Why do we take so long to get going?

[kyleolly]

Well the chips are down because we've started poorly

[Stadt]

Ranieri does good subs

[Dan]

Genuinely think we actually start games trying to keep things tight but we eventually get given no choice but to attack. It's all this group of players know. Our defence is relegation standard but our attack is as dangerous as literally anyone in the league at the minute. It's ridiculous how well we click going forward.

[Donut]

I dont think there was too much difference between the two sides today before the first goal.

 

I thought we looked quite bright going forwards, had the Vardy chance of course, and we kept Southampton at bay pretty well from open play.

 

Southamptons set piece delivery was good though. No doubt we should have defended them better, but the first goal from Fonte was a well directed header that rocked us, and we had no rhythm for the rest of the half, and of course we conceded again.

 

Second half, we gained an important thing in sport, and football. MOMENTUM. Even at 2-1 down, we were piling on the pressure and looking likely. So although Southampton were winning the game, on the pitch they would have really been feeling it.

 

I dont know if that comes from superior fitness, which we clearly have on most teams, but it just seems like at times, when our tails are up, we can become irresistable going forwards.

 

You cant blame Ranieri too much for not having Mahrez in the team from the start. He made a brave call to do that at Norwich and it solidifed us as a unit and was a large part of us winning that game, a very tough game.

 

But we should definitely give Ranieri credit again for the proactive changes he made to rescue a draw from this game. Albeit they were easy changes to make today.

 

As for starting games in that manor, realistically a team will not throw caution to the wind from the off, especially not at home. It would not be worth the risk of being picked off ourselves and good teams would exploit the lack of tacitcal shape if everyone just went gung ho from the beginning.

 

However, you could see that approach having merit as other teams retreat back which is human nature in trying to "hang on" to the lead.

 

 

In short, im not sure there is anything much to read into. We have had a few games where we have found ourselves 2-0 down, but then again there have been other games where in the first half, we have been by far the better team as well.

 

All it shows to me is, we CAN start games well, and in the games we have started well, the vast majority we have taken points from.

 

But we can also change it up if we need to, and we have the spirit to keep going, knowing at 2-0 we arent beaten and can still come back into a game.

 

Great combination to have in my opinion. If a club like Sunderland goes 2-0 down, you expect the result to be 4-0, 4-1......8-0 at times. Not our bunch.

[stuartn27]

Time to invest in a class defender to get the organised

[Sampson]

All this talk of a leader centre-back is true but Kasper is just as culpable. He just seems to have no communication with his defence and they never seem to have any confidence in him and neither the defence or keeper seem to know what the other one is doing and when one is leaving it for the other or isn't. That first goal today Schmeichel should've been taking control of. No one knows when Kasper is coming off his line to take control and when he isn't.

Remember when Hamer came in last season and we suddenly kept a string of clean sheets after getting none under Kasper and our defence suddenly looked much better? I'm not saying Hamer is the answer by a long shot, but a goalkeeper who actually knows how to communicate with his defence and who the defence have confidence in certainly is just as desperately needed, if not more so, as a good leader at centre back.

[CosbehFox]

I don't see this great tactician thing everyone bangs on about Ranieri.

He hasn't changed a centre half pairing which look terrible in a back four. He's played the likes of Kante on the wing. He's played Okazaki too much (particularly after international breaks). We are playing two in the central midfield which was constantly criticised last season (and it told first half yesterday).

When the changes come on, it's kitchen sink time and the opposition can't cope as we have great players.

It's three games we've had to come back from 2-0 down.

There's part of Ranieri which are superb, there are other parts I can't quite work out. All in all, it's a joy to watch us an attacking unit under his management.