Pace Pace Pace

[Arriba Los Zorros]

I'm worried we're setting ourselves up to be too one-dimensional in attack and going all in on pace.

 

Sure, pace is a potent weapon, but as Champs of England everyone will be setting back and giving us respect.

 

We've seen in the Euros how Vardy is less effective against a packed defence, add in another strike partner (Musa) who is reliant on pace and not technically the best and I'm concerned - whilst we'll be dynamite on the counter, who's to say we'll be given the opportunity to counter much?

[coolhandfox]

I'm worried we're setting ourselves up to be too one-dimensional in attack and going all in on pace.

 

Sure, pace is a potent weapon, but as Champs of England everyone will be setting back and giving us respect.

 

We've seen in the Euros how Vardy is less effective against a packed defence, add in another strike partner (Musa) who is reliant on pace and not technically the best and I'm concerned - whilst we'll be dynamite on the counter, who's to say we'll be given the opportunity to counter much?

 

To be fair Bale and Ronaldo would struggle to shine in this England side

[Babylon]

I agree to an extent, we need to improve on that side of our game, but there is no reason to worry until all the transfer business is done. I think we're still after a new no. 10.

 

With Musa, we needed to be able to cover anything happening to Vardy. Pace is how we want to play, without him we know our normal game wouldn't be as effective, so it's good to have cover with the same sort of pace now.

 

Harsh on Vardy. He was playing with people who do not want to play quick ball. He struggled because we took too long to attack, look how Iceland were undone by one quick ball over the top for the first goal yesterday... how often did England do that?

[sylofox]

I'm worried we're setting ourselves up to be too one-dimensional in attack and going all in on pace.

 

Sure, pace is a potent weapon, but as Champs of England everyone will be setting back and giving us respect.

 

We've seen in the Euros how Vardy is less effective against a packed defence, add in another strike partner (Musa) who is reliant on pace and not technically the best and I'm concerned - whilst we'll be dynamite on the counter, who's to say we'll be given the opportunity to counter much?

So you are judging Vardy by shite performances in a clueless England team.

I would rather judge him on what he does for us than the clueless pile of shite he spent June with.

Oh and a manager that would struggle to manage a w4nk.

[foxes21]

even when teams have sat back our pace has caused problems. For example, schlupp coming on against west brom at home created alot of opportunities.

[PhillippaT]

But Leicester have two additional people that England didn't/won't - Mahrez + Albrighton.

[Stadt]

We'll be alright in the CL I think, the better sides will be just as arrogant as teams were last against us, Barcelona aren't going to reign their wingbacks in against us and they'll push just as high so we'll benefit with that space.

[Tielemans63]

This is why I hope we sign Islam Slimani. From what I've seen and read he seems like a traditional centre forward, no disrespect to Leo but I think we could do with an upgrade in that department, especially if teams are going to sit back against us and games become a bit more attritional.

 

However, like Babylon says, there really is no reason to get concerned at this point, it's still very early days in the transfer market. 2 signings since the window opened on Friday is pretty good going IMHO, I'm sure there'll be a few more additions to fulfill different roles coming soon.

[The_77]

I'm worried we're setting ourselves up to be too one-dimensional in attack and going all in on pace.

Sure, pace is a potent weapon, but as Champs of England everyone will be setting back and giving us respect.

We've seen in the Euros how Vardy is less effective against a packed defence, add in another strike partner (Musa) who is reliant on pace and not technically the best and I'm concerned - whilst we'll be dynamite on the counter, who's to say we'll be given the opportunity to counter much?

Can the season start already? This is getting ridiculous.

[Arriba Los Zorros]

Can the season start already? This is getting ridiculous.

eh?

[Arriba Los Zorros]

This is why I hope we sign Islam Slimani. From what I've seen and read he seems like a traditional centre forward, no disrespect to Leo but I think we could do with an upgrade in that department, especially if teams are going to sit back against us and games become a bit more attritional.

 

However, like Babylon says, there really is no reason to get concerned at this point, it's still very early days in the transfer market. 2 signings since the window opened on Friday is pretty good going IMHO, I'm sure there'll be a few more additions to fulfill different roles coming soon.

Agree, I'd love to see us get Slimani, like Ulloa too but he's not quite at the level we need

[The_77]

eh?

We signed one player, calm down. Imagine reading your post to Steve Walsh.

The Premier League, Champions League and all of the big clubs in it aren't going to just sit back against us.

[The_77]

We signed one fast player, calm down. Imagine reading your post to Steve Walsh.

The Premier League, Champions League and all of the big clubs in it aren't going to just sit back against us.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Bluetintedspecs]

Can you not use the counter argument for the slow possession build up style of play?

Where did pretty, slow , tippy tippy football get Arsenal and Man City last year?

[Babylon]

Can you not use the counter argument for the slow possession build up style of play?

Where did pretty, slow , tippy tippy football get Arsenal and Man City last year?

I'm not sure he's advocating a total change in style, more a case of upping our technical ability to be able to work our way around very deep crowded penalty areas. We need decent replacements for our best players if we need to rest them.

 

Vardy - Musa.

Kante - Mendy

Mahrez - ???

 

I'd still like someone with a high technical ability, someone who can unlock defences with  bit of magic. At the moment, we rely on Mahrez heavily for that and people know it. It started to get easier for teams to shut him out. It would be nice to be able to bring on another one of those sorts of players in games like that.

[Stadt]

Can you not use the counter argument for the slow possession build up style of play?

Where did pretty, slow , tippy tippy football get Arsenal and Man City last year?

We saw at the back end of last season against Norwich and Newcastle at home we struggled a little bit when they played on the counter themselves, we need to be able to break sides down who are content with a point, I think that's why Hernandez and Mendy have been brought in to help distribute the ball better from deep areas.

[Arriba Los Zorros]

I'm not sure he's advocating a total change in style, more a case of upping our technical ability to be able to work our way around very deep crowded penalty areas. We need decent replacements for our best players if we need to rest them.

 

Vardy - Musa.

Kante - Mendy

Mahrez - ???

 

I'd still like someone with a high technical ability, someone who can unlock defences with  bit of magic. At the moment, we rely on Mahrez heavily for that and people know it. It started to get easier for teams to shut him out. It would be nice to be able to bring on another one of those sorts of players in games like that.

Exactly. Thank you for explaining what I'm saying Babylon, this is a genuine concern. Look at how teams like Palace who have a team full of pace but no technical ability to go with it have done once they were sussed out

[Arriba Los Zorros]

We signed one player, calm down. Imagine reading your post to Steve Walsh.

The Premier League, Champions League and all of the big clubs in it aren't going to just sit back against us.

I think you'll find a lot of teams will come and look to take a 0-0 from KP next season..... we're the defending champions

[LCFC FOX]

Slimani !

[Bluetintedspecs]

I'm not sure he's advocating a total change in style, more a case of upping our technical ability to be able to work our way around very deep crowded penalty areas. We need decent replacements for our best players if we need to rest them.

Vardy - Musa.

Kante - Mendy

Mahrez - ???

I'd still like someone with a high technical ability, someone who can unlock defences with bit of magic. At the moment, we rely on Mahrez heavily for that and people know it. It started to get easier for teams to shut him out. It would be nice to be able to bring on another one of those sorts of players in games like that.

Fair point Babs, hopefully Mahrez & possibly Gray can provide the trickery?

[Babylon]

Would Van Persie fit into this after the recent twitter rumour... more of a technical player, able to play in tight space, top draw finishing.

 

Not saying I want him, but camped in the opponents half with the oppo playing deep we could certainly do with more of that sort of player, rather than loads of players who need space to run into.

[Guest Col city fan]

It's going to be interesting to see how opposition teams set up against us this season. We are now famous! We are a known quantity! Etc etc.

That said, every team knew how we set up and were going to play against them last season..and they still couldn't cope with our direct game and our pace. So I don't know why it should be so different this coming season.

The difference now I guess will be EXPECTATION. Last term, we were on the crest of a wave. It was an ever growing snowball that couldn't be halted in its tracks. Next term, all teams will be going guns blazing to 'beat the champions' and you can be sure as eggs is eggs, if we lose a couple, early doors, the media will be all over us in terms of how we over achieved last season, that we can't replicate it etc.

Fame is a fickle friend and somehow we have to put last years achievements to one side and start again. Added to this, the other teams now have better managers (Jose, Conte and Guardiola) and will be signing mega stars for mega bucks.

It's gonna be interesting!

[Arriba Los Zorros]

Would Van Persie fit into this after the recent twitter rumour... more of a technical player, able to play in tight space, top draw finishing.

 

Not saying I want him, but camped in the opponents half with the oppo playing deep we could certainly do with more of that sort of player, rather than loads of players who need space to run into.

I don't think Van Persie is the answer, think he's possibly too slow. Agree we need a finisher able to receive the ball to feet whilst tightly marked, with back to goal though. Out of realistic targets, Dzeko stands out for me! And Slimani would be fab

 

Edit Whats David Villa doing these days? Or past it?

[Guest Col city fan]

I don't think Van Persie is the answer, think he's possibly too slow. Agree we need a finisher able to receive the ball to feet whilst tightly marked, with back to goal though. Out of realistic targets, Dzeko stands out for me! And Slimani would be fab

Edit Whats David Villa doing these days? Or past it?

Villa plays for New York City in the MLS. He's good in that league. Then again, Robson Kanu would look good in that league.

[ealingfox]

I'd point to the Vardy goals against Chelsea and Everton at home as evidence that a reliance on pace can be applied on a smaller scale. Watching England's games I lost count of the number of times we had the opportunity to play a ball like that into Vardy and even Sturridge a few times but didn't.

The reliance is on getting to the ball first as much as the pace to ensure you can break too quickly to get caught.