Ranieri Sacked

[Skinner]

Victim of his own success.

 

[Skinner]

What, being 2 points from bottom with 13 games to go is where they should be? Nah. Last season was ridiculous, but their squad with the right handling is easily good enough for middtable, especially if they'd have used the confidence and momentum from last season to good effect.

Rubbish.

Most people had Leicester to go down at the beginning of last season, including myself. What they achieved was a freak season where everybody was riding on momentum.

Is the current starting XI this year, or last, any better than the likes of Sunderland, Palace, Swansea etc? No, and a purple patch year has made people think otherwise. Vardy isn't a top striker, he had a year that elevated him for a period and that's it, when you're in form and confident everything goes your way. Mahrez blows hot and cold, always has done, bar that year. Drinkwater is an average player. As someone said before, it's impossible for a player to elevate a team so much, but Kante did, he allowed Leicester to play the way they did at first and then once momentum was there, the mentality of actually winning games was there, they were set. Huth, Morgan and Danny Simpson are not even mid-table material, neither is Albrighton, Ulloa and Okazaki.

It's a relegation battling squad and last year shouldn't convince people otherwise. Bang average squad.

 

[The Mustard Tiger]

What, being 2 points from bottom with 13 games to go is where they should be? Nah. Last season was ridiculous, but their squad with the right handling is easily good enough for middtable, especially if they'd have used the confidence and momentum from last season to good effect.

They were red hot favourites to go down at the start of last season. A lot of top teams struggle to replicate the same success the following season after winning a title. So for Leicester, a team with no experience of that level of success who have not played in Europe since the turn of the millennium, this season was always going to be a bit of a struggle. You can argue that they shouldn't be as close to the relegation zone as they are, but they are a definite bottom half team. Ranieri deserved to be given the chance to see out the season considering what he's achieved for the club.

 

[Pagnell]

The amount of people on this form and off it that are now claiming that Leicester were always going to be in a relegation fight this season. Even Skinner above originally claimed they would finish "bottom half", yet all of a sudden he knew they would be fighting against the drop. I guess it's easy to claim a squad is shite whilst they're playing that way.

 

[Skinner]

As easy as it is to expect them to do better based on winning the league.

 

[Skinner]

And not everybody is claiming Leicester were in a relegation battle this season, as most said mid-table, people are on about last season, with an identical squad.

 

[Leewilson]

Blessing in disguise for Ranieri. If he'd took them down, he will have tarnished his image as time progresses. Now people will look back on him as the man who won the league and got Leicester to the knock out stages of the champions league. Plus he comes across as a very nice man.

I agree with the Kante comments. One of them that you realise his influence after he's left. Also, Leicester had the consistently in team selection where as they've chopped and changes regularly this season searching for a solution. Leicester almost need to go back to last season's drop deep plan now they're the underdog again. Although there's no Kante, go back to the XI from last season (with Ndidi) and just stick with it.

 

[George Reilly's Hairpiece]

Class from Ranieri. Had every right to be bitter about what happened, but gave a very dignified statement.

Was always going to be difficult this year following last years massive over achievement. Don't agree that last year gave them momentum as human nature will tend towards relaxing after such a massive effort. Lose Kante and have Vardy and Mahrez out of form and the rest of the squad is largely bang average.

 

[HarvSFC]

I fully agree with the Kante comments, I mean we've all seen the likes of Wes Morgan, Danny Drinkwater, Danny Simpson, Jamie Vardy etc in the Football Leagues before last season and never thought much of them.

Plus momentum played a part and one thing I have not seen mentioned yet is that the Premier League was "weaker" last year. Would last season's Leicester team have won the title this year? No, it would have struggled to finish in the top seven. Last year both Chelsea and Liverpool were well out of sorts finishing outside of the top seven, while Manchester United finished fifth. Even us and West Ham managed a top seven finish last year.

 

[SALTIRE]

2nd most hated

Yeah Chelsea is by far and away the most hated.

 

[G.B]

Quite unpleasant this. The likes of Kasper reportedly playing a large part in the multiple meetings and subsequent sacking, then being the first to come out and praise Ranieri's work. The sad farewell letter from Ranieri. That the club waited until after the team got a good result in Seville to pull the trigger, apparently with nobody lined up as a replacement. If the reports are true and people like Kasper, Vardy, Albrighton, Morgan etc. were instrumental in his sacking, then I just find it sad. These lot were nobodys before last season and some of them are a huge reason why Leicester are where they are atm.

Can't help but think certain players got too comfortable after getting their bumper contracts and free cars and the desire wasn't really there anymore. The attitude on the pitch looks nothing like it did last season. That said, to continue being successful the manager has to know when and where to add to the squad and when to move people on and I'm not sure he did enough. The ageing defence needed reinforcing for example. Losing Kante was a big blow obviously, his importance has become apparent if it wasn't already, but wasn't his replacement injured for months until Ndidi came in in January?

Ranieri should have fucked off in the summer when he had offers on the table. Sad that his loyalty wasn't reciprocated. Expecting a similar atmosphere to what we saw at Chelsea after Mourinho was sacked in the Liverpool game.

 

[PaulHaddock]

What will they do with his mural now???

Right decision btw. Yes he won them the league but he had Kante and two player of the year nominees. I'll get shot down for this but except for Kante and Fuchs (and Okazaki?), it was Pearson's squad. The momentum started at the end of the 14/15 season. Look at the state of some of the players now. The biggest football hangover I've ever seen.

 

[Super_horns]

Bit OTT?

https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/live-exper...2/27/fa701a0b-325b-404f-9ead-ca0259adf832.jpg

 

[AFCB_Mark]

Betting being suspended on Hodgson.

 

[Pagnell]

Hodgson will keep them up and then challenge for the top half next season. Decent choice providing exciting football isn't important and Leicester fans can control their expectations following last season's theatrics. At 69 years old he's not a long term solution, but does such a thing exist in football any more?

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[JimJams]

The fans want Shakespeare to at least be given until the end of the season.

 

[Stevencc]

To be (relegated), or not to be (relegated), that is the question.

 

[Abertawe]

I don't see what a dithering senile Woy is gonna do for them apart from guaranteeing relegation.

 

[JimJams]

Which is exactly what people said about Ranieri. We're winning the fucking treble I tells ya!

 

[Abertawe]

They'd be utterly stupid not to give Shakespeare the job until the end of the season now.

 

[JimJams]

Pretty much yeah. We don't want any more disruption for starters.

 

[Benji]

I'm crediting the turn around to Ranieri, given that they're unbeaten in 5 halves of football since Sevilla.

 

[JimJams]

So, correct decision?

 

[PaulHaddock]

Yep. Looks like the issue was with Ranieri himself.

 

[Kyle Hatch]

I'd be worried if i were a leciester fan, as Shakesphere's come in and done a fine job, of changing very little. Either he's a great motivational speaker which given his post match interviews i doubt, or in fact the players downed tools because they fell out with Ranieri and have picked them back up again for Shakesphere. Don't get me wrong he's made some small changes but from an admitidly outside perspective i can't see how much he's actually changed, maybe someone can enlighten me.

The inevitable question has to be, how long until they fall out with Shakesphere and down tools again?

 

[JimJams]

In changing very little I hope you mean changed back, because we've played a high line all season which evidently changes things a lot for this group of players. Why Ranieri persevered with it until his sacking I'll never know. That one thing alone completely nullifies the strengths of the team.
Contrary to the agenda that has the players 'downing tools' and not playing for the manager, I think the opposite thing has occured. The problem was they were doing exactly as they were told despite the obvious fact it didn't work. We now sit deep, meaning Huth and Morgan arent exposed for their snail pace and with everyone dropping a little deeper it gives Vardy more space to work with at the other end. Its pretty basic but it makes a massive difference. Who do you want to have to cover the ground in a running game, Vardy or Huth and Morgan?
If its Vardy you defend better and score more goals, make it the other two and you concede loads and find it difficult to score.

 

[Kyle Hatch]

as i may of alluded to with the post match comments i've not seen alot of Leicester play, the only games i watched 90 mins were city at home and the 3 united games, i guess i gave too much credit to the performance against city where Leicester (to my eyes) seemed to playing great counter play from deep, much a kin to last season. If i'm wrong (which seems so) then fair enough. Shakepshere done well reverting back to what works. My follow up question then.

Do you think another manager will come in? if not what does shakesphere need to make this system continue to work for leciester next season. Stand still will see you go backwards, so sayeth the people.

 

[JimJams]

Entirely depends on wether this is a purple patch or not. If it is I'd expect interest in Hulls Marco Silva for starters.

 

[epic73]

Shakespeare is doing well, don't see anything wrong with it.

 

[Pagnell]

What, being 2 points from bottom with 13 games to go is where they should be? Nah. Last season was ridiculous, but their squad with the right handling is easily good enough for middtable, especially if they'd have used the confidence and momentum from last season to good effect.

Rubbish.

Most people had Leicester to go down at the beginning of last season, including myself. What they achieved was a freak season where everybody was riding on momentum.

Is the current starting XI this year, or last, any better than the likes of Sunderland, Palace, Swansea etc? No, and a purple patch year has made people think otherwise. Vardy isn't a top striker, he had a year that elevated him for a period and that's it, when you're in form and confident everything goes your way. Mahrez blows hot and cold, always has done, bar that year. Drinkwater is an average player. As someone said before, it's impossible for a player to elevate a team so much, but Kante did, he allowed Leicester to play the way they did at first and then once momentum was there, the mentality of actually winning games was there, they were set. Huth, Morgan and Danny Simpson are not even mid-table material, neither is Albrighton, Ulloa and Okazaki.

It's a relegation battling squad and last year shouldn't convince people otherwise. Bang average squad.

I'm curious, do you and the 5 members that liked your post still think my claim is 'rubbish'? Actually, I might have been giving them a disservice to say they're middtable. I'd say they're a top half team, and have proven it since the formation and tactics were changed back to what suits them.