Tinker on.

[Killerkilsby]

I suppose the first problem with that is that I don’t agree they are rock solid top 10 club.

[arbboy]

I suppose the first problem with that is that I don’t agree they are rock solid top 10 club.

like you said earlier its a debate.   Why aren't they a rock solid top 10 club? 

[Killerkilsby]

A rock solid top 10 club, should be guarenteed that spot no matter what.

Last season they finished 9th. 3 points above 12th.

Year before 12th, 3 points above 15th.

Id say based on history that shows they are not a rock solid club, whats happened since? New manager/ Lost Mahrez/ players have all aged.

Granted Youth coming through to offset that.

Early days this year so completely irrelevant (although still outside top 10)

[Killerkilsby]

Also to consider that since the title theyve spent north of £250million bring players in. To think the squad is the way it is given that is not smart business.

Therefore given the above, I summarise the club have spent £250mil since winning the league and are not a bonafide top 10 club.

[rinswun]

I certainly don't think Leicester are a club in crisis but I agree they aren't a rock solid top 10 club. Only really 6 of those in the league. The other 14 are playing in their own league where the title and top 4 are open every single season.

[T8MML]

Leicester May have spent north of 250 million since winning the league but have recouped over half of that in players moving on. Although with so many transfers being “undisclosed” now it’s hard to get an exact figure but in Maguire, Ndidi and Gray alone that deficit is easily wiped out. Mendy who was expected to do big things when bought but because of injury he had a chequered start but now is starting to look worth every penny.

Where we seem to struggle during the transfer window is finding an ideal partner for Vardy. We are missing Shinji for certain in that role.

The squad only has three regulars in the first team who were regulars in the League winning side - Kaspar, Morgan and Vardy - and Morgan is almost certain (hopefully) to become a squad player soon. I think there is a superb balance between youth and experience especially when you consider the experience the younger plays have already. Hardly an aging squad.

As somebody whose been a foxes fan for 55 years I have seldom thought we are anything more than perennial relegation fodder, however now I believe anything outside top 10 should be viewed as failure.

[Killerkilsby]

Any other thoughts on the top 10 part Tighty/Arb?

[TightEnd]

Hi not really

In practice there is not much between 7th-14th in the league. I would give you that 1st-10th is not a certainty every season but 7th-14th should be, just short term variance that would determine an outcome somewhere in that range

I think you wholly overstate the issues,and underplay the potential in a primarily young squad that already has English under 23 year olds getting significant playing time. We can move on from Morgan (just as well), Fuchs etc because of the younger players coming through.

Really the outstanding squad issue is options when Vardy is missing. Ihenacho - case unproven as yet

The money spent that you refer to (as a bad thing,it seems,implied most has been wasted) has been generated by the club, firstly we earned £120m from winning the Premier League, and another £60m for a run to the champions league quarters, then sold Mahrez for £65m

there was one very bad summer for recruitment when Walsh left (Slimani etc), and either side of that an exceptional one when we went up (Kante, Gray) and another in the January after we won the title (Ndidi), a good one last summer (Maguire) and a good looking one this last summer (Maddison, Pereira, Ghezzal, Jonny Evans) though its early days for that

the hit rate isn't that bad. For completeness of course, there's Mendy, Iborra, Silva, Ihenacho where it hasn't really worked yet though Mendy is doing well this season

[Killerkilsby]

Fair point on the money coming in to offset.

Maddison this year yes, others still to be proven.

Fun debate, thanks!

This is how a forum should work, don’t be so defensive and just enjoy a debate.

[Killerkilsby]

One final thing, I think we need a new title, (no Tighty I am not going to suggest a sad sad story yet even though my bias wants to) but the tinker man is gone. So maybe something inventive:

Claude Judgement
Puelling in different directions
Knowing me knowing Puel

Who knows haha

[tikay]

Yup, fair comment, happy to amend the thread title.

Some good ones suggested there, but let's see what the rest of the Leicester Massive come up with first.

[DungBeetle]

Yup, fair comment, happy to amend the thread title.

Some good ones suggested there, but let's see what the rest of the Leicester Massive come up with first.

Thread title should remain as tribute to the title winning season imo

[arbboy]

Yup, fair comment, happy to amend the thread title.

Some good ones suggested there, but let's see what the rest of the Leicester Massive come up with first.

Thread title should remain as tribute to the title winning season imo

Very much this for me as well.

[TightEnd]

Personally, i like the thread title as it is

It will never happen again, took a perfect storm of circumstances to happen anyway and whatever happens..we can go down through the leagues and suffer any "turmoil" you like and it won't really matter to Leicester fans after 2015-16

[Killerkilsby]

On  reflection I loved the Tinkerman, just a shame so many people let him down the following year.

It can never be taken away,