Midfield_General

Clarke got 20 in his first season

They’ve just been hammered, the manager’s under a bit of pressure and now he’s got to play the team who ripped him to shreds last season. He can’t risk another tonking so no way will he want to give us any room to play. Can see them parking the bus for this one and it being a case of whether we can break them down. Still think we’ll have too much for them. Ugly 2-1 win.

Good on him. Hope he does well up there and gets his career back on track.

Called it 👆 Taught them a lesson in clinical finishing second half. Lovely goals again. Azaz making his class tell, pleased for Matsuki getting a reward for all the hard work he puts in, and we’ve got the best striker in the league. Now to give Wrexham another hiding and things are looking good going into the break

Nah, not irrelevant at all. Roerslev -> Bree Fraser -> Scienza Archer -> Larin ...are all massive upgrades, and Still -> Tonda is probably the most important of all, because Still was so tactically inept he could have had the best squad in the world and he wouldn't have had a clue how to use it.

Made a cracking start at Auxerre though, really proving the doubters wrong

I thought I noticed him backing in a bit more once or twice last night, trying to hold off his man and hold it up. Only in a few flashes to be fair, but getting slightly more involved in physical battles. I agree we definitely need to see more out of him, but I also think that Tonda and his team have the ability to improve players if the raw materials are there to work with. Time will tell, but fingers crossed that with some good coaching and three weeks on the training ground over the international break we'll start to see him make more of an impact in the areas we need him to once Larin's off the pitch.

Yep, am keen to see him too. I’ve got a feeling Mubama might surprise a few people once he settles in a bit and we learn how to use him properly, but I agree that it would be good to have another physical, back-to-goal hold-up CF on the bench as well, to do more of a like-for-like swap for Larin when we need. We’re definitely at risk at the moment if he gets injured or is unavailable for any length of time.

Around this point of last season we were getting ready to play the skates. We were a disjointed mess, and after narrowly winning our first game were in the middle of what would turn out to be a run of six matches without a victory. The first XI we put out against the skates in mid September last year was: Bazunu; Roerslev, Stephens, THB, Manning; Downes, Charles; Fellows, Azaz, Fraser; Archer - managed by Still. The likely first XI we'll put out against Bristol City on Saturday is: Peretz; Bree, Wood, Schlotterbeck, Manning; Downes, JWP; Fellows, Azaz, Scienza; Larin - managed by Tonda. Looking at those two line-ups there's a valid argument that we are the same or stronger in literally every position, including manager, than we were when we were fresh out of the Premier League. (People may argue about Charles vs. JWP but personally I'd have them on a level. I also don't think there's any drop-off between THB and Schlotterbeck, who has been outstanding so far). That's no mean feat. We're still going to have the odd blip like all teams, but we really have come a long way in a year. I think we'll win on Saturday and I'm starting to genuinely feel like we're going to compete for the automatics, now the -4 is a distant memory and the team is starting to find its rhythm, especially at home. 4-1 win, followed by a win at Wrexham and going into the break with the top two looking over their shoulders. COYR

He's got a really strong spine of a team now: Peretz, Bree, Schlotterbeck, Downes, Azaz, Scienza, Larin and either of JWP/ Jander: that's basically eight of the eleven positions that effectively pick themselves. Then mix and match the left back, right-sided CB and right winger depending on the opposition. I know there's a question mark over depth and ability to rotate as effectively as last year, but if everyone's available that first team spine of quality players is as strong as anything in this division.

That is a very good point. I forgot we'd released Macca and he was a free agent. Fair dos. Edit: By which I mean his contract had ended. Thanks @Whitey Grandad

Still find it utterly bizarre that Russell needed a keeper, bought one from us, but went for Macca instead of Baz. Not even sure that Macca's wages would have been that much less. A move that just doesn't make any sense on any level. Can only assume that Martin was bullshitting when he used to rave about how important Baz was to his team.

Theo's a free agent 👀

Well, that was enjoyable. Three great goals, and for all their possession we didn't really let them create anything of note from open play. Their penalty was soft. Schlotterbeck, Azaz, Leo and Larin were all fantastic tonight but wow, what a game from Downes. He was absolutely immense, I think that's one of the best games I've seen him have for us. He was everywhere, and provided a real attacking threat as well as winning everything. Really, really impressed by him tonight. Need to keep it going with another home win on Saturday and then we'll be in a great position going into the break. Well done boys

Also absolutely unstoppable, no goalkeeper in the world could have saved that either

Absolutely unstoppable, no goalkeeper in the world could have saved that

Absolutely unsaveable

Personally, in a goalkeeper I expect nothing less than agility, dominance in the area and being next in line for the Ugandan throne https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c86x0q008e5o

The word I would use to sum up both him and his approach is ‘vanity’. In every single respect and meaning of the term.

£12m in the bank and shagging a page 3 stunnah. He might not win any football matches but he's winning at life, so fair fucks to him And I've just read that his first choice keeper has done his ACL. So that's Macca as first choice for the rest of the season, meaning there might be another sweet sacking package and a few more million coming his way before too long. Everything's coming up Rusty!

Yeah, maybe I'm being a bit critical. Great strike for the goal though

80 mins: Ainsley Maitland-Niles comes on as sub at right back for Everton 85 mins: Everton equalise 89 mins: Ainsley Maitland-Niles gets skinned, fails to stop the cross from his side, Man Utd score what looks like the winner 95 mins: Ainsley Maitland-Niles rips one into the top corner from 25 yards. Scenes

Vardy joins Burnley on a free until the end of the season. Intriguing to see if he still adds something coming off the bench at 39.

Leicester considering Russell Martin future Graeme Bailey @GraemeBailey·2026-09-06·Updated 2026-09-06 Leicester City are understood to be considering the future of Russell Martin after a poor start to their League One campaign, @TEAMtalk understands. Martin was appointed in the summer following the Foxes’ relegation from the Championship, with Leicester widely regarded as one of the favourites for promotion. However, they have won just one of their opening five league games, while home defeats to Burton Albion and Oxford United have piled the pressure on the manager. The defeat to Oxford proved particularly damaging, with home supporters turning on Martin and chanting “you’re getting sacked in the morning” during the game. TEAMtalk understands Leicester’s hierarchy are now assessing the situation and considering Martin’s position as the club looks to respond to the disappointing start. Martin is facing a battle to save his job, with the pressure building after a run of results that falls well short of what Leicester expected when they appointed him. The situation represents another difficult chapter for Martin since guiding Southampton to promotion via the Championship play-off final against Leeds in 2024. Since then, across three different clubs, Martin has won just three league games. He managed just one league victory at Southampton before being dismissed in late 2024, while his subsequent spell at Rangers lasted only 122 days and again produced just one league win. Now, with only one league victory since taking charge at Leicester, the pressure is mounting once more. The Foxes went into the season expecting to challenge at the top of League One, but their early results have fallen well short of those expectations. With supporters now openly expressing their frustration and the club’s hierarchy assessing the situation, Martin’s position is firmly under scrutiny.