Ronan suffers stress fracture

players are judged on form, i dont see why managers shouldnt be as well
the key in both cases is to have a better replacement

I dont think February is a terrible time to sack your manager (not the best either) but it provides an opportunity for someone to come in and change things for the better.

Something has changed quite dramatically at Leicester, Kante was probably worth 15 points to them, but all round, they seem to be less committed. Look at that chance Okazaki had from about 4 yards against Milwall. Most of us could have finished it, but a bloke that was sticking them in from all angles and distances last season couldn't.

It always kind of felt with Leicester that last season was (dare I say it) an anomaly, a bunch of fairly ordinary but honest pros that managed to find a spark that would lift them collectively to previously unknown heights. But the way that they kept winning games after they won the title last season made me think that it was more than that and that they were the real deal. Carrying absolutely no momentum forward into this season at all is very strange, something only those on the inside can probably explain.

yet they have done well in the champions league - far better than multi-millions man city managed in their first couple of goes at it.

perhaps what helped them win the league was that they took a different approach to playing games than most newly promoted sides - a simple system but one that established sides seemed to be bamboozled by. that maybe the same in this season's CL, where sides haven't worked them out quickly enough. whereas in the prem, being a one-trick pony (defend like mad and then hit teams on the break with pace over the top to vardy) doesn't work for long as other managers will adapt to nullify your style.

this may also be a reason that one or two teams don't totally dominate the prem in the same way that happens in some European leagues. yes, there's a Big Four (or now a Big Six possibly) but still most sides can beat each other on any given weekend.

ranieri guilty of being too loyal to one or two players from last season maybe. same thing mick did - except ranieri had a bit more reason to trust his team after they'd finished 14 places higher than any of ours ever did!

I think in football as in other sports you can get into a habit of winning and get into a habit of losing. And both those habits have a stronger drive behind them than even quality and ability

Leicester have shown that in a more extreme way than almost any other example I can think of. They got a winning formula going two years ago and kept it going all through last season by just sticking to what they were doing well. This season they lost games early on and just couldn't find that winning formula again and they now have forgotten how to win games.

In terms of quality and ability Leicester are nowhere near as good as their league position showed last season nor as bad as their results show this season.

But winning the league last season was no fluke because they did what they were doing really well and their consistency couldn't be matched. Don't go along with views that they only won it cause all the top teams had a poor season. If that was the case why didn't Everton or Stoke or Southampton win it.

My abiding memory of prem games last season was Leicester's win at Man City when they were exceptional and truly looked like champions. It was a team beating some top notch individuals and that's how they won the league

yep, they won the league on merit and at a canter in the end. fully deserved title, with the whole (relatively small) squad maintaining high standards all year.

equally deserving to go down this year so far, based on consistently poor showings.

you generally get the position you deserve over 38-46 matches in a league, just as wolves did when we finished 7th with KJ and were pipped to the play-offs by ipswich

comment by Not Normally An Anomaly (U16473)
posted 14 hours, 53 minutes ago
On second thoughts, why shouldn't the club go through the same process? We went though it, and haven't yet recovered. They should too. It's a tough lesson, but you reap what you sew.
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You reap what you sow as well Bute

sow we all agree then?

comment by gbwolf V - golden ring (U17280)
posted 43 minutes ago
sow we all agree then?
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sew what?

But winning the league last season was no fluke because they did what they were doing really well and their consistency couldn't be matched. Don't go along with views that they only won it cause all the top teams had a poor season. If that was the case why didn't Everton or Stoke or Southampton win it.

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No doubt the big clubs had a poor season collectively, between them looking at today compared to a year ago the big six have scored 71 more goals this season, that is a truly massive difference and highlights just how poor they all were.

comment by Dances with Wolves (U18318)
posted 3 hours, 48 minutes ago
comment by Not Normally An Anomaly (U16473)
posted 14 hours, 53 minutes ago
On second thoughts, why shouldn't the club go through the same process? We went though it, and haven't yet recovered. They should too. It's a tough lesson, but you reap what you sew.
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You reap what you sow as well Bute
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Sorry - I was thinking of my sewing circle