Who should play alongside Jonny Evans at Chelsea?
I'd like to start by saying that I don't dislike Daniel Amartey per se – on the whole, he's done a pretty good job of filling in more than he should have done over the years, particularly in back threes as the third man. But that's the thing: 'more than he should have done' and 'third man' are phrases indicative of a limited centre-back who absolutely shouldn't be first choice for a club that allegedly has aspirations of pushing for Europe.
I'd also like to add that watching Caglar Soyuncu last season was a bit like watching a toddler running down a hill – you never knew quite how it would end, and it was usually painful. But even after all of that, now is not the time to give up on him. Lest we forget that he'd put in two seasons of brilliant performances before that, and his ceiling is possibly the highest of all our centre-backs right now.
Given that we won't be flogging him as a saleable asset, getting him back into the team successfully would be exactly the kind of proactive – dare I say it – coaching we need right now. Swallow your pride, Brendan, and get him back in.
Joe Brewin
I'd be surprised if Fofana now plays another game for us, while Amartey looked like a deer in headlights during the second half against Southampton. For that reason, I have to go with Soyuncu.
I don't know what he's done to be relegated to fourth-choice centre-back, but hopefully it's enough to kick him into gear after some disappointing displays last term. We didn't concede against Stockport with him and Vestergaard at the back (as if that's now what we're classing as a positive), so it's only fair that he's given a crack of the whip.
As an outside shout - or if Rodgers still hasn't forgiven our Turkish bombscare for whatever his misdemeanour - I'd be tempted to go with Ndidi.
Ryan Hubbard
As much as I'm raging at him and the situation, ideally I still say Fofana, with him being our player as it stands.
Realistically however I'd say Big Dan, but reducing the absolute obsession with playing out from the back at every moment. He's clearly playing the best in training to be being picked every week and he's a cult hero so at least I can enjoy a sing song of his name if nothing else.
Soyuncu is currently getting better by not playing, everyone calling for him to play like he wasn't absolutely terrible and wanted out last year. And let's not talk about Vestergaard.
Becky Taylor
The main reasons for our poor start to the season are not down to individual performances, but are a result of poor management and a weak mentality throughout the squad. However, with no new incomings on the horizon, we have to start our strongest players where possible, especially in defence where we have been struggling for what feels like 18 months.
As much as I love Dan Amartey as a utility man and positive character in the squad, he should not be consistently starting for a top-half Premier League side, especially in a centre back pairing. Amartey is being consistently targeted by the opposition with success, as Ivan Toney and Che Adams have both taken advantage of weak covering in the box, scoring important but avoidable goals. These goals have not been solely caused by poor defending by Amartey, but he is being exposed when it matters most, making mistakes that a more aggressive and perceptive defender may have avoided.
Amartey appears to be winning a starting spot almost by default. Whereas the details of Fofana's situation have been well documented, Soyuncu's seems less clear, with no rumoured external interest and what appears to be a player willing to fight for his place. Soyuncu's best performances have been alongside the organised and commanding presence of Jonny Evans, and Cags' inclusion in all three match squads suggests that he is fit and ready.
Matt Jedruch
I'm not sure I can sit through another Amartey disaster at centre-back so I'll go with Soyuncu. I feel something must have gone on behind the scenes for Cags to be so far down the pecking order but, ultimately, he is a much better defender than Amartey.
Last season's ever-changing back 4 really didn't help us from a defensive perspective and it seems like we're starting off in the same fashion this year. I think if we can get the Soyuncu and Evans partnership settled again that's the way forward for us. Let's face it, it can't be much worse can it?
Chloe Dexter
Anyone but Daniel Amartey. I think I'd even pick Vestergaard over him. It's not that I dislike Amartey. He's just not a Premier League player. I'd pair Jonny Evans with Soyuncu. Despite being a car crash when partnered next to anyone else, the Turkish international has always been pretty reliable alongside Evans, and they complement each other well.
Fofana can rot in the reserves until an offer matching the club's valuation is met. We shouldn't just reject these insulting bids from Chelsea. We should be increasing the asking price by a further £10m for each derisory offer. If they are willing to pay £60m for Anthony Gordon, a winger who has four goals in 74 career appearances, then it makes Wesley Fofana worth £600m.
Dante Clarke
One thing that I think all Leicester fans can agree on is that the answer to this question is most certainly not Wesley Fofana. Assuming Chelsea don’t match our asking price I would not want to see him in a Leicester shirt again until he’s given some sort of apology for throwing his toys so spectacularly from his pram.
In reality we have two viable options: Daniel Amartey or Caglar Soyuncu. Both are similar in a way in that they are plagued with the sort of inconsistency you would simply not expect from a Premier League footballer.
Having said that, Amartey was projected from 5th, maybe even 6th, choice to being the only senior centre-back available. His committed challenges and a couple of genuinely excellent performances rightly made him something of a cult figure with Leicester fans. But we have seen examples of a lack of composure and concentration that you simply cannot afford at this level.
Then we have Cags. His decline has been staggering. In my mind it began in earnest with a complete head explosion against Bournemouth, and since then he’s seemed a shadow of himself. For him not to be picked in the league so far this season, even in a back three, suggests a total lack of trust from Rodgers and his staff. However, if Soyuncu can at least recapture a part of his passion and fight he could be just the man we need. Give me Cags and Jonny, bring back the 2019/20 vibes and try to get some positivity back into this team.
Jamie Thorpe
