Live @ https://www.ja606.co.uk/articles/viewLiveArticle/418750
One match ban enabled

Let's go Fox hunting!!

Good intro for tonight. I'd be surprised if Wes was anything more that bench fodder, and quite frankly worried/panicked if James made it anywhere near the squad!

I can't argue with the 'success story' table either, Liverpool slaughtering everybody in sight, the Blades challenging for Europe when I though they might struggle to stay in the League, us in a Champions League spot at present (whether we stay there is a moot point) and Wolves handling a punishing schedule very well indeed.

I think it’s two evenly matched teams tonight. Leicester’s better league position is to me only because we have had such a huge volume of fixtures and I suspect we would be on similar points if that wasn’t the case

I disagree. I think we are where we are now because we concede the first goal most games and have to fight back from a losing position. I doubt a lower volume of games would solve that issue.

I think it’s true we would have more points if we had scored the first goal more often, and also true that we would have more points if we hadn’t played such a high volume of games.

comment by Spangles (U17289)
posted 19 minutes ago
I think it’s true we would have more points if we had scored the first goal more often, and also true that we would have more points if we hadn’t played such a high volume of games.
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Ifs, buts and maybes

People seem to forget how poor we were early season, setting up not to lose rather than going for wins.

I think the big choice for Nuno tonight is who to start up top with Jimenez and Traore. Jota has been out of form and Neto has earned a start, but there is no doubting Jota is the better player when on his game at this time.

You also have Podence to throw in the mix, who looked very sharp when he came on against United.

I expect the same starting eleven as last time with Podence maybe getting an extra 10-15 mins or so depending on game script.

Our back three is set for the season barring injuries. Our midfield picks itself unless we only go two up top and bring Donk in which I can't see happening tonight.

Only leading for 305 minutes this season, madness!!

Love this:
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/51459137

We will set up for a draw.... Vardy will score on 20 mins. We will try to protect that lead but you will score on 67mins from Mr T. Game over!

I would be quite happy for Leicester to get the first goal, and the second, and the third, as long as we get our usual 4-3 win

Why does Traore say he doesn't lift weights? All footballers lift weights, it is part of the training regime.

That’s it threadsters, drink from the fountain of match thread heaven

Feels good to be back yes ?

Meh. Lucky we didn't play last weekend as i was out in the Atlantic chasing birds and your match thread would have died on its arris!!

Personally, I don't think the amount of games we've played this season is the reason why we're below Leicester. We've only played 7 more games than them this season and our early qualifying games in the Europa League were against easy opponents and were more like intensive training sessions. Our league position highlights how many games we've drawn and have had to come from being a goal or two down.

Tamwolf has hit the nail on the head when stating that we are conceding too many goals, first.

The reason we are behind the likes of Leicester is because we came into the season ill equipped for the extra games given we have a pathetically small squad.

Having a back line which consisted of three converted midfielders once Boly got injured is beyond any logic regardless of how well they did, small mistakes will always creep in as we have seen time and again with early goals conceded.

I think we get your point about your view on the size of our first team squad, cinci. However, it's Nuno's choice to work with a small senior squad, supplemented by younger players. That's why we're bringing in players that go straight into the U23 set up, with a view of developing them into our style of play and eventually pushing for a first team appearance.

I never expected more than a couple of senior arrivals following Cutrone and Vallejo's departure and dare I say it...I was right.

You keep sayng that but it is completely untrue.

Nuno wanted players, the club were actively trying to sign players, how is it you never seem to grasp this

DJ was spot on when he said 'the size of the squad is more by accident than design' and that is fairly feckin obvious.