To me the answer is yes, and I’m looking for someone to convince me it’s not. I don’t think we have a cat in hells chance of finishing in the top 4 and think we may struggle for top 6.
Why?
1. Vardy. Jamie Vardy is probably the best striker ever to wear a Leicester shirt since colour tv. But right now, he’s broken and having a negative impact on the team.
2. Injuries. Stop moaning everyone says. But wait, Man City couldn’t cope with their most influential 5 players being out of the team, are we really expected to?
3. Not injured, but injured. Pereira fits firmly in to this camp, but you can add Castagne and others to this list. They may be playing, but right now they are taking away from our team. Ricardo was a genuine world class player before his injury - I really hope he improves but right now he’s not even championship quality.
4. Mentality. This is the killer one for me. You can see the players are going in to games scared. You can’t win football games if you do t believe you can, and right now the players don’t look like they can win a game of football.
We’re done.
Anyone got any counter evidence? I’m trying desperately not to be frustrated by the rest of the season, but I can’t see how we can turn this around.
Just a bit of positivity for a Thursday morning.
Is our season done?
posted on 4/3/21
Would Rodgers consider ye olde 4-4-2 for the weekend? I’m struggling for a second winger without giving Ünder a go - which seems somewhat pointless now - but I think Iheanacho has to start and there’s only so much you can do with two up top.
posted on 4/3/21
Could do 4-D-2 with Albrighton and Pereira either side, but personally I’d give Pereira a rest as he’s not helping right now.
posted on 4/3/21
Well I suppose we should consider that in 2008 we were filling our pants at the prospect of going into the 3rd tier. Now we're worrying about not finishing top four.
If I'm honest I can't see us staying in the top four and could even be edged out of top six. Losing Barnes kind of pushed us over the brink in terms of remaining attacking quality.
I can't help feeling a bit pragmatic about it all though. This season we've not capitulated and it really is down to having all our in form players injured - or coming back from injury. There isn't a club in the league who could expect to stay competitive - including Man City.
And yet .... here we are .... still 3rd with 11 games to go. Anything we get now is a bonus. Top six would be great. Top four an incredible and wonderful achievement but, if we don't, nobody is to blame this time other than lady luck. We can rest up for next season, go again and maybe even appreciate the joy of actually attending a football match.
posted on 5/3/21
Well said joby
posted on 5/3/21
Personally, I’d go:
Ricardo Fofana Soyunchu Thomas
—————-Ndidi
Albrighton——-Tielemans ———Castagne
————Nacho———Vardy
In terms of quality, I think it’s currently our best 11 (you could debate the starting positions of Albrighton Castagne and Ricardo)
However, I have a feeling I’m going to see a bl00dy back 3 with Amartey though
posted on 5/3/21
Yeah, I broadly prescribe to that view Joby. That’s in part the point of my post - let’s stop expecting to challenge for the top 4 otherwise we’ll just get frustrated and look for blame.
The reality is the season has taken its toll on us and there’s very little we can do about it now other than ride it out.
I think Rodgers needs to play the best team he can with the players he’s got. For me though that needs to be fit players. Until Ricardo and Vardy are fit enough to influence a football match, they should start on the bench.
posted on 6/3/21
I get where you are coming from Mersey. The one thing I would say is that Ricardo and Vardy are at different ends of an injury spectrum. The former isn’t fully fit because he needs more match time so I don’t see any reason not to play him
posted on 6/3/21
To be controversial it's absolutely ridiculous to suggest dropping either player unless there's a medical reason.
posted on 6/3/21
To answer the original question; YEP
posted on 6/3/21
NO