Swansea (home) Pre Match Thread/Thoughts

[MonmoreStef]

This could be a game where Claudio has to tinker. I'm not convinced Shinji will be effective without Vardy and our quick counter attacking style may also be ineffective without our number 9. I would be tempted to play a three man back line here. I'm not sure Swansea will be offering much going forward and I'd like another playmaker on the pitch to open them up. Fortunately there's a few options open to our genius of a boss and I'm sure he will find the right one.

The thought of the media frenzy if our lead is cut again this week could result in my back garden having five smashed up TVs, two broken laptops, an IPad and two Burnt out mobile phones come Tuesday Morning if this goes wrong.

[Gerard]

                 Kasper

Simpson-Huth-Morgan-Fuchs

Albrighton-Kante-Drinky-Schlupp

              Mahrez

                    Ulloa

 

I'm another who agrees with this.

 

If Ulloa starts then Albrighton on the right is a must to play to Ulloa's strengths. Mahrez in behind a Schlupp will bring some much needed pace and directness to the side.

 

It was always going to be a nervey game but even more so without Vardy. Anything but a win doesn't bare thinking about.

[Stevosevic]

We need to replace Vardys pace with pace. Somewhere in the team at least.

Therefore I'd bring Jeff on to the wing and Mahrez in the hole.

[thybluefox]

Am I the only one that feels slightly nauseous at the thought of this game?

 

My nerves are shot now, god knows how they'll be on Sunday. 

[Bob Weasel Fox]

Am I the only one that feels slightly nauseous at the thought of this game?

My nerves are shot now, god knows how they'll be on Sunday.

Come on, let's get up for this one. No time for nerves

Come on LEICESTER

Up the Foxes

[Mezeker]

I think you abandon the 4-4-2 this game, play Mahrez centrally. That kid has to step up now, he has been average or below so for a while now. Needs to remind the league of the player he is. 2 wins 2 draws all we need. Really need this W.

[SpinneyHillRanger]

If we are bringing pace into the team, I'd prefer to see Gray in first before schlupp. Gray has more control to his game I feel and would be more inclined to follow a game plan... Schlupp could have a massive impact like he did against West ham for the penalty... But he should be a sub.

After hearing ranieri press conference, sounds like he will go with ulloa. And doubt he will take one of the regulars out. So we will probably keep it as it is - with ulloa and shinji - which doesn't on the face of it look like it would work.

I just can't see how they can play together and for 90 mins.

I would say maybe start with shinji and gray. Have gray and mahrez switch from wide to centre whenever game circumstances dictate.

In the West ham game I saw our players do this for a while before the sending off during a reshape after a set piece. Albrighton played vardy role, vardy played mahrez position and mahrez played albrighton position... But it was only a very short time while we were without the ball defending.

It does show though the players like mahrez and grey capable of switching each other's role during a game, making them more difficult to cope with.

[Bayfox]

If we are bringing pace into the team, I'd prefer to see Gray in first before schlupp. Gray has more control to his game I feel and would be more inclined to follow a game plan... Schlupp could have a massive impact like he did against West ham for the penalty... But he should be a sub.

After hearing ranieri press conference, sounds like he will go with ulloa. And doubt he will take one of the regulars out. So we will probably keep it as it is - with ulloa and shinji - which doesn't on the face of it look like it would work.

I just can't see how they can play together and for 90 mins.

I would say maybe start with shinji and gray. Have gray and mahrez switch from wide to centre whenever game circumstances dictate.

In the West ham game I saw our players do this for a while before the sending off during a reshape after a set piece. Albrighton played vardy role, vardy played mahrez position and mahrez played albrighton position... But it was only a very short time while we were without the ball defending.

It does show though the players like mahrez and grey capable of switching each other's role during a game, making them more difficult to cope with.

 

I agree with the sentiment of gray, schlupp still scares me, I have no idea what he is going to do next, and I don't think he does either.

 

 

thought gray did a really good job when he came on at sunderland, i'd be happy to see him start, with albrighton down the other wing and get some balls into the box for Leo.

[Ricey]

Swansea:

 

Kasper

 

Simpson - Huth - Morgan - Fuchs

 

Drinkwater - Kante

 

Albrighton      Mahrez       Schlupp

 

Ulloa

 

 

Man Utd:

 

Kasper

 

Simpson - Huth - Morgan - Fuchs

 

Mahrez - Drinkwater - Kante - Albrighton

 

Okazaki - Schlupp

 

 

[lee7]

None of our options really fill me with any confidence. The thought of Shinji and Ulloa playing together scares me.

Although Schlupp has an awful touch I feel his pace and strength will be essential for this match!

It'll be interesting to see which team Ranieri decides to go with.

[SpinneyHillRanger]

I want to see the following:

 

+ King play a part, as we need the control in midfield and you always feel he will pop up with a goal when required.

+ Gray or to a lesser extent schlupp start, as our frontline lacks pace without vardy.

+ Ulloa start/play for 45 mins - he seemed to bring a lot of control for us when he played, he also showed he was nerveless when it mattered most. I am concerned about him taking his chances though as he has wasted a few good half chances when put through in recent games.

+ Shinji perhaps given a chance to play his more natural role, he played in germany and he does for his national team.

+Make sure Albrighton get crosses in early with his right foot on the right side - if/when ulloa plays - problem we might find is getting into danger areas as easy have we done with vardy on the pitch. Teams will see our lack of pace and congest the play with a high line. Player like Albrighton can be deadly in the last third with his delivery. But getting him there with ball at his feet is another thing, especially as he does not have that blistering pace to go past full backs.

 

Not sure, but last time we played Swansea before their new italian manager, Ranieri i think played 5 in midfield. MAybe King can come in with shinji alone upfront - it can sound defensive for a hime game which is almost must win, but it could work if midfielders and wide players provide the right type of support for okazaki.

 

I don't know how to make it all work, maybe Ranieri will.

[Fox92]

Must win. Simple as that.

 

And for me, I'd go...

 

---

 

Kasper

 

Simpson -- Morgan -- Huth -- Fuchs

 

Albrighton -- Drinkwater -- Kante -- Gray

 

Mahrez / Gray

 

Okazaki

 

----

 

I know Ulloa has been superb in his last few appearances as a sub but with how fast we usually play I'd like Gray to be brought in. He can easily switch with Mahrez. Okazaki makes some very clever runs most games, he's good at creating gaps, and both Gray and Mahrez have the ability to find him.

[jammie82uk]

Mark Clattenburg has been appointed referee for this one

Seems Jon moss has been "rested" for this weekends games

[SpinneyHillRanger]

Mark Clattenburg has been appointed referee for this one

Seems Jon moss has been "rested" for this weekends games

fat fu*k deserves a rest

 

Clattenburg likes the limelight... my only concern is Huth. Eyes will be on him most of all.

[Simmo86]

Mark Clattenburg has been appointed referee for this one

Seems Jon moss has been "rested" for this weekends games

4th official for Everton United cup semi.

[inckley fox]

I think we'll have to win this by channelling our sense of injustice after the West Ham game. If we do that, it could give us the belief to beat United, with or without Vardy.

 

The advantage of Okazaki and Ulloa is that both are good 'in and around the box' strikers. I think both have, over the course of their careers, scored most of their goals from those situations. We don't tend to create those sort of chances unless we have Schlupp getting to the by-line or Mahrez getting into advanced positions - our goals tend to be either breakaways by Vardy or something special from Mahrez - but  if we're without Vardy's pace, both may be necessary.

 

So we could pose quite a different sort of threat to normal. And without Vardy in the side we've played only 96 league minutes with 11 men, but we did get two goals in that time and concede only one, so I think we can still be dangerous.

 

I'm not sure how Albrighton will or won't fit into this one. He does have pace, of course, but he's going to have to use it to good effect so we're not depending on the two CFs to turn counter-attacks into shots into goals; that ball Albrighton hooks over his shoulders towards the striker simply won't work, he'll have to bomb forward himself and get into good positions to deliver. That said, his standard looping cross, which is normally pointless with Vardy and Okazaki up front, may be more useful with Ulloa, but I can't help but think Schlupp might be a better match.

 

Set pieces could also be big for us, with Ulloa in defence and attack we could cause a lot of problems here.

 

I'd be tempted to bring Ulloa and Schlupp in, with Albrighton on the bench. Or, as someone suggested, switch Albrighton to the right, put Schlupp on the left and let Mahrez have a free support role behind Ulloa. Anything to maximise our pace. And Mahrez - if he can conjure something resembling his earlier season form for just two or three games now, it could win us the league.

[Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo]

Mark Clattenburg has been appointed referee for this one

Seems Jon moss has been "rested" for this weekends games

 

 

 

Have a party, Clattenburg

Bring your tea and battenberg 

[LJS]

The more I think about this game the more excited I am. Without Vardy we will need to impose ourselves more on our opponents rather than relying on our successful proven but, let's be honest, rather limited method of winning.

We have a number of tremendous players who will now be expected to do more to get us scoring goals. We are going to have to be more open and more fluid. Yes with that comes risk, but I have every faith in our excellent defensive players to keep it tight at the back.

This match is is great opportunity to show that we're more than a quick ball over the top to Jamie Vardy, exhilarating though those moments are. Lots of good players have ceded individual flair and glory to a very effective system for the last few months. Now they're going to get to show why they're as deserving of the headlines as the main man has been. 4-0 to us, title in the bag.

[Jacafox]

Surely if Newcastle can score 3 past Swansea then we can score, whatever is required they had immense pressure also. I think we are slightly better than Newcastle, even without Vardy!!

[Mikey]

Can see Drinky and Kante dominating this game. Their midfielders, whilst decent in possession, are really not physical at all. Kante will boss them. As long as we keep Sigurdsson quiet, we should be alright.

[Jack1993]

I think I'd go for; 

                                                                             Kasper

 

                                     Simpson                Wes                 Huth               Fuchs

                                     

                                     Albrighton              Drinkwater      Kante              Schlupp

 

                                                                           Mahrez

                                                                     

                                                                             Ulloa

 

 

 

That team to me seems like it'd create a hell of a lot of chances and also be incredible on the counter. I honestly don't think this team will happen though. 

 

Ulloa to hold the ball up and feed the pacy/skillful players through (Jeff actually finishing the chances is another matter haha)

[jammie82uk]

4th official for Everton United cup semi.

Forgot that was happening this weekend

Also just seen that he is down for the arsenal game Thursday

Looking at the referee appointments for this current game week it seems we have a serious lack of referees for the top level

Mark Clattenburg and Martin Atkinson was both rested due to international appearances and not picked for any games over the current 6 day game week period

Meaning Some referees are being involved in 3 to 4 games each over this period

[Gerard]

Am I the only one that feels slightly nauseous at the thought of this game?

 

My nerves are shot now, god knows how they'll be on Sunday. 

 

Imagine what they'll be like this time next week if we don't win and Spurs do.

 

I'll be glad when this season is over. 

[clark]

I'm obviously nervous about this match, I am not confident we will score without Vardy but Swansea are awful this season, one of the weakest to stay up and have nothing really to play for now so I'm sure we don't need to fear them scoring against us. So as long as the ref doesn't give them a penalty or a free kick on the edge of the box I guess we'll get something. Just hope whatever it is we get is enough.

[snodgrass]

Would hope Claudio puts Schlupp Ullloa as a striking partnership.