Rival Lines: "We just want Mahrez to go now," says Leicester Till I Die

Rival Lines

Match Preview

Leicester City v AFCB

Blogger Interview: Leicester Til I Die
Twitter @Leiestertid

This week Cherry Chimes talked with Chris Forryan who runs the Leicester Till I Die blog for the Foxes. They have had a pretty good season and are till involved in the FA Cup as well as hunting down a Europa League spot, but they have had their dramas too with the Mahrez story. Are things now calm at the Kong Power Stadium under Claude Puel or is there any mid-season complacency that the Cherries can take advantage of?

CC: Have your opinions on Claude Puel changed much since he became Leicester City's manager?

LTID: He started off well and got us out the relegation zone and mid-table security, so he’s done what he was brought into to do.

Some decisions baffle us but what team’s managers don’t. The problem is after what Ranieri did we expect every manager to perform miracles.

CC: Does the FA Cup take on any more importance now for Leicester City that Man City are out or is it all about trying to finish seventh on the league?

LTID: BOTH. We are the team that has been in the final the most times without winning it so after the PL success it would be nice to win it, but with four big teams still in it, it looks a hard task. The battle for seventh and a probable Europa League place seems to be a better route into Europe for next season. I would take losing at some stage in the FA Cup and finishing seventh in the league.

CC: Leicester had good home form in January so what has been the reason for the draws in February against Stoke City and Swansea City?

LTID: Swansea City had come off wins against Liverpool and Arsenal and were on a good run under
a new manager, so a draw against them was a good result.

Don’t mention the Stoke game, as the saying goes "We’re were you when we were sh_t?" I was watching us play Stoke last Saturday!

CC: Has Iheanacho been a disappointment or do you think now is his time having seen Ulloa and Slamni go out on loan in January?

LTID:  Too early to say, not been with us a season yet and has only just started to play regularly due to the injury to Okazaki. Give him time he will come good and an excellent replacement for Vardy.

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CC: Will you be pleased if Mahrez and Vardy finally leave this summer and the club can reinvest in more new players?

LTID: Yes to Mahrez just want him to go now. I don’t believe Vardy will, he's coming into the twilight of his career and will see his days out at Leicester as he has come to realise we suit his style of play.

CC: What might your season have been like had you not brought in Harry Maguire last summer?

LTID: We are short at the back with Huth being out all season. He and Morgan are getting past it and Maguire and Dragovic are solid at the back. To be honest, it doesn’t bare thinking about.

CC: Would you like to see Derby County get promoted just so that you had a gritty local derby match?

LTID: Nope. Don’t want any Midland club to get promoted would like to see them all in League 2

CC: What's the injury list looking like for Leicester City coming into this match?

LTID: Okazaki is the main injury worry, Morgan is back (unfortunately) no other major problems.

CC: If you could have your pick of strikers for Leicester from Defoe, Wilson or King which would you pick?

LTID: Defo Defo. As an impact sub late on when to need to pinch a goal he would be perfect.

CC: How do you expect Leicester to line up against Bournemouth?

LTID:  Schmeichel – Fuchs, Maguire, Morgan, Simpson – Albrighton, Ndidi, James, Mahrez – Vardy, Inachio

CC: Thanks for those answers Chris. It is good to see Leicester City doing well and backing up their Premier League win of a couple of year's ago with a changing squad that has some new names that are staring to get known. Whether Leicester are a long way ahead of AFCB we will find out this weekend, but both teams have a shot at finishing well inside the top 10 and recent games between these teams have been draws so I don't see it easy to pick a winner this weekend.

Check out why Leicester City Till I Die was so displeased with the club's last home game by visiting the wesite.

T-Shirt Competition
Predict the correct score between Leicester City and AFCB this weekend to be in with a chance to win a Cherry Chimes T-Shirt. If we have more than one correct answer we will draw a winner out of the hat.

To enter Tweet your prediction to @CherryChimes

Who is next on the list after Begovic commits to AFCB?

The signing of Asmir Begovic has started the summer transfer window for AFCB with a well known Premier League player. The transfer of the Chelsea keeper was always expected since last January, but who else would be a great compliment to the Cherries' squad, and just who will be next?

Is Nathan committed to Chelsea?

You have to look at where AFCB have done well and where they have had problems this season to start to draw any conclusions about the players that they could bring in. We know they have let in lots of goals, and it was important that the keeper situation was reinforced as Boruc doesn't play every game in a season.

In defence, I am hopeful that Nathan Aké will sign for the Cherries, although that deal may depend on Chelsea themselves finding a replacement for John Terry who no longer looks set to come to Dean Court. I believe the John Terry situation is the deal that may suddenly unlock other departures from Chelsea, but if Terry is not sure where to go from the offers he has, it could be a long summer to also see what will happen with Aké and the close we get to July the more likely he wold stay put. If Aké doesn't come, then spare a thought for the likes of Harry Maguire at Hull City who has been highly praised as being one of the best players for the Tigers and he has all the eagerness that Howe likes to see from players that were in the lower leagues.

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Eddie likes to get his signings early in the window so that everyone can get involved in the summer tour, but things are looking difficult already with few whispers of clear targets. The England U21 team has been a good bed rock for AFCB's attentions and if Eddie wants more quality in the middle of the park as Andrew Surman finds injuries are having an affect on the number of games he can play, don't look any further than James Ward-Prowse at Southampton as possible target - the current captain of the England U21s. Yes, the Saints would hate to lose such a player to the Cherries and see him as a future captain, but if there is as much dissatisfaction with Claude Puel's management at St Marys, as has appeared in recent weeks, then players become unsettled and it could be a good time to test the waters with a bid for the midfielder's services.

Up front, I'd say that the Cherries will be happy to have a front line of Wilson, King and Defoe with one of them on the bench at any one time. But if I had my eye's on one young striker from the Championship it would be Cauley Woodrow at Fulham, who has been on loan at Burton Albion and helped them stay up. He is out of contract in 2018, although he'll have an option to add another year at Fulham. 

Who do you want AFCB to sign?

In other news, Lewis Cook's assist helps England's U20's beat Mexico 1-0 to set up a semi-final with Italy in South Korea. Former Cherries' striker Matt Tubbs is to become a coach at Verwood Town.

Summer video viewing for Eddie Howe

With still over 90 days left before the start of next season, Eddie Howe has a lot of video watching to do of possible targets over the summer to bolster the Cherries squad. Who might he take a look at?

While Charlie Austin has been talked about probably more than any other player as a target it is rumoured that Burnley would ask to high a price for AFCB to afford his services. Do we need to look at other options like Yeovil's Paddy Madden (23) who has had an excellent season in League One? Or should Eddie even look another league down at Tom Pope (27), like he did with Lewis Grabban? 

Another striker that AFCB could have gone for when he was in the lower leagues is Adam Le Fondre (26) who was a Rotherham for many years but now has had Premiership experience at Reading. His inability to get many minutes on the pitch could make him vulnerable to a move over the summer. If Tubbs was sold I could see Le Fondre as an even better replacement. 

Sam Baldock at Bristol City has been considered by some AFCB fans as a target and I can see why with him dropping to League One. He has to be a winger worth considering with his experience and he is only 24.

My choice would be Chris Eagles (27) though at Bolton. I think we need a bit of class and I feel Eagles is very direct and could be a strong addition to the squad if we could afford his wages and his price tag. 

We were a bit short of cover at left back this season. How about Jake Bidwell (20) at left back who on loan at Brentford from Everton?
I did use to like Adam Smith (22) playing in our back four and as MK Dons have not made it up Adam could be interested in a move and affordable. He knows how we play and will know players at the club.

Who would be top of your list, strikers, midfield, defenders or goalkeepers?
Any defenders you have seen that are as good or better than Elphick and Cook? I don't think Jason Pearce would swap Leeds Utd for AFCB. But how about Sheffield Utd's Harry Maguire (20)? He has been a great defender for the Blades.

Perhaps there are some more Scottish gems like Ryan Fraser to be found?

If you send in your suggestions for Eddie's viewing we will run a poll over the summer to see who the best candidates might be. It doesn't have to be any of the players I have spoken of, I bet you have some more suggestions.

Oh, and if anyone sees Peter Odemwingie parked up outside our ground please tell him that we did not put in a bid for him.