After the Sunderland vs Liverpool game we're halfway through the Premier League season and just past that point in other divisions. I've pinched the format from something GS put together on the old place so excuse any alterations I haven't made. In the spirit of not being a lazy bastard, I'll kick us off.
OVERVIEW:
My Team is:Leicester City
Expectations (at start of season): Lower midtable.
View on performance: I'm still struggling to believe it's real. Outstanding.
Any other comments: I love Claudio.
MANAGER
My Team's Manager is: Claudio Ranieri
I'd rate their performance as (x out of 5): 5
If I were in charge I'd sack them now (Yes/No): What do you think?
Areas they have performed well in: He's done just about everything well. His initial set up at Bournemouth was shit and it showed in the performance but I reckon we can overlook that. The biggest improvement from Pearson is his tactical knowledge and willingness to learn. Last night is a great example; we learned against Arsenal we can't just go at the big teams, so he set us up to defend and break and it worked brilliantly. He rarely gets a substitution wrong. He knows our strengths and plays to them.
It is becoming increasingly obvious to me that the "Tinkerman" stuff at Chelsea was just a case of him being ahead of his time. Another good example of his tactical ability is our much improved defence. It is regularly highlighted as a big weakness of ours but we are not condeding many at all at the moment. Eight in the last ten league games, I think. That's because he swapped De Laet and Schlupp for Simpson and Fuchs in the full back positions, making us much more solid. The bloke knows what he's doing.
Areas they need to pull their fucking finger out in: You just carry on, mate.
Any other comments: I love Claudio.
TEAM PERFORMANCE:
Rate your team's performance (x out of 5): 5
Best Result of the season: It's really difficult to pick one out. I'll go for the 3-2 home win against Villa because our late comeback epitomised our ability
Best performance of the season: Arguably last night given the context and the type of performance, but I'd probably pick the Chelsea win just ahead of it of those I've seen. In reality I think it's probably one of the away wins at Newcastle or Swansea.
Worst result of the season: It has to be the 2-5 at home against Arsenal but that performance was naive rather than terrible.
Worst performance of the season: Arsenal of those I've seen, but probably Bournemouth or Liverpool away.
Any other comments: I love Claudio.
PLAYER PERFORMANCE:
Overall player of the season: This is really tough. I'm going for Kante, only on the basis that he has played more games than Fuchs. Morgan, Drinkwater, Albrighton, Mahrez and Vardy also all deserve huge credit.
Pleasant surprise of the season: Wes Morgan. He has been brilliant. He gets in the way of everything and he has learned to bring the ball out and find a man more comfortably too. I thought he was a liability at this level. Danny Simpson has been surprisingly good too.
The Didier Drogba award for big game player of the season: Probably Morgan again, although Mahrez is up there and the pressure Vardy must have felt against Man Utd before breaking the record must have been quite something.
Underperformer of the season: Possibly Robert Huth. He hasn't been bad, just less good than when he was on loan last season. Tempted to go wth Inler but I think that would be unfair, on reflection. He hasn't played enough.
The "I fucking knew he was shit and he's proven me right" player of the season: Nobody has been shit exactly, but I don't rate De Laet, Schlupp (because he is mentally retarded) or Schemeichel and they've done nothing to prove me wrong.
Outright worst player of the season: 'Worst' in our current context is entirely relative. On that basis it's Schmeichel.
Any other comments: I love Claudio
TRANSFER PERFORMANCE:
Best signing this season: Kante and Fuchs can have this jointly.
Worst signing this season: Inler, because he hasn't played much and when he has he has looked a bit off the pace. He was better last night in his "do ugly things against a good team" role, mind.
Overall I'd rate our signings this season as (x out of 5): 5
In January I'd like to see us sign: Neither of these will happen but I'd like to see us bid for Demarai Gray or Nathan Redmond, and Jordan Rhodes who I think can hack the top flight and would be a better partner for Vardy than any we currently have. A right back would be nice but not essential given Simpson's form, and a centre back for depth wouldn't hurt but, again, isn't essential. A goalie would be lovely but we won't improve on what we have mid-season. Ben Chilwell and Tom Lawrence should be brought into the first team squad after their current loans, and I think they will be.
In January I think we'll sign: I think we'll leave well alone unless we lose squad players, in which case we'll probably shore up with a couple of loanees.
I'd like to see us sell: Nobody
I think we'll sell: I dunno about selling, but I think Kramaric and Inler may play out their seasons elsewhere with Euro 2016 places to play for.
Any other comments: I love Claudio.
END OF SEASON PREDICTIONS
My expectations: 6th or 7th from here, which would take terrible form of a point a game from here.
What I think we'll achieve: I'm a chronic pessimist when it comes to Leicester, so terrible form resulting in us finishing 6th or 7th and just missing out on European football. If we get into any of the European competitions I'll be delighted beyond words.