At least we now know why the defence is shit

[Bazly]

Well, Its all down to the new don't touch rules in the penalty area according to Simpson. That's why you don't jump at corners or compete with the guy running the ball. Glad that's sorted, though I'm not buying it. Letting in what is it - 25 goals in the last 10 game means the defence is shit., simple as

[Kitchandro]

If they can't defend without fouling they need replacing immediately.

 

You can still get touch tight without fouling, I think they're capable of that.

[goose2010]

Nice a cheery for a Monday Monday aren't you....

 

it does give the attacker a better advantage at corners and you will see more goals coming from set peices. It's no coincidence that the likes of us, stoke, West Brom are struggling defending them with our 'old fashion defenders' 

 

they will learn and get smart and find away to block people off 

[Simoken]

2 minutes ago, Bazly said:

Well, Its all down to the new don't touch rules in the penalty area according to Simpson. That's why you don't jump at corners or compete with the guy running the ball. Glad that's sorted, though I'm not buying it. Letting in what is it - 21 goals in the last 9 game means the defence is shit., simple as

I respect that you are defending our players but to blame the new rule for our epic **** up on Saturday really isn't at fault, considering the other teams didn't really have much trouble at set pieces from a corner? Back this up with solid stats at least.. Morgan was not positioned/marking correctly, he fell asleep.

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

Pitiful excuse really. 

 

Not even bothering to attack the ball or jump is just wank defending 

[Durnerz]

MOTD2 analysis touched on this point and in some ways its correct. Still the defending at the weekend wasn't even near touch-tight, you can defend without turning it into a wrestling match but we don't seem to want to challenge half the time.

[sylofox]

I fail to see how the prem can just change the rules for our team. Joking aside the problem is no competition in the back four. They are all looking at the CL games.

[st albans fox]

Easy excuse and for the goals we conceded on Saturday not really relevant. We were good at blocking off, not holding on.  we seemed to be mugged on each corner Saturday. The third goal was pathetic.

[Fox92]

They're just incapable and the third goal proved it. Just stood switched off while United took the corner quickly. It was embarrassing defending yet again.

 

Hugely disappointed we didn't invest in our defence during the summer. 

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

58 minutes ago, Simoken said:

I respect that you are defending our players but to blame the new rule for our epic **** up on Saturday really isn't at fault, considering the other teams didn't really have much trouble at set pieces from a corner? Back this up with solid stats at least.. Morgan was not positioned/marking correctly, he fell asleep.

Read the post again. He certainly is not defending the players!

[foxy boxing]

Huth and Morgan were masters at the dark arts of defending and now with the new rules these players are being found out, they are both old style defenders who do there job very well but now because of the rule change are being shackled and they and the team need to adapt to it

[cc_star]

They're not playing as unit, we're not seeing the fullbacks tucking in to make a solid back 4

 

Amartey is never in a million years a first 11 CM at our level - King, God bless him, isn't either - So we only have one CM in Drinkwater

 

And the all round game of Vardy has disappeared... Where's the player who'd never stop running and make things happen as a result?

 

Although the whole team has slowed down on this, we're well down the workrate tables this season... That team spirit that never let our heads drop has disappeared

 

If we haven't got that then we're left with a collection of players who won't be able to compete at top level and while we may beat Burnley & Bruges we'll get thrashed against quality players who play at a high intensity

 

We need to get back to defending with our lives... And then looking to use the skill of Mahrez or pace of Vardy when the chance arises.

 

Get back to a gritty 1-0 team capable of never knowing they're beat

[WigstonWanderer]

Don't know why everyone keeps talking about the "new rules", it was always a foul to use arms in any way except to keep balance. They are simply enforcing the rules that have existed since year dot.

 

I'm as pissed as anyone that it seems to be affecting us more than most most, but I've never liked all the holding and grappling that has crept into the modern game.

 

In any case, that has nothing to do with Amartey gazing into the crowd when one of the goals was scored - perhaps he was smiling for a photo, or eying up a bird, who knows.

[Phube]

It is Prem wide as per MOTD2 

 

Past 4 years always ~150 chances from corners up to game 6.

 

This year 177! Probably us and Stoke!

[lgfualol]

Replacement or two needed for Simpson, Huth or Morgan this January then

[davieG]

Every team that has been guilty of holding / grappling so I take this excuse with a pinch of salt as for Simpson he's always been poor for corner kicks.

[elvisfmcfly]

No excuse,just carry on as normal,we wouldn't have conceded 3 penalties and even if we did we had a chance of saving them.

[Mike Oxlong]

Simpson really shouldn't have said anything of this sort even if it's true. Sounds like  "now we're not allowed to cheat we can't defend"

[STUHILL]

I would prefer to give away the odd penalty rather than defend like we did against Man U and just allow free headers on every corner. It's a poor excuse really and they need to get back to holding and wrestling in the box and not giving the opposition so much space and ease to run on to balls. 

[Captain...]

Typical FT response to a basic fact.

 

The refs are cracking down on grappling in the box, Huth and Morgan were ones who walked the line and are having to adapt their game. Any sort of grappling and disruptive play from corners benefits the defence because it stops attackers getting a run on the ball. We are weaker defensively as unit. That is a fact, as is every other defensive unit in the league. It cost us against United, but we were very solid against Arsenal, Swansea and Burnley. We don't need to throw out the baby with the bath water, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs and Simpson haven't suddenly become shit. We just need to be better at defending corners. If Pogba is up against Fuchs he will win every aerial duel because Fuchs can't out jump or out muscle Pogba, and he can't hold him back or block him off.  We will come up against mismatches again and we can't lose our shit everytime we come up against bigger stronger players, that's life.

 

We can look at developing zonal marking. You don't need to be touching and grappling players for zonal marking. We also need to be more conservative when defending corners, instead of having Vardy and Mahrez looking to spring the attack keep them back and get someone on the posts. Get Slimani back in there too, he is decent in the air. Not for every game, but when we are facing United who have 4 giants in their side we have to adapt, against Swansea, Burnley, Arsenal we were fine.

 

The other thing we need to do is stop being shit at taking corners, look at what other teams have done to us, using blockers and runners to create the space, but all of that is irrelevant if we can't deliver a good ball and too often we put in a shit corner.

[SpinneyHillRanger]

basically after becoming champions we've tried to be something we're not. instead of playing with the same intensity and dogged determination as before... we now think we can play more football and play slowly through midfield. Also kante not protecting huth and morgan makes a difference too

[STUHILL]

1 minute ago, SpinneyHillRanger said:

basically after becoming champions we've tried to be something we're not. instead of playing with the same intensity and dogged determination as before... we now think we can play more football and play slowly through midfield. Also kante not protecting huth and morgan makes a difference too

Certainly looking that way at the moment. Kante is a big loss but doesn't excuse the lack of intensity we are seeing. I'm hoping Man U has been a kick up the backside and we will see Vardy and co. charging down "lost" causes once more. It is the only way we can be successful and come anywhere near our success of last year. 

[Blizzard]

Lets not over react to this result. Leicester hav'nt won at Old Trafford for 16 years ( I think that's right)

[Leicesterfan Cambiasso]

For me; now the refs are penalising more, attackers are going to get more chances, whatever you do. So whereas last season we didn't need men on the posts this season I think it would be better to. Having men on the posts will prevent at least half of the goals from the increasing corner chances. I reckon if you have just 1 man on the back post at Man Utd, we stop Smalling and Pogba's goal and can at least try and stop Rashford's. It will mean we have to have more men in the box and the chances of our counter attack is reduced, but it's a necessity otherwise we will be out of the game before we have a chance to counter. 

[Clever Fox]

33 minutes ago, SpinneyHillRanger said:

basically after becoming champions we've tried to be something we're not. instead of playing with the same intensity and dogged determination as before... we now think we can play more football and play slowly through midfield. Also kante not protecting huth and morgan makes a difference too

You're right we are trying to play more football and we need too to compete with the better teams. But that doesn't mean we have to drop the intensity.  The problem as I see it is we're not supporting each other quickly enough. When we do get the support we take too many passes and lose possession or miss hit the pass or cross. We have none other than Mahrez willing to beat someone to make space and create a chance.

Take a look at what Ibrah and Mata done to unlock us on Saturday.  Looks simple but you need the players with that level of ability to do it. Which is why who we sign in January is cructial.