Suggestion, Leicester likely to do business with Solskjaer and Man Utd

Embed from Getty Images

Harry Maguire is back in the “rumor mill” and suggestions are that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will just copy Jose Mourinho’s shopping list, so this is the best opportunity ever for Claude Puel to make his mark as a Leicester City manager. As you can see, Jose, might not have been the guy taking the decisions at this club, surely someone else has something to say.

Maguire (25) is the one Solskjaer is after, and ready to splash the cash, close to £90million will it cost for Ole Gunnar to land the England international defender. But could it really happen that Claude Puel is willing to listen.

As we all have seen, players doing ok in the Premier League (above Leicester City in the table), and still fighting in the Champions League might not be as bad as everyone believe they are at the moment.

Embed from Getty Images

Leicester played a number of games without Harry Maguire and it all went relatively well, looking at stats from games without Maguire in the team, so to sell him would probably be a good idea, if the fee is at that level.

Puel could go as far as saying, yes we will sell, but you have to “give me” at least two maybe three players, but who will actually sign for Leicester City, a place in the middle of nowhere, and a fanbase almost as “toxic” as the one Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will have to face and he will not live long on his legacy if things goes from bad to worse. So what is worse, than Jose, ending 3rd in the PL, going out against Paris in CL in the next round, not reaching the FA Cup final at Wembley?

Again, why would Solskjaer go after Leicester players, without shipping a few out himself. But to see any Man Utd player among the group of their 25, ready to become a fox, no way. They will not give up their “posh” life to end up in the East Midlands. Can’t see the likes of Mata, Fellaini, Jones or Shaw moving to King Power.

Embed from Getty Images

Puel summer signings have been a mix of different opinion. Ghezzal is getting a lot of stick, while Soyuncu and Pereira looks to be two that the fans likes and trust. The introduction of Choudhury against Man City was also a trick that worked fine.

The problem for Leicester City is not the manager and not really the players, it’s the fixtures, coming in the wrong order. A defeat at home to Spurs is almost normal and better than the 1-6 trashing a while back, the defeat at Selhurst Park, close to getting something, is far better than last season, losing 5-0.

To see fans making “silly talk” about this and that in a game ending 1-1 against Man City, seeing Ndidi with a terrific cross, finding Albrighton who scored one of the most beautiful goals seen at King Power, makes me wondering, are these fans following football just to get their frustration out somewhere.

If Man Utd can appoint Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as their new boss out the season, Leicester City should be lucky they have Claude Puel. The problem is not about Claude, doing well or not so well, it’s about options and what you can expect of the next man.

Jose Mourinho lost his job after winning the Europa League, League Cup, qualification to Champions League in every season and ending runners-up in the league last season. Puel is on a route towards something, he needs this season to get everything correctly. He inherited an aging squad who he has started to rebuild. We will most certainly see a more finished article next season when the cleaning up, after those who gave a number of aging players new contracts, might be close to finished.

If you feel the goal Albrighton scored yesterday was boring and dull, and if you have nothing to say, without any documentation to sum up your negativity, just be silent, stay at home and stop your support for a while. Toxic fans are not good for players, the management and those who are treated very unfairly, and you will also upset owners who we all know are there to guide the club in the right direction.

Why Leicester City fans are so negative at the moment is difficult to understand as results and performances are the best since that fantastic 2015/16 season, that is well documented and you can’t take away that from Claude Puel. If you have, like Man Utd fans, a dislike towards the manager because you don’t like his face or just feel that the man is boring and doing certain things you don’t like, then please, stay away.

Often these fans without any answers, just throw out things after being frustrated with the latest result, not taking into consideration who you are playing or at what venue things are happening, then hopefully owners and players will not reflect on that, but work on and hopefully get the support they feel they deserve.

The work now is to keep fans, owners, players and management “United”, and hopefully get more points on board, so please be happy we have Claude Puel in charge, Leicester City could be much worse and end up with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as manager, and if that turns out to be a good decision Tcf will never speak or post again.

Let’s look at the bright side,

Still very close to a top six finish
A number of players have improved and looks good
FA Cup 3rd round soon to be played
Don’t start counting points over Christmas fixtures
Focusing 100% on the new year
Be more friendly, sing a song, kiss your wife
This squad needed a clean up
Producing Full England internationals
Making progress in games against the top six
More established and better equipped to be in the top half

December 19, 2018 0

Leicester 1 (1), Man City 1(3), positives and negatives, player ratings and match report

Embed from Getty Images

Both teams had done many changes to their side, but still quality was clear to see, Leicester had Maguire, Ndidi and Gray on the field as the only full first teamers, Man City fielded Stones, De Bruyne, Aguero and Mahrez, so there were no b-teams out there.

Hamza Choudhury was given a rear start in this game, playing with five in midfield and Kelechi Iheanacho on top. Leicester struggled a lot in the start of the game, and De Bryune came clear with a clinical shot after 14 minutes.

Leicester silently managed to get into the game and had a bit of pressure around 20 to 30 minutes of the game, but the attempts from Gray and Ndidi didn’t really turn out in any concrete shots on goal.

Embed from Getty Images

Puel had to do something and early in the 2nd half he decided to give Maddison and Albrigthon a fear chance to shine, and was heavily rewarded after 73 minutes with a fantastic pass from Ndidi to Albrighton, who had a wonderful touch on the ball and his volley shot hit the net so hard that Man City’s good goalkeeper Arijanet Muric had no chance.

Leicester were level after 73 minutes and from there on and out the game it was just still water and not really any big chances to neither sides, so it all ebbed out in a penalty shoot out, but great credit to Leicester for their second half performance.

Hamza Choudhury had some great tackles and showed quality and for Tcf the best Leicester City player on the field. Credit also to Demarai Gray and Harry Maguire who also stood out, and of course Albrighton and a hard battling Ndidi in midfield.

Embed from Getty Images

The penalties started well with a Harry Maguire goal, but the attempts from Maddison, Fuchs and Souyuncu were like candy for Muric, who saved two and one went into the sthands.

Man City are through to the semi’s, so are sensationally Burton Albion, who took on Middlesbrough away at The Riverside and came home with a 1-0 win.

Sorry for Puel this time, trying to give a number of players time on the pitch, and also getting that great goal, but in the end it was another quarter final exit against Man City, so as we say “same procedure at last year”.

Positives:
- Getting back against Man City and showing quality in 2nd half
- A good performance by Hamza Choudhury
- 1-1 against Man City is not a bad result after 90 minutes
- No injures and players more players getting 90 minutes
Negatives:
- The penalty shoot out

Player Ratings: Ward 6. Simpson 6, Fuchs 6, Suyuncu 6, Maguire 7, Ndidi 7, Choudhury 8, Gray 7, Iheanacho 4, Ghezzal 4, Iborra 4, Subs: Maddison, Albrighton, Pereira

Match Stats: H/A

Possession: 39 / 61
Corners: 4 / 7
Shots on target: 2 / 3
Shots wide: 2 / 4
Fouls: 9 / 10
Offsides: 6 / 3

December 18, 2018 0

Leicester v. Man City, Match Preview, Fans View, Who’s in, Who’s out

Embed from Getty Images

The next game is a clash with Manchester City in the quarter final of the Carabao Cup. City have carved their way in to the quarters by two impressive penalty shoot outs, first against Wolves then Southampton were beaten.

Man City was also here last season, stopping Claude Puel and his Leicester team, and of course this is a big test, but we just have to see and hopefully a battle over 90 minutes will settle a good and accurate score.

Claudio Ranieri masterminded Leicester City in their battles against Man City, winning away in that fantastic 15/16 season, drawing at home, but even more impressive was the game in December 2016, when Leicester City maybe playing one of their best games under Claudio, winning 4-2 at home.

Embed from Getty Images

Since then all games have ended in defeat, but for those who have not buried their heads in the sand and put on sunglasses in December and just sees red when talking of Claude Puel, the quarters in the Carabao Cup last season ended in a 1-1 draw after full time.

Unfortunately Leicester lost on penalties, but hopefully Claude and his players can fix this and send this team into the Semi’s. We all know that he took Southampton all the way to the final, and finished 8th, got the sack, what a shame.

Claude Puel has no finished article in this Leicester City team, but with this talent improving for one more season, we will see this project going places. Those talking about sacking Puel, was the once that wanted Ranieri out as well. They are surely after something else and what it is who knows, not based on logical thinking and reasonable measurements.

Embed from Getty Images

Puel can play his strongest side, if we count out Chilwell, out with injury, but as we all know, probably the best left back cover, is playing at Leicester City. Christian Fuchs is a certainty and one to count on, a real pro’, for all players who want to be a good pro’ and be an example to follow, Fuchs is the man to look at.

Kevin De Bruyne is reported to be close to fitness, but would be surprised to see Pep risking one of his best players in this clash, but any Man City side will be strong and a very difficult opponent. We will probably see former fox, Riyad Mahrez in the line-up or on the bench.

Tcf is in favor of Claude Puel long term, he has done nothing wrong, and to see a defeat, close to a be draw, against Crystal Palace away is not something you would think about as a certain win. Tottenham at home, hopefully a draw, but without both Maguire and Vardy, Leicester City is a weaker team, and that is that, please be reasonable.

Referee,
Lee Mason is the referee, and we will be saved by VAR, so no worries

Last Meeting, 11 v. 11
Home: 19.12.17, 1-1 (3-4), Defeat, Premier League
Away: 10.02.18, 1-5, Defeat, Premier League

Best Bet,
Our prediction is a 2-0 win to Leicester

Predicted Leicester City line-up,
System: 4-4-1-1, Ward – Pereira, Maguire, Morgan, Fuchs – Ndidi, Mendy, Albrighton, Gray – Maddison – Vardy

Fun Fact,
Claudio Ranieri never lost, as Leicester City manager, against Man City, he won twice and drew once. The most impressive was the 4-2 win at King Power in December 2016, when he masterminded this win against Pep Guardiola.

In Both Camps,
Ben Thatcher, Steve Howey, Riyad Mahrez, Kelechi Iheanacho, Trevor Christie, Paul Dickov and Don Revie are a few of those with a life in both camps. Other players to have been at both clubs are David Oldfield, Wayne Clarke and Paul Cooper.

The big duel,
Riyad Mahrez v. Danny Ward, as we all know this could end in a penalty shoot out, or even penalties can be happening during the game and Mahrez could be the one shooting, we all know what Danny Ward can do with penalties.

December 17, 2018 0