Pace Pace Pace

[Kitchandro]

Firstly, vardy didn't struggle at the euros because he is one dimensional. The way England played gave him no chance of scoring a number of goals. Or any striker for that matter.

Secondly, pace is simply the best way to get goals in this day and age. Let a defence get organised and it's very difficult to score. Just look at Spain in this tournament.

To play through packed defences you need some exceptional players. Fortunately, we have Riyad for that.

We're going to need a really gifted and special footballer if we're going down a different route. Otherwise, we could have a big man option and we've git ulloa at the moment.

Basically, I don't really see what there is to worry about.

[Arriba Los Zorros]

Firstly, vardy didn't struggle at the euros because he is one dimensional. The way England played gave him no chance of scoring a number of goals. Or any striker for that matter.

Secondly, pace is simply the best way to get goals in this day and age. Let a defence get organised and it's very difficult to score. Just look at Spain in this tournament.

To play through packed defences you need some exceptional players. Fortunately, we have Riyad for that.

We're going to need a really gifted and special footballer if we're going down a different route. Otherwise, we could have a big man option and we've git ulloa at the moment.

Basically, I don't really see what there is to worry 

 

Good points, though to pick on a couple:

 

Secondly, pace is simply the best way to get goals in this day and age. Let a defence get organised and it's very difficult to score. Just look at Spain in this tournament. 

Not always possible especially when chasing a game. There's going to be times when other teams sit back and defend deep. We are assuming Riyad will pick the lock every game  -who's to stay he'll stay fit or will even be here?

 

 

We're going to need a really gifted and special footballer if we're going down a different route. Otherwise, we could have a big man option and we've git ulloa at the moment.

 I love Leo's heart and determination but he is not good enough as the 'big man'. We don't need a big man, but we need somebody who can hold the ball up and have others play off him when defences get deeper, to help us play higher up the pitch. Leo doesn't play well enough with the ball into feet and it's not Vardy / Musa's game. I don't think it is Shinji's either.

 

There is no 'problem' or 'worry' as such, but if we want to be challenging for the title or at least top 6, we need different ways of playing. I'm not saying let's play possession football, but we won't be able to defend and counter attack all the time now we're a name and lets face it a scalp. 

[Kitchandro]

Good points, though to pick on a couple:

 

Secondly, pace is simply the best way to get goals in this day and age. Let a defence get organised and it's very difficult to score. Just look at Spain in this tournament. 

Not always possible especially when chasing a game. There's going to be times when other teams sit back and defend deep. We are assuming Riyad will pick the lock every game  -who's to stay he'll stay fit or will even be here?

 

 

We're going to need a really gifted and special footballer if we're going down a different route. Otherwise, we could have a big man option and we've git ulloa at the moment.

 I love Leo's heart and determination but he is not good enough as the 'big man'. We don't need a big man, but we need somebody who can hold the ball up and have others play off him when defences get deeper, to help us play higher up the pitch. Leo doesn't play well enough with the ball into feet and it's not Vardy / Musa's game. I don't think it is Shinji's either.

 

There is no 'problem' or 'worry' as such, but if we want to be challenging for the title or at least top 6, we need different ways of playing. I'm not saying let's play possession football, but we won't be able to defend and counter attack all the time now we're a name and lets face it a scalp. 

 

Agree about Leo. Yes I would like an upgrade on him but if we're talking about the types of player in the squad, I wouldn't say we're massively leaning towards pacey players. Our defenders are all slow unless you count Schlupp, Drinkwater and Albrighton aren't blessed with pace, Riyad's game isn't based on pace either.

 

Vardy was our only pacey attacker last season and Kante relies on being fast, but other than that you've got Schlupp, Gray (who's technically very good as well) and Dyer (if he stays). I can't think of anyone else from last season who is pacey. De Laet is probably going to play little part.

 

So I don't think we're overloaded with pace, considering it's a key part of the way we play.

 

You're talking about a plan B, but if that's required; we're good at set pieces, we've got players who can cross and pass with accuracy and we've got the trickiest bloke in the league who is well capable of unlocking defences. If he leaves then it's a blow but at this point he's still here.

 

Teams sat back more at the end of last season and we still beat them (or at least created a hat full of chances that Shinji/Leo should have scored).

I can see where you're coming from but I'm not really sure there's an answer to it. If teams sit back it will be difficult to play through them regardless of who we've got in the team. I would agree we should look for a different type of striker as another option, but other than that, I don't think we're lacking a certain type of player in terms of when we're attacking. If you want another player as good as Mahrez then that's a very difficult thing to find.

 

What we really need up front is someone who can support Vardy in the goalscoring charts.

[Guest Col city fan]

Agree about Leo. Yes I would like an upgrade on him but if we're talking about the types of player in the squad, I wouldn't say we're massively leaning towards pacey players. Our defenders are all slow unless you count Schlupp, Drinkwater and Albrighton aren't blessed with pace, Riyad's game isn't based on pace either.

Vardy was our only pacey attacker last season and Kante relies on being fast, but other than that you've got Schlupp, Gray (who's technically very good as well) and Dyer (if he stays). I can't think of anyone else from last season who is pacey. De Laet is probably going to play little part.

So I don't think we're overloaded with pace, considering it's a key part of the way we play.

You're talking about a plan B, but if that's required; we're good at set pieces, we've got players who can cross and pass with accuracy and we've got the trickiest bloke in the league who is well capable of unlocking defences. If he leaves then it's a blow but at this point he's still here.

Teams sat back more at the end of last season and we still beat them (or at least created a hat full of chances that Shinji/Leo should have scored).

I can see where you're coming from but I'm not really sure there's an answer to it. If teams sit back it will be difficult to play through them regardless of who we've got in the team. I would agree we should look for a different type of striker as another option, but other than that, I don't think we're lacking a certain type of player in terms of when we're attacking. If you want another player as good as Mahrez then that's a very difficult thing to find.

What we really need up front is someone who can support Vardy in the goalscoring charts.

We've got him I believe..Musa

[biggs]

Love the things we worry about these days. What a difference a year makes.

[MrSpaM]

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.

 

As much as I don't like the bloke, a front two of Vardy and Van Persie would be ridiculous

[Nick]

I'm not sure Van Persie plays at number 10 - he'll also be 33 in a month and I'm unsure of his current pace.....

 

Anybody watch him at all last season or just reckon that as he's spent because he left Man U.

[Guest Col city fan]

I'm not sure Van Persie plays at number 10 - he'll also be 33 in a month and I'm unsure of his current pace.....

Anybody watch him at all last season or just reckon that as he's spent because he left Man U.

Yes...and he's spent. Nothing like the player of old.

[ScouseFox]

teams sit back, mahrez (the player of the year) has space around the box. we win. 

teams push up/close down, vardy (the other player of the year) gets in behind. 

if all else fails marky albrightz puts the ball on ulloa's head. 

 

 

amazes me that pundits and fans of ourselves and other clubs still think if you sit back we'll just stand there with the ball looking confused. mahrez goes past people and creates space that isn't there better than literally anyone ive ever seen play football. can't wait for teams to try and sit back like they did towards the end of last year when we won literally every game. 

[fuchsntf]

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!

I dont think they have quite understood the Leicester ethos out yet.

Plus, its starting all over again even city fans still dont believe.

I dont predict, and following then joining in, in the middle, the last 132yrs

I have no idea how our season will start or run.I am just an ignorant fan

who just dreams and believes, last season was the hight that crowned

a stubborness of not believing the obvious, or experts.

I just feel within those dreams, that our journey is collecting mileage, and is far from over.

The "pinnacle" who knows..??

SO , other teams have better managers, no !! they have to earn and prove it,

and just like Ranieri they must begin again.

Bog standard statements have been thrown out the window, so pannellists, forums, pundits, journalists

should be more pragmatic and hold back on the 'obvious'.

On transfer deals a few clubs look like they 'have done the business', and improved their stock.

My club Leicester city, Ranieri and coaching staff......are holders of the PL title, with a few new

enjoyable audacious, unknown journies in front of them, with new faces to help us through

our trials and tribulations. I this season, dont care about who, whats, hows, should ofs....

the title gave me this bonus of being able to just sit back and enjoy.....Why !!!

Ranieri wont rest on his laurels, and neither will the club, so I know for the 1st time, there wont

be a lack of trying, forethought, and belief nor character.

No matter how this season ends, this is a free ticket for that wonder ride, that now will take us

well over 45+ games, threatening past records, that will blow our minds.

Believe and fearless, are going to take us far past those incredible dreams of last season.

So little things like transfers, and team selection from new squad, mean nothing ,

we will have a season to be tested find and test their level..

no should ofs, no wrong selections, in Claudio I trust...

[Strokes]

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?

Once and it lead to England's penalty.

[Guest Col city fan]

I dont think they have quite understood the Leicester ethos out yet.

Plus, its starting all over again even city fans still dont believe.

I dont predict, and following then joining in, in the middle, the last 132yrs

I have no idea how our season will start or run.I am just an ignorant fan

who just dreams and believes, last season was the hight that crowned

a stubborness of not believing the obvious, or experts.

I just feel within those dreams, that our journey is collecting mileage, and is far from over.

The "pinnacle" who knows..??

SO , other teams have better managers, no !! they have to earn and prove it,

and just like Ranieri they must begin again.

Bog standard statements have been thrown out the window, so pannellists, forums, pundits, journalists

should be more pragmatic and hold back on the 'obvious'.

On transfer deals a few clubs look like they 'have done the business', and improved their stock.

My club Leicester city, Ranieri and coaching staff......are holders of the PL title, with a few new

enjoyable audacious, unknown journies in front of them, with new faces to help us through

our trials and tribulations. I this season, dont care about who, whats, hows, should ofs....

the title gave me this bonus of being able to just sit back and enjoy.....Why !!!

Ranieri wont rest on his laurels, and neither will the club, so I know for the 1st time, there wont

be a lack of trying, forethought, and belief nor character.

No matter how this season ends, this is a free ticket for that wonder ride, that now will take us

well over 45+ games, threatening past records, that will blow our minds.

Believe and fearless, are going to take us far past those incredible dreams of last season.

So little things like transfers, and team selection from new squad, mean nothing ,

we will have a season to be tested find and test their level..

no should ofs, no wrong selections, in Claudio I trust...

Have you considered taking up poetry my man?

[NotTheMarketLeader]

teams sit back, mahrez (the player of the year) has space around the box. we win.

teams push up/close down, vardy (the other player of the year) gets in behind.

if all else fails marky albrightz puts the ball on ulloa's head.

amazes me that pundits and fans of ourselves and other clubs still think if you sit back we'll just stand there with the ball looking confused. mahrez goes past people and creates space that isn't there better than literally anyone ive ever seen play football. can't wait for teams to try and sit back like they did towards the end of last year when we won literally every game.

Agreed.

From January onwards everyone one we played pretty much sat back and defended deep.

Result: we won the league by 10 pts.

Just because we've bought another quick player it does not mean we can't play another way, or won't make further buys to give us other options.

I'm damned sure we didn't want to buying a striker with no pace that's for sure.

[fuchsntf]

Have you considered taking up poetry my man?

yup, then someone suggested I should write posts on foxesforum..

[Clever Fox]

The difference with the comparing us to the Euros is the Euros is cup football where teams are trying not to make any mistakes. In the league things will be more like last season with home teams having to have a go at winning. Thereby leaving space behind for our quick attacks.

It's one thing knowing how we will play, it's another trying to stop us which everyone found difficult last season.

[Bluetintedspecs]

Love the things we worry about these days. What a difference a year makes.

Indeed

[Oxfordfox83]

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.

We have Gray, who will keep getting better as long as he gets games, and when Schlupp started featuring last season it pulled defences to our left, giving Mahrez more space to operate.

We have loads of weapons in our armoury, all we need to do is make sure we use the right ones for our opponent at the time, and respond well during games. I can't think of anyone better for the task than Claudio!

[Babylon]

We have Gray, who will keep getting better as long as he gets games, and when Schlupp started featuring last season it pulled defences to our left, giving Mahrez more space to operate.

We have loads of weapons in our armoury, all we need to do is make sure we use the right ones for our opponent at the time, and respond well during games. I can't think of anyone better for the task than Claudio!

Gray and Sclupp, so far I've only seen either of them create anything when they had space to run into. Schlupp definitely doesn't have the sort of close control, ability to work in tight space and create that we'd need. Time will tell with Gray.

 

It's very easy to say we need another Mahrez (doesn't everyone), but just someone else who can unlock a defence in those very defensive games would be good. It might be that Ranieri can now work on that side of our game, so that the players we have become a bit more adept at keeping ball and working it around. We've got the counter attacking down now, the team know the defensive unit works... so we can focus on something else a bit more.

[TJB-fox]

I wouldn't worry, pace always creates problems no matter how deep the opposition is playing.

[Leeds Fox]

No matter how deep a defence sits, when you have Mahrez and Vardy, there is always space in behind. Give Riyad 90 mins on the edge of you're 18 yard box and he'll get a few passes in behind, or just knock it top bins! We saw it last season, why can't we see it again?

Edit: and on Jeff and Gray needing space to run into, in reality all they need is 10 yards between their fullback and the byline and they have the pace to get into it and either cross it or pull it back into the box, we've seen that happen so many times as well.

We've got a scarily quick attack, skill and technique where it's needed, hardworking wingers, a tenacious yet quality midfield and an absolutely hellish defence! Add to that our new signings and I really don't see much stopping us next season.

[Babylon]

No matter how deep a defence sits, when you have Mahrez and Vardy, there is always space in behind. Give Riyad 90 mins on the edge of you're 18 yard box and he'll get a few passes in behind, or just knock it top bins! We saw it last season, why can't we see it again?

Point is we can't rely on just him... we have loads of games to play this year, what if he gets injured?

[Nick]

As much as I don't like the bloke, a front two of Vardy and Van Persie would be ridiculous

 

 

Sounds good yeah, but we just won the Premier League losing only 3 games all season - doesn't that make what we have already insanely ridiculous?

[danny.]

Agree about Leo. Yes I would like an upgrade on him but if we're talking about the types of player in the squad, I wouldn't say we're massively leaning towards pacey players. Our defenders are all slow unless you count Schlupp, Drinkwater and Albrighton aren't blessed with pace, Riyad's game isn't based on pace either.

 

 

No idea who you were watching last season. Wes isn't slow, and neither is Marc 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/premier-leagues-10-fastest-players-6649841

 

"10. Wes Morgan, Leicester City - 34.76 km/h"

 

4. Marc Albrighton, Leicester City - 35.00 km/h

[Babylon]

No idea who you were watching last season. Wes isn't slow, and neither is Marc 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/premier-leagues-10-fastest-players-6649841

 

"10. Wes Morgan, Leicester City - 34.76 km/h"

 

4. Marc Albrighton, Leicester City - 35.00 km/h

Those stats are absolute cack, how people can believe that people like Wes and Was are some of the fastest in the league.

[danny.]

Ah thanks for clarifying Babylon, must have been hallucinating all the times I have seen Morgan and Albrighton sprinting at what appeared to be relatively very quick speeds, must have been confusing them all for Schlupp. You should tell EA Sports their stats are all wrong too so they can update them