I kind of agree with cannagia here - on paper, the Wigans, QPRs and Forests of this world do have a better squad.

Which is more reason to give credit to Nigel for motivating them in to being champions elect. That's why he's my manager of the season irrespective of the fact that Dyche wouldn't be able to land a punch before Peardon had knocked him out with a tiger uppercut.

Despite expectations of falling away when injuries/suspensions impacted on Burnley's first team due to apparent lack of depth to their squad, this has not happened in the last month or so when a number of key players have not been available, so fair play to them for keeping on our coat tails.

Nige has taken a team from the disappointment of last season and turned it into likely champions with only a few additions to the squad. I'd agree that on paper a number of other sides (QPR, Wigan, Reading, Forest) appear to have better squads, but they don't have better teams over the season - the table does not lie.

I'm going to add in Eddie Howe as well who has taken a side at Bournemouth probably expecting to be flirting with relegation to the brink of the playoffs.

I think all have done a fantastic job this season.

Not sure who would win in the Pearson v Dyche contest but I'm going for Nige for obvious reasons. One thing I'm pretty sure of is either of them would be able to duff up Eddie Howe!

Boxing? Could you seem them abiding by the rules.

It would turn in WWF (wrestling), half-nelsons, headlocks, growling, the lot.

comment by Merseysidefox (U4842)
posted 3 hours, 43 minutes ago
I kind of agree with cannagia here - on paper, the Wigans, QPRs and Forests of this world do have a better squad.

Which is more reason to give credit to Nigel for motivating them in to being champions elect. That's why he's my manager of the season irrespective of the fact that Dyche wouldn't be able to land a punch before Peardon had knocked him out with a tiger uppercut.
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The 'squads on paper' argument is very difficult to define. The reason is because we dont know enough about other teams squads to make a fair assessment. Thats why no one saw us coming (including leicester fans) this season. Nigel may have been quietly confident however, knowing the true strength in depth of our squad when others didnt.

I think the original comment (which I vigorously defended!) was that 'on paper' Leicester have the weakest squad of the top 7. That just isnt true in my opinion and I think its a better squad with more strength in depth than Burnley. Take an early contender for Leics player of the season Lloyd Dyer out of the team (which happened through injury) and he now can't get back in the squad due to the quality in reserve, notably Mahrez. Burnley just dont have that strength in depth. Take Kightly out and who else is coming in?

QPR flatter to deceive. Their squad has been proven to have overpaid, over the hill and expensive flops there. Assou Ekotu is one of the worst defensive full backs I've seen at this level, yet he has prem experience. Without Charlie Austin they havent been able to score a goal and have had to turn to expensive and high profile loan signings. Harry would take the goal scoring midfielders we have over the past it flops like Benayoun every day of the week.

Wigan I will agree on, its a better squad than ours and had Uwe been manager from the beginning they may have taken Burnleys place.

The argument of 'weaker squad, great manager' could work if you look at Derby. That squad has a market value of about £500, McClaren has done a great job. But I dont think that argument applies to Leicester. Nigel has a knack for finding and developing young talent - Vardy, Mahrez, Knockeart and quietly building it into a great team.

Ok, time for a Clarets point of view.

SQUADS

Leicester clearly have the best, strongest , largest and most expensive squad . No contest there.

FIRST XI

Dont think there is much to choose. When Burnley came to Leicester with a full strength team they got a comfortable draw. As one poster said, if you take Ings, Vokes and Trippier out of out team then we would struggle to beat anybody. Vokes has been immense and is missed more than Ings. I would also point out that we have only conceeded 34 goals in 43 and 6 of those were in crazy 3-3 draws at Brum and QPR so I guess our defence aint too bad.

DYCHE v PEARSON

Both have done exceptional jobs. IMO if Burnley had Pearson we would not have had the success we have. Could he work with a small squad, free transfers and a low max wage threshold. I doubt it. If Dyche had Pearsons resources then he would have easily matched what Pearson has done. So maybe I am biased but its Dyche for me everytime.

Finally congrats on your promotion and in all probability being Champions. I hope we can join you in the Prem as we have been the 2 standout teams so far. UTC

Thanks top but Pearson can and has worked with little money. He was not a big spender during his first time at Leicester, he didn't have any cash to work with at hull and he has spent nothing this season. So on the financial side I disagree, Pearson would work well with Burnleys set up because that is what he is used to

When Dyche said our squad had been assembled with many pound notes, he was talking rubbish. 3 years ago it had, but look at the top performers this year;

Knockeart £700k
Mahrez £500k
Drinkwater less than £1m
Wes Morgan £850k
Vardy - £1m

When you consider that Forest spent the best part of £3m on Kelvin Wilson alone this season that's not bad going. Most of our players are not high earners, they're young kids or older freebies. Only Nugent and Kasper fall into that bracket now

It would be very interesting to compare wage bills ? I am guessing Leicesters would be at least double ours.

It would be interesting to compare the wages of Vardy, Mahrez, Phillips, Knockeart and other Pearson signings against Dyche signings. You wouldn't see much difference. The 2 or 3 high earners that have not been cleared out are from the Sven era.

Top, welcome - You haven't though answered the all important question

Which is ?

Blackstarr, you cannot single out individual wages. It is the total squad cost that counts.
Danger, I guess you mean Boxing ? Not sure it would be wise for Pearson to fight anybody following his health scare. So hopefully such a contest would never happen.

If Pearson and Dyche decided to slug it out in a boxing ring, who'd win?

Danger, I guess you mean Boxing ? Not sure it would be wise for Pearson to fight anybody following his health scare. So hopefully such a contest would never happen

_______________________________________

And folks therein is the voice of reason.................Personally I thought Dyche would have won, he looks proper nasty

Top you made the assertion that Pearson wouldn't be able to work on a shoestring based on Leicesters squad. It's a poor assertion because his record at hull And first time at Leicster disproves it

Also you can only judge Pearson in this respect on the players he has signed not the players other managers have signed. Since he came to the club he has spent less on transfers and wages than some of our other promotion rivals.

I don't mind other fans giving their opinion on our team, but get your facts right and don't make assumptions that are 3 years old

In this case I agree with Blackstarr's disagreement. Pearson is a manager who's proven to get the most out of players with reasonable ability and a good attitude.

What he's not is a manager who spends cash on players with big names and often big egos.

He gets the most out of players, and in that regard is very similar to Dyche.

Black, I have given my opinion. You need to read my original post. I clearly state that Pearson has done a great job but he has had a much bigger and more expensive squad to work with. I do not believe Pearson or any other manager would have got Burnley promoted. We were fourth favs for relegation at the start of the season having been forced to sell our best striker to QPR !.I am not being negative towards Pearson, just emphasizing what an amazing job Dyche has done.

I agree Dyche has done a super job, but your original post said that Pearson wouldn't be able to do the same on a small budget. It's that opinion I'm challenging and the facts don't support such a view. Doesn't mean you're not entitled to it

There is a lot of hangover from the Sven days that Pearson gets lumbered with. One of them is big spending leicester. 2 of the first 11 that have made an impact this season, were from the Sven days, Nuge and Kasper. The rest are bargain basement signings by comparison

Incidentally did Dyche sign Ings and Vokes? I honestly don't know but if he didn't that would change my view on him a bit

Howe signed Ings. SD signed Vokes for a small fee, Jones /Arfield/Heaton on frees. Kightly on loan. He sold Mccann, Austin, Paterson . His strength has been creating a fantastic team spirit and getting the best from individual players.

I think it would be a brutal fight but I see Pearson edging it.

I agree with Dunge about this being NP's squad and he's built it to play a certain style of football so you can't compare how Dyche would work with our squad.

I think if both managers were to swap squads then Pearson would do a better job with Burnley's than Dyche would with ours.