StriderHiryu

Honestly, us supporters need to get a grip. This is NOT directed at you, but does need to be said. Rotherham today had TWO shots on our goal in the entire match. ZERO on target. We had 77% possession and for long periods of that game our centre back Vestergaard was playing 20 yards forwards in the Rotherham half. That was essentially an attack versus defence training session but at close to the elite level of sports. When the opposition has no intent to try and attack or score, it is difficult for the attacking team to score. Earlier in the season it was a problem, but now Enzo has been at Leicester for over 6 months, we see that we can break down anyone parking the bus. But we have to be PATIENT. Enzo himself said in his post match interview that he was happy at half-time. And that's because this game went almost exactly according to his plan. As the game went on, the concentration levels of Rotherham dropped and we scored. From about 50 minutes onwards they were clinging on and there was no world where they would ride out another 40 minutes without conceding. All the tell-tale signs were there, which is why the sensible posters on here weren't worried at all. The team and manager are not immune to criticism, and it should be welcomed. But almost every game we've had against low block teams has gone like this. It might not be fun to watch in the first half, but it's the opposition that are responsible for it being a crap spectacle, not Leicester. Compare this game to the Birmingham one, that was a great game to watch because they had a go. For me, it's been more frustrating against the teams that have really dared to press us, such as Sunderland and Leeds but even to some extent Coventry and Southampton where at times during those games some poor decision-making led to us needlessly inviting pressure onto our back line or not taking advantage of the spaces in behind. Ultimately, there is a reason why we have made the best start of any Championship team after 23 games in history, and it's not just because of our squad. I have a UEFA B coaching certificate and am preparing to do the A in the next 12-18 months. As part of that course you study patterns of play, attacking systems and so on. Enzo Maresca is absolutely top-draw and doing some cutting-edge things. He's someone that has been name-dropped on the course and was a reason why in the game he had such a huge reputation when we appointed him, even though most fans had no idea who he was. His approach is systematic and consistent. His team can grind you down but remain defensively stable. Look at the positions Faes, Ricardo and Vestergaard took up today... you don't get much more attacking than that! Speak to Man City fans and they will tell you a very similar story. Most teams rock up at the Etihad with 11 behind the ball and just try to hit them on the break. Their fans LOVE the games against Liverpool, even if they lose, because Liverpool dare to have a go at them. They were poor against Villa recently, but said it was a breath of fresh air to see a team genuinely have the balls not only to try but actually execute a plan to outplay them. In this division, we have to get used to frustrating games... it's the nature of the unfairness of the resources of the relative teams in this league. Rant over, and not directed at you. I think it would take years for fans to get used to it though!

Needless to say he's been super impressive over the last 4 games, I am sure many others on here will explain why. I want to do a bit more of an overview of the player himself. Trying to identify what sort of coaching plan could be put in place to improve him even further. Pace He's easily our most rapid striker and possibly the most rapid striker in the division. He was fast in Europe and the Premier League too. This is a big weapon for counter-attacks, but also for fast transitions when we play out from the press. In our system, he often drops really deep to drag a centre back with him, and this means that when he turns and we play out from the press, he can use his pace to exploit the gaps in behind. This was extremely effective against some of the more adventurous teams we've played. Work Rate You can tell Daka was schooled at a Red Bull club. He will press all game long tirelessly and helps set our own high press. This is an area where I think he can get even better over time, as this player is often the one that sets the signal for multiple players to press, so learning what the trigger is on a game by game basis and managing when to do it is important. But he's younger, faster and fitter than an ageing Jamie Vardy, which makes the press more effective. Finishing In Austria, he had outrageous finishing statistics, and I feel like we are starting to see that here. Yes it is the Championship, but it's more than that, at Salzburg he was in a team that dominated the ball and made lots of chances, just like Leicester are doing this season. He looks more dangerous than our other strikers and has a better hit rate. One thing I would say from a coaching perspective is that I feel he always opts to smash it. That's great if it goes in, but taking the ball stopped on the line, I feel like a truly elite marksman would go for finesse and bend it into the corenr here. I don't think I ever remember Patson ever even trying to do such a thing! So that is an element I think he needs to work on. Positioning Overall, this is also pretty good from Patson. He was in the box at the right times against a team that sits deep, and he's learning the positions he's been asked to drop into. This one is a bit tricky because the way we play relies on multiple players being in the right places on the pitch at all times, in each phase of play. So this is something I feel will improve from everyone in the team. To give him credit, he's not finding himself offside in the attacking phase, which at times Mavididi or even Fatawu do on occasion. Link-Up Play This is his biggest weakness, but you have to say that since being in the team, he's been much better at this compared to his stint in the Premier League. This would still be the big question about him in terms of if he can make it as a Premier League striker or not. Today's game suits him because he didn't need to link play. So for most of the game he didn't seem involved, but ends up with 2 goals. Vardy was often the master of this, I remember once against Man City he touched the ball 9 times but scored a hat-trick! Specifically with his link-up play there are a few things he needs to get better at: - Playing with his back to goal. You can tell he is just not used to doing this. Learning the awareness of who is around you and what decision to make. For me he doesn't "scan" enough before receiving the ball. The top players in any position are always scanning and building up that mental picture. That means when they receive the ball they have a much better idea of what to do. - Short and Mid-distance passing. Patson is OK with a short lay-off for a one-two, but isn't great at playing it round the corner or making an accurate, firm pass over a longer distance quickly. - Overall decision-making. Patson doesn't strike me as that confident on the ball and snatches at the ball when linking up. This leads to him making the wrong decision sometimes, like going for a backheel when he should be finessing it round the corner, or at times taking an extra touch before making a pass of strike. On paper a £24M striker should piss the Championship, and we are now seeing this is true. Can he do the same in the Premier League? My opinion is that in a counter attacking team he definitely can. Not that many teams play a full-on gegenpress these days because it leaves you so vulnerable on transition. The one team that really tries to do it are Man United, and look how they are performing. So what about in a team that loves possession and wants to play through a deep block? Honestly, I would still have my doubts. But Patson has shown massive improvements, and any player can improve. The best example is Jamie Vardy who over the years went from "pace merchant" to in his Golden Boot year truly becoming an all-round striker that could do it all. Vardy hit his peak in his 30's, Daka is 25, so has a good few years to improve.

Casually on track for a 116 point season at the halfway point

Here's a quick guide on how to save face when claiming "Patson Daka isn't good enough"

Nice problem to have! It might spell the end of Iheanacho? For the manager, I'd just say "let the best man win" out of all 4 strikers and make decisions at the end of the season. Daka works hard off the ball, is rapid and can finish. His off the ball play needs more work but has improved a lot. I think he also needs to add finesse to his game so he's not always just smashing it. But at the end of the day if you put all of those things together, he should be a valuable member of the squad. Next season, we will be the underdog in many matches and won't have the majority of possession. Patson Daka on the break is always, always going to be a massive threat. None of the other 4 strikers can match him these days for pace.

Clear winner of today's POTT (Poster of the thread) award. A much improved performance compared to the Birmingham game. We all have off days.

Quoting this here in the tactics thread because it absolutely belongs here. I think we've been brilliant in the last 4 games from an offensive point of view and Patson Daka is one of the big reasons why. The team overall plays better when he's in the team. Whether that continues or not I don't know, but there's no reason to think it won't. Actually a real shame for club and player that he's off to AFCON!

Less than 2 weeks till AFCON, he'll get his games. Daka hasn't done 90 minutes yet and fully deserves his opportunity to get a hattrick. Maresca may well even move Daka up the pecking order when Vardy is back. It's a fact that the team is playing better with him in the team, and it's not a coincidence. He's doing what has been asked of him and doing it well. He's now shown he can be the difference maker against both low block teams and high press ones.

Wout Faes is my MOTM. I swear at times he's playing like peak Maddison

This is Christmas Dinner for a lot of us on here this year!

SEXY FOOTBALL IS BACK ON THE MENU

More than that, you actually called it. Quite literally, this man was the captain of the Patson Daka defence force pre-season, and you have been totally and utterly validated. In this style of football, not many expected him to be the best striker, but he's showing he is! Time for many to eat some serious crow. I'd love to know what Maresca thinks. I can see many areas for Patson to work on to improve, but there is so much to like about this game, and finishing is probably only number 4 on that list. He's been impressive.

Time to dust off this @Daggers masterpiece, that I personally am going to frame and mount on my wall:

Haaland at Man City scores tons of crap goals too. But being a fox in the box in a team that has 75% of the ball and makes chance after chance means you score goals. You have to give Patson Daka his dues! Out of the team for ages, he's making an impact in every game he's started. He's got a bit of Yakubu about him ("all he does is scores goals") but he's shown in games against higher pressing teams that he can link play too. To be honest you have to give @Finnegan his dues, who has been calling for Patson Daka to start since game 1 of the season!

Forget Ndidi as a number 8, it's all about Wout Faes as a number 10

Can everyone calm down now please?

That should have been 1-0

Christian Fuchs on LCFC TV spitting facts!

Yeah he had the time to take another touch if he wanted. That was a much better opportunity than the way it played out. I think Ndidi will get hooked today, not his best performance.

We've seen this exact pattern of game play out at least 10 times already this season. The opposition are sitting in a deep low block and have to be switched on and concentrating for 90 minutes. It's hard to do that. Next season if we are in the Premier League there will be a handful of teams at most that park the bus against us. None of the teams that look like getting promoted play that way, in the top flight only West Ham really seem to play that way these days. Enzo said this game would be the hardest game of the season in his pre-match conference. Might sound like hyperbole, but it's because Rotherham aren't expected to get anything, so can defend like heroes for the entire game.

That was a great move and the way Mavididi has started this game, I expected better from him. Nice play all round until the finish.

The opposition are playing 541 and parking the bus. If the game is turgid, that's the reason why! Just like Preston and Stoke games, we have to be patient in games like these and tire out the other team.

Dream scenario is to start fast against them and get a goal, because you can tell they know this is the most important part of their season. The lads stepped up fantastically away to Southampton so I think Enzo will drill it into them to start quickly. I gave Ipswich some respect earlier, but totally agree that mentally they have fallen apart big time here.

Leeds have given us the blueprint of what to do in the Ipswich game. Press the bejesus out of their back line and Morsey and you'll have joy. Leif Davis must have had the worst half of his career!