Yahoo News Where Enzo Maresca explanation doesn't stack up with embargo impact on transfers assessed
Leicester City played three games in seven days last week and despite Enzo Maresca's concerns over tiredness and complaints over the fixture schedule, there were eight players who started all of the matches.
After the disappointing results, Maresca's explanation over the lack of changes has been a hot topic. And it's one of the questions on our latest Q+A too.
Also on the agenda are the potential points deductions, Maresca's tactics and possible changes, the dip in form, Jamie Vardy's future, City's Premier League credentials, corners, Harry Souttar, and the impact of the embargo on transfers and contracts. You can read our answers below.
READ MORE: The five big decisions Enzo Maresca must get right to save Leicester City's promotion
READ MORE: What has been said in Leicester City dressing room after 'tough time' of back-to-back defeats
Q: If by some miracle we get to balance the books before the deadline date, surely there won't be any points deductions for next season if we’re promoted, and if that's the case we will still be able to strengthen and spend some money, won’t we? Could Top provide a more lucrative sponsorship deal to bring in more money? Can we use the promotion money to offset the FFP?
A: If City are promoted, they're likely to start with a points deduction. They have been charged by the Premier League for a potential breach of Profit and Sustainability rules up to the end of last season. So far, every team that's been charged has been found guilty and been deducted points. What was established last week was that the EFL cannot apply any sanction to City this season, meaning they won't receive the deduction until they're back in the Premier League.
Balancing the books this summer is another matter. They need to sell players in June to avoid a PSR breach for the three years up to the end of this season. If there is a breach, then there could be a fine or points deduction from the EFL.
If they're promoted, there will be more money to play with, yes. However, City will still have to be careful. In the Premier League, there is no double jeopardy rule, hence why Everton have been hit with two deductions. If City are back in the top flight, they'll be looking to avoid a breach for the three years up to summer 2025. They will have allowable PSR losses of £83m, and we already know that they've lost £90m in their accounts for the first of those three years (albeit we don't know the specific PSR loss within that).
In the EFL, once a team has been punished over PSR, the next time there's a potential breach, their losses for previous seasons are capped. So if City are punished by the Premier League for the three years up to 2023, when the EFL assess the three years up to 2024, City's PSR losses for the seasons ending in 2022 and 2023 will be a maximum of £35m, even if they actually exceeded that. It means City would only have to be under the £13m EFL threshold for 23-24, negating double punishments based on seasons that have already been assessed.
And on your other point, about King Power providing a more lucrative sponsorship deal, I believe there are caps on that and how much an owner can invest in that way. Essentially, any shirt sponsorship or stadium naming rights deal has to be deemed of market value.
Q: Do you honestly believe that Maresca is likely to change his tactics and his team at this late stage of the season? Personally, I don't see any changes except for Daka being dropped and maybe Doyle coming back in. He has remained pretty loyal to the players who have played regularly this season and I do not see any other changes, nor do I want to either.The players have got us to the brink of promotion and should be allowed to try to get us to the Premier League.
A: No, I don't. Certainly, the core principles that City have played with all season won't change. I agree with you. I think we'll see Vardy replace Daka up front this weekend, although I think that would have happened even if Daka had not had such a disaster in front of goal at Plymouth. And I can see Doyle coming in too.
I would hope that, if City are trailing and struggling to create, that Maresca will then try something different. Yes, Daka's misses were a big part of Friday's defeat, but City didn't really create an awful lot after Vardy came on in his place.
Q: Will Maresca now consider that sometimes you have to change tactics, that you also have to alter the team when players are not playing well and sometimes make more than two subs to change a game?
A: Honestly, I don't think so. Maresca is stubborn, as most managers are, and he's certain that his idea is not only the best way of playing, but that it's working too. He doesn't think City are playing any differently to how they were at the start of the season, when they were winning games. It's just that they haven't been taking their chances recently.
I did feel like he was starting to make more substitutions, which I thought was promising. He made all five subs against Norwich, Birmingham, and Millwall, and the switch to two up front at the Den made a difference, I thought. But then against Plymouth, he went back to only making two changes.
Q: Why has the dip in form happened? Could it be because they thought they’d get a points deduction this season and wouldn’t be promoted?
A: I don't know if the prospect of a points deduction would have an impact on players. I think the uncertainty over their futures might though. Because of the financial issues, some players may not be offered new deals, and some may have to be sold in June. The players could be aware of that and it may be having an impact, even subconsciously.
If I had to try to sum up City's dip in form, I would say that teams, having already played them once this season, are working out how to nullify them, and then there's a lack of variation to try to get around that. But the missed chances have been a problem too.
Q: The last two games we conceded goals from the right-back position. I think we should stop playing the inverted full-back tactic. Do you think we should revert to a flat back four and play a traditional 4-4-2 as we are left open on the counter attack?
A: I don't think they should make that change, no. I think Ricardo's move into midfield is one of the best bits about Maresca's set-up and makes a big difference in attack. He's so technically good that you want him in advanced areas and pushing others to get into the box. Two of City's best chances against Millwall and Plymouth were when Ricardo came forward through the middle and into the box, twice seeing efforts well-saved.
Now I do agree that the opposition will have spotted that as a potential weakness. But there's not supposed to be a gap on the right. When City are in possession, a back three forms and spreads out across the defence, so really there should be equal space right and left. But naturally, they're not always going to get that spot on and there is more likely to be space on that side.
I'd be more inclined to agree with you if Millwall and Plymouth created loads of chances from their left wing. But they didn't. That just so happened to be where the goals came from. The Millwall goal was a stunner and the Plymouth goal was poor defending by Faes. But it's not like either team were bombarding City with shots from that side. On this occasion, I don't think the system is the issue.
Q: Do you think City will offer Jamie Vardy a 12-month deal, say £50,000 a week, if we go up without any transfer embargo? Obviously a new deal would be significantly less than what he currently earns. A few teams would want him but I doubt that they would offer this amount. I think he would accept a lot less for one more crack at the Premier League before going abroad maybe.
A: It's a really tricky one and it's so up in the air at the moment that I can't say definitively either way. But if I had to make a prediction, I would say that, in the event of promotion, Vardy will be offered a new one-year deal on a reduced wage, yes. Then it's up to him if he decides to take it, or whether he tries his hand at getting a longer, more lucrative deal abroad, possibly in the US. Certainly, I can't see him playing for another club in England.
Sentimentally, it's the right thing to do. He's arguably the club's greatest-ever player and if City are in the Premier League, he would have played a big part in that. He is the club's top scorer this season. It would feel strange for him to bow out this season having helped the club back up.
However, as a business decision, it's a tougher call. He will turn 38 next season. While he's kept his body in good condition, he's not going to be as physically capable as he once was. Plus, the last time City were in the Premier League, he didn't pull up trees. Saying that, this season in the Championship, he ranks third for non-penalty goals per 90 minutes, behind only Josh Sargent and Che Adams. Then there's the wage consideration and whether City need to be more sensible with where they're spending their money amid PSR concerns.
I do think City will need a new first-choice striker if they go up. Is a 38-year-old Vardy good enough to be the substitute? Probably.
Q: Recently I’ve heard a lot of angry fans talking about how we need to sack Maresca. Given how we are so close to the end of the season, I don’t think it’s the right course or action to do so. However, I do agree with them that we won’t be able to play like this in the Premier League, we’ll get smashed by better teams with a better press. I was wondering what you think Maresca’s timeline looks like in the event of promotion, or if we miss out on the autos and have to try our luck in the playoffs?
A: That's interesting. Because I actually think Maresca's style might be fine in the Premier League. Admittedly, it's based mostly on the Bournemouth game, but I do think teams pressing more will open up more space to attack into and that should help City. Yes, I think they could come unstuck against teams that press really well, and they'll definitely have to do more defending in general, but I think they'd be more than a match for any of the sides currently in the bottom half of the division. I think the club are of the same opinion. They will stand by him if they get promoted.
Everything that Maresca has indicated is that he wants to stay with the same club for a long time. So unless a really big job crops up, I can't seem him wanting to leave. I don't think a mid-table club in Spain or Italy would tempt him away from City. The only problem is if City's financial issues mean they have no money to spend this summer. He seemed frustrated that the club couldn't bring in Sensi in January, and if they can't build a team to take on the Premier League, then he's only going to get more frustrated.
If City end up in the play-offs, I can't see them being victorious. I think whoever wins the battle for sixth will be in a buoyant mood at doing so, while West Brom are going to be mentally prepared for them having been fifth for so long. Other than maybe Southampton, who may have accepted being in the play-offs, I think the others will struggle to get their minds right if they end up outside of the top two.
Is Maresca going to stick around if City remain in the Championship? Again, I think it comes down to money. If his squad is stripped of players, I don't think he'll be best pleased and I can see in that case that a job in Italy or Spain may be more appealing.
Q: We have had many, many corners in the past few matches yet the delivery has been poor for most of them and we don't seem to have a plan as to how to score from them. Do the players/coaches work a lot on corners? To me, it seems that this is a neglected attacking area, especially with the height of Ndidi, Faes and Vestergaard.
A: This was actually on my list of questions to ask Maresca after the Plymouth game, because they had 13 corners without creating any real chances. I had too much other stuff to ask in the end, but will ask about it at the press conference this week.
As for your question, yes, they do work on them. Assistant manager Willy Caballero is in charge of set-pieces and you may see him come to the edge of the technical area when City have a corner. On Friday, he seemed particularly disappointed whenever he headed back to his seat in the dugout. It seems to me that City are not pulling off what he's coaching them at the moment, but we'll get Maresca's thoughts on that.
Q: Maresca moans about the amount of games and how tired the players are but refuses to make changes. I don't buy into his story that the players on the sidelines aren't match fit (they did alright when we beat Bournemouth in the FA Cup). What do you think the real reason is? Is he just too stubborn or has he not got the bottle to make the changes at such a critical time?
A: I do think that is the real reason. I think he was being sincere when he said that, about those on the sidelines not having the same level of match fitness. It felt to me like an understandable explanation.
However, I would argue that their lack of match fitness is in part because he hasn't made substitutions or regular changes. He hasn't made quite the same effort to keep those on the fringes match fit, like he did at the start of the season. He's made a rod for his own back on that front, essentially.
Perhaps it's a case of nerves on his part. It seems to me that as the season's gone on and the pressure has ramped up, he's reverted to using only the players he absolutely trusts and therefore limited his rotation. I think that's also contributed to a level of tiredness though. In my opinion, there should have been more changes at Millwall so that the regular starters were refreshed against Plymouth.
Q: Let's imagine that Maresca left suddenly for whatever reason, and a senior player group of Coady/Vardy/Albrighton was put in charge for the last four games. Do you think they would play a different formation and style to that which they are currently ordered to? Basically, has Maresca lost the dressing room by players no longer believing his philosophy works? I suspect that's the case.
A: That's a very interesting question. I think they'd play the same way. I think the general principles would remain as I do think the squad believe in those. You have people like Harry Winks talking about how Maresca is the best manager he's ever worked under and how this is the way he's always wanted to play. I don't get the impression that the players don't have a belief in Maresca's tactics. However, I do think, because they would be less tied to the system and shape, that if City were losing, changes would be made earlier in this scenario.
Q: What has Harry Souttar got to do to start? He plays so well for his country, he’s a goalscorer for them, he’s a leader, and they kept a lot of clean sheets under him. Why can’t Maresca look at that and maybe think that he’s been a bit unfair on him?
A: Well, he's injured at the moment, but I suspect that even if he was fit, he wouldn't be playing. I do think the selection has been harsh on Souttar too, and it's not even anything to do with his international form. I just think he's a good defender, and I think on the ball he's pretty good too.
But can he pass as well as Vestergaard from the centre of the back three? Probably not. Can he carry the ball and defend with a bit of speed like Faes can? Probably not. But then again, he would be an aerial threat at set-pieces, which definitely would have helped City at Plymouth.
I don't think Maresca has any problems with Souttar, it's just that he thinks others are better. In the right team and under the right manager, I think Souttar is a Premier League defender, but I don't see him ever breaking through under Maresca unfortunately.
Q: Is there any news on when the transfer embargo may be lifted? I am very concerned about the Ndidi renewal and potential Fatawu signing. We must do everything to keep both, but with the embargo in place, I am concerned they will go elsewhere.
A: No, there's no news on that, nor any hint of an answer. If City get promoted, I imagine it will lift fairly swiftly, once there's the official transfer of teams between divisions, which I think is a couple of weeks after the Premier League finishes, so in early June. Once City are under the governance of the Premier League, I don't see any reason why it wouldn't lift. For it to remain it would require collaboration between the Premier League and EFL and for the Premier League to hit City with a fresh embargo.
Because whatever happens, they will still need to balance the books to satisfy the EFL by the end of June. I would hope that if they come up with a big sale once the transfer window opens and that raises enough money that the EFL are satisfied City will be in line with the PSR threshold, then the embargo will be lifted there and then. But quite possibly, the EFL may not do their reassessment until the books are closed at the end of June, meaning the embargo may not lift until July.
As for Fatawu, he's not going to sign unless City are in the Premier League anyway, in which case the embargo should be lifted well in time. The only issue there is going to be the money, and whether City can afford to go through with the deal. With Ndidi and those out of contract, it's a little more difficult, as they are free to negotiate contracts with overseas clubs right now. They could be sorting out their futures while City are not able to offer them deals.
