Puel misjudged his team selection against Newport, resting players, or as he said himself, decided to give other players a chance, unluckily that cost Leicester City a 4th round FA Cup chance.
Puel also made this decission when facing Man City in the Carabao Cup, resting players instead of topping his side against a team that you will have to play out of depth to get a win against. To face Burton Albion in a semi-final would have been a chance in a lifetime to reach the final at Wembley.
All said and all fading a bit today, to sack Claude Puel would be harsh and not wise, he should be backed for the rest of the season. Hopefully he will try to bring a more understandable line-up to games, but as we have seen a few of Puel’s circus acts has also been excellent as well, introducing Mendy and Choudhury at the right time, and probably hoped for the same response from Matty James.
Fans don’t like to see Leicester City defeated against Cardiff City at home and Newport County away, two games that on paper looks like certain wins, and instead Puel makes the impossible possible and cannot work out how to find a method to keep his head cool and win games that are must wins.
Media will not let the rumur rest, seeing the club linked with other manager options. Rafael Benitez is one name appearing in media, but he looks unlikely to move down to Leicester City, don’t believe he will be interested in a move and is just waiting for a big takeover to take place, so that he can start working on a plan to bring Magpies back in the title chase.
Sam Allardyce, Nigel Pearson and Louis Van Gaal are the names coming up in the odds poll, why on earth should any of these do a better job than Claude Puel, can’t really take this seriously, sorry, no.
Last season a gamble with the team in the 3rd round v. Fleetwood almost ended in a deadly defeat as well, but a heroic display from Jakupovic saved the day and luckily a replay became reality.
Vicente Iborra has as earlier reported departed to Villareal. Despite interest from both Sevilla and Malaga, Villareal is the next step for Iborra. At the age of 30 his services migth not be needed anymore and a wise decision to let the Spaniard leave.
Adrian Silva could also be leaving soon with Fenerbahce reported to be the most likely destination. His previous club Sporting has been mentioned as well, but financially they look a bit of the mark in their attempt to bring back Silva.
Yohan Benalouane is almost forgotten, but still at the club, playing in the U.23’s this afternoon, and so far nothing has emerged or been written about a new club as the Tunisia World Cup player prepares for his next game in the U.23’s.
Two new names appear in the rumour mill as Leicester City targets, two players from Guingamp, a goalkeeper and a striker. To get more information about them, check our hot, cool and cold list of rumours, fresh and newly updated
With both Silva and Iborra on the way out, could Andy King and Matty James be seen as covers in a midfield trio, as we only have them behind Mendy, Ndidi and Choudhury, so interesting to see what Claude Puel is planning.
Danny Simpson and Christian Fuchs are two other players not likely to leave, because cover is needed in their positions, despite interest from other clubs. The fact that Callum Elder left for Ipswich Town and Darnel Johnson is reported to be going out on loan, you would probably not see those two leaving. But talks again is said to have taken place with Aston Villa over a possible Fuchs move, and what then, Leicester have Alex Pascanu as a possible cover, not proven at this level, despite being a Romania U.21 international.
Fousseni Diabate is now looking as a possible loanee, moving to Turkish side Sivasspor. Filip Benkovic looks certain to stay at Celtic, and it could be that Claude Puel is tempted to bring back Harvey Barnes after a great loan spell at West Bromwich.
You never now with Claude Puel, full of surprises, bringing players in, taking them out, forgetting them, then suddenly brings them in from the shadows again, after years out and several months absent.
Not really easy to understand the “big plan” but with Europe in reach, and only Premier League to concentrate on for the rest of the season it will be interesting to see how this turns out.
TCF - FILBERT WAY 
Leave a Reply