I have faith Smith will finally get it. I don’t expect to see Barkley starting for much longer. It’s been obvious and Smith is either a slow learner or just stubborn, but I think he’s got it now.
Anywhere in the top half would be a good season. Its next season and the push for champions league qualification that gets interesting. We definately need to learn some new tactics though.
Quote from: ez on February 21, 2021, 04:59:59 PMAnywhere in the top half would be a good season. Its next season and the push for champions league qualification that gets interesting. We definately need to learn some new tactics though.We would have to sign amazingly well and even better than last summer to be anywhere close to 4th in 12 months time imo.This season is a bit like 15/16, likes of West Ham and obviously Leicester finished above Liverpool and Chelsea. Have a look at the table and points difference between top 6 and 7th the next season.Those teams will do what they always do and sack managers and/or spend 200m and go again.Top half should be the target this season and then try to finish 7th or 8th next season and also have a good cup run. Then perhaps we can push on the following year although I suspect a couple of our star players might be thinking about their peak years by then so hopefully our squad will be stronger to deal with it.
Smith needs to be brave now, drop Barkley and trust Sanson and Ramsey to start and push McGinn further forward.
Quote from: Ian. on February 21, 2021, 04:44:18 PMSmith needs to be brave now, drop Barkley and trust Sanson and Ramsey to start and push McGinn further forward.Dean shouldn't need to be brave to leave Barkley out if players are chosen on performances. Nakamba has been left out recently having played well in his previous game.No-one apart from Barkley, Barkley's mum or his agent could complain if he was left out based on recent performances.
Quote from: SoccerHQ on February 21, 2021, 05:15:24 PMQuote from: ez on February 21, 2021, 04:59:59 PMAnywhere in the top half would be a good season. Its next season and the push for champions league qualification that gets interesting. We definately need to learn some new tactics though.We would have to sign amazingly well and even better than last summer to be anywhere close to 4th in 12 months time imo.This season is a bit like 15/16, likes of West Ham and obviously Leicester finished above Liverpool and Chelsea. Have a look at the table and points difference between top 6 and 7th the next season.Those teams will do what they always do and sack managers and/or spend 200m and go again.Top half should be the target this season and then try to finish 7th or 8th next season and also have a good cup run. Then perhaps we can push on the following year although I suspect a couple of our star players might be thinking about their peak years by then so hopefully our squad will be stronger to deal with it.I expect we will spend heavily again though, which I'm not sure some of the others can.
Quote from: Ads on February 21, 2021, 05:17:42 PMQuote from: SoccerHQ on February 21, 2021, 05:15:24 PMQuote from: ez on February 21, 2021, 04:59:59 PMAnywhere in the top half would be a good season. Its next season and the push for champions league qualification that gets interesting. We definately need to learn some new tactics though.We would have to sign amazingly well and even better than last summer to be anywhere close to 4th in 12 months time imo.This season is a bit like 15/16, likes of West Ham and obviously Leicester finished above Liverpool and Chelsea. Have a look at the table and points difference between top 6 and 7th the next season.Those teams will do what they always do and sack managers and/or spend 200m and go again.Top half should be the target this season and then try to finish 7th or 8th next season and also have a good cup run. Then perhaps we can push on the following year although I suspect a couple of our star players might be thinking about their peak years by then so hopefully our squad will be stronger to deal with it.I expect we will spend heavily again though, which I'm not sure some of the others can.FFP has limited us a bit according to Purslow over last two years so would help if we could start moving on squad players for 5-10m like most of our rivals can do with ease. Hourihane, El Ghazi and Nakamba all fit into that category and at least their general performances this season for us and someone else have kept their values reasonably good, we should be getting at least 5m for Hourihane given his impact at Swansea for instance.
Fuming Dean Smith bemoaned a triple whammy after Aston Villa skipper Jack Grealish was ruled out.Smith revealed he pulled Grealish out of training on Friday after the star suffered discomfort in his leg.The Villa boss was then further frustrated to see online rumours emerge over the weekend of Grealish's injury which alerted the Foxes.To deepen Smith's woes, Leicester capitalised to exploit the absence of Villa's talisman in a 2-1 Premier League win.Boss Smith fumed: “I have been made aware that on social media there have been rumours he wasn't going to play.“If it has been coming out of our training ground then I will find out where that is coming from and reprimand it.
Quote from: Bobby Boy on February 21, 2021, 05:18:02 PMQuote from: Ian. on February 21, 2021, 04:44:18 PMSmith needs to be brave now, drop Barkley and trust Sanson and Ramsey to start and push McGinn further forward.Dean shouldn't need to be brave to leave Barkley out if players are chosen on performances. Nakamba has been left out recently having played well in his previous game.No-one apart from Barkley, Barkley's mum or his agent could complain if he was left out based on recent performances. Or perhaps the Chelsea lawyer who wrote the terms of his loan deal?