put in a shift, but not win you a title). Annoying situation and I feel your pain.

[HIF]

9 changes to the side for the Caraboa cup and a nice win. Next up Manure - scored 8, conceeded 0, 6pts from 6.

[HIF]

So Deadline day.

Mahrez supposedly given time out from Algeria to sign somewhere - Mahrez Barça are just using you to sign Couthino, Arsenal are in disarray, Chelsea have too many players. You'd be better off pulling your neck in and showing your genius for us. And £50m is a joke when Ox gos for £40m and siggurdsson for nearly £50m.

Drinkwater has asked to go and sit on Chelsea's bench. Why Danny? surely you're not that worried about the return of James are you?

Vardy - chelsea and Everton want you. They'll get the same answer. Vardy is a Fox for life.

Gray - bournemouth, Spurs et al can offer their £25-30m. You're not leaving. Get your head down and replace Mahrez.

Slimani - we're not giving you away. You can still become a cult figure with us.

Musa, enjoy your loan at Hull. You'll bag the goals and can get a serious sale next season.

Benalouane - Bye.

Mendy - sad to see you go but I'm sure you'll prove yourself on loan.

Smalling. we're too small for you are we?. you'll wish you came here when Harry Maguire takes your World Cup place.
Gibson - you need prem football.

We still need an RB, CB and cover for anyone who goes. Doesn't look like we're getting it though.

Roll on tomorrow.

[HIF]

Pretty good transfer window for us.

GK - one in, one out not much change.

defence - Maguire in, dragovic season loan. Badly needed CB reinforcements and we could have got the steal of the window. nobody at RB worries me though

midfield - Drinkwater gone - crucial for our title win, Mendy gone on loan - been injured all last season. Silva in - could be a masterstroke. Mahrez stays.

Attack - Iheanacho in - could be a great partner for vardy. slim stays.

We're better and it didn't cost us much.

[HIF]

City 2 Pool 3

Disappointing. Pool were there for the taking. Couthino is class but otherwise the team without their best striker is ordinary.

We have the wrong attitude to start games these days and we only start to play "our" attacking football when we go 2 down it seems. Mahrez was non-existent and needs replacing in the starting lineup with Gray.

Drinkwater leaving and FIFA not allowing us Silva has **** us in midfield as James is out for 6 weeks and Iborra not yet up to speed after his injury. Having a 2 man midfield especially against a team like Liverpool is ludicrous. King isn't of the standard even though he did pretty well yesterday. It's time to ditch the 2 wingers - mahrez is playing badly and Albrighton has lost form and go to a 3 in the middle with Gray/slim/iheanacho operating behind vardy. Not going to happen though.

Obviously missing the penalty and not getting the handball in the box cost us but we should have put Pool away. Group of whinging girls led by Henderson I'm afraid. Referee favoured Liverpool far too much in the first half. Gomez and Lovren should have been in the book early. Gomez should have been off and what the **** was that non-league goalkeeper doing? Surprised he didn't get a red card when he pulled the shirt off of Okazaki before the goal.

Points thrown away I'm afraid.

[HIF]

Well we're in the bottom 3 slightly adrift.

It really makes no sense.

Yes we had a tough start to the season schedule wise but we could and should have got points from Arsenal and Liverpool and there is no excuse for not beating West Brom at home.

We have talented players but shakespeare has proven what I said last season before his appointment. He is not good enough to be a prem manager. He has favourite players whom he is blind to their weaknesses and he keeps playing 442 even though the thickest football mind has seen for over a year since the departure of Kanté is a terrible mistake. we are overrun in midfield week after week.

Why has he not gone to a midfeild three and why does he keep playing People like Fuchs - who is a nice, intelligent man but who hasn't been good defensively since towards the end of 2015/16.

We can still do well in the league if we change formation and modify personnel. We must have 3 , 4 or 5 in the middle so we need to change our defensive scheme and take out at least 1 winger.

Mahrez is also underwhelming. he'll be a very good player again when he leaves us but tbh it'll be best for both parties if someone stumps up the cash in January - maybe Wenger will have hit the panic button by then.

We're not as bad as it seems but we need a change. I think that means Shakey and hopefully Rudkin and Macia are out of the door by the end of November.

[HIF]

He's gone.

Had to really.

Now we need someone who isn't beholden to the players and can look at them with fresh eyes and a clean slate.

Need Rudkin out too.

[el13adnino]

I think your team gets worst in January’s transfer window

[HIF]

I think your team gets worst in January’s transfer window

Who would want them?

I'd say that a Mahrez transfer is an improvement by deduction. Gray will then get the time to play and shine. If Arsenal will cough up the money I'll drive the taxi for Mahrez.

Now it's time for the next manager.

I'd love Laurent Blanc.

but at least Big Sam has ruled himself out.

[HIF]

Mahrez selfishness and attitude is getting very annoying. Puel ought to drop him from the squad for a couple of weeks until he understands that we want team play from him.

Iborra is looking better and better. sheer class.

Looking forward to Silva being allowed to play in January, a FIFA disgrace that he hasn't been allowed already, him Iborra and Ndidi in the middle could be the start of a Leicester revival.

The no.10 position is our problem. Okazaki brings energy but is often bypassed, Mahrez just isn't doing it, Gray hasn't shone. Hopefully Silva can be the man there.

We're doing okay to challenge for 8th place still but we could and should be doing so much better.