Wagner won’t judge team on Watford defeat
LEICESTER have opened a book of condolence in memory of owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha.
The 60-year-old Thai billionaire was among five people killed when his helicopter crashed shortly after taking off from the King Power Stadium on Saturday evening.
There has been a steady stream of supporters arriving since the early hours of Tuesday morning, as supporters continue to lay their tributes, including flowers, scarves and shirts to the ever-growing shrine which now extends down one side of the stadium.
The club opened a specially erected marquee where fans and people from the wider community in Leicester can come and write their messages in the book of condolence.
The marquee, which is situated outside the club shop, will be open every day from 8am until 10pm ‘for the foreseeable future’. People unable to visit the stadium can leave a message in an online book of condolence via the club’s website.
Leicester’s City Hall and County Hall will also light up in blue this week to honour Srivaddhanaprabha, as well as Nusara Suknamai, Kaveporn Punpare, Izabela Roza Lechowicz and pilot Eric Swaffer who also died in the crash.
The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) continue to conduct its investigations. Leicester were due to play Southampton tonight at the King Power Stadium but that Carabao Cup tie was postponed on Sunday. It is not yet clear whether the Premier League match away at Cardiff this weekend will go ahead. DAVID Wagner won’t look back in anger as he puts Huddersfield Town into preparation mode for the Fulham clash.
The head coach hasn’t seen his players since Sunday’s regular postmatch session at the PPG Canalside training ground. DAVID Wagner has an encouraging roll call of players as Town begin preparations for the Monday Night Football clash against Fulham.
Town are looking for a first win of the season in the televised Premier League clash against Fulham and are keen to deliver after the sobering 3-0 defeat by Watford.
The boss was disappointed with Town’s defending in the 3-0 defeat by Watford at Vicarage Road, which leaves them without a win in 10 Premier League outings and bottom of the table.
But as he looks for a first Town win over the Cottagers in 25 years, he insists the focus will be solely on the test ahead against Slavisa Jokanovic’s side and not the uncharacteristic
So what is the state of play regarding Wagner’s squad at PPG Canalside?
Firstly, no fresh injury problems were reported after the trip down the M1 to Vicarage Road.
The head coach made just one change to his starting line-up, with Isaac Mbenza given a first top-flight start.
He took the place of Flo Hadergjonaj in a switch of formation defensive slips which cost so dearly in Hertfordshire.
“I have seen that they tried and they worked, so it is not about attitude or commitment in my group of players,” said Wagner, who hopes to have Terence Kongolo, Tommy Smith and Danny Williams back in the selection pool for next Monday night’s assignment.
“They were not on their level which they are normally able to produce, and this is what I have to accept, even if I don’t like it.
“I have said this before, I won’t judge them on this game even if I am anything but happy about the performance we showed.
“They trained on Sunday, had a couple of days off and now we have a long week until Monday.
“We will prepare to be on the performance level we have shown in recent weeks (before Watford), and this is what we are focused on.”
Meanwhile, the man who was at the heart of West Ham United’s stunning win at Huddersfield Town to a back four, along the lines of the set-up which performed so encouragingly in the 1-1 draw at Burnley.
Swiss international Hadergjonaj dropped to the bench, where he featured without a call alongside goalkeeper Ben Hamer, Jon Gorenc Stankovic and Collin Quaner.
The subs Wagner used were Steve Mounie, Ramadan Sobhi and Juninho Bacuna. last season will not be making a return trip to the John Smith’s Stadium. The Football Association have confirmed a three-match ban for Hammers skipper Mark Noble following his straight red card in the 1-1 draw with Leicester City - the match overshadowed by the tragic helicopter accident killing five people including Leicester owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha. Noble misses the matches against Tottenham (in the Carabao Cup), Burnley and then Town in a massive blow to the London club’s hopes. West Ham have injury problems, especially in midfield, so the 31-yearold’s absence will be felt by Manuel Pellegrini’s side. That’s particularly so because Noble was reported to be in superb form in the victories over Everton and Manchester United and impressive in the goalless draw against Chelsea for the Hammers, who are 13th on eight points. Joe Lolley superbly equalised for Town before half time, but a strike
They were not on their level which they are normally able to produce
For 21-year-old Egypt international Ramadan, it was a welcome return to action after knee problems which had restricted him to just six minutes of action all season.
And for midfielder Bacuna, also 21, it marked a first ever Premier League appearance after previously playing only in the Carabao Cup defeat at Stoke City.
Ramadan had been back in training