Leicester City v Southampton - Post Match Thread 0 - 0

[Realist Guy In The Room]

Its a reasonable position that the manager has taken in letting the formation and players (in the main) from last season have every chance and opportunity to go again this season.  It's very early days to be looking for wholesale change but that is the job of the fans and not the management.

 

In his post match interviews after Liverpool, Utd and Southampton, you can tell he's on the cusp of change.

 

I think it's likely he'll continue with 4-4-2 until he can see whether or not it works with a Mendy/Drinkwater partnership, but if that doesnt click within a couple of games, I can see a change to a 4-3-3.  He played that second half against Utd and it worked quite well (Mourinho giving praise for the formation change which is rare indeed!).

 

We are not a top 4 side.  We're probably not even a top 6 side.  In truth, we're not a top 10 side.  The startling achievement last year should be seen for what it was.  A one off.  An anomaly.  A glitch in the matrix.  What we're seeing now is exactly what we are.  Bang average.

 

Our back 4 are ageing and with the new rules, have had their one advantage (physicality), pretty much removed.  To win games we cant concede goals but i'm afraid on the evidence so far this season, if the opposition have some top quality up front, we'll be ripped to shreds.

 

The Champions League is a one off adventure that we should enjoy but the sooner we get used to being a lower mid/lower half team the better.  

[jmono84]

The game was flat, the best players were flat and both sets of fans were flat... was an awful awful game!

 

i still fell disappointed about our summer recruitment because it defo feels our team chemistry isn't there like last season, the summer period was our chance to get some real quality in and look at progressing the way we play instead we have gone backwards! No wonder the fans were flat, our football at the minute is dead boring... I'm hoping Ranieri can use his experenicd and sort out how to make us look better and get better results!

[Dan]

7 hours ago, K1FOX said:

2nd 0-0 draw this season. Positive is we aren't conceding at home against good teams even when struggling to break them down.

Suppose you've got to praise our defensive record at home. Arsenal, Swansea, Burnley, Porto and Southampton played so far with only the one conceded. That's some going really.

 

1 hour ago, one F in Fox said:

I'd like to know which one of our shots was the 1 on target?

Was it Drinkwaters shot from outside the box or Vardys or Slimanis blocked shots

from Van Djiks backpass?

I thought we had two shots on target in that passage of play, but it's almost certainly come from that. It isn't good enough though.

[Dan]

I'm not having it that we're not a top ten side. You don't go and win the league by ten points under any circumstances if that's the case.

[RonnieTodger]

That was the most boring match I've watched since we lost at home to Rotherham on boxing day about 10 years ago. We are so predictable and looked genuinely clueless in large spells of possession. Sideways passes ending in an easily defendable hoof or shite passes going out for a throw in. Our only sniffs of goal came from defensive errors and attempted passes that were too short. 

 

Not sure why Vardy doesn't run around as much as he did, but Slimani covered a lot of ground today. Long wait for Chelsea and I'd be amazed to see us come away with something there. Please don't play 4-4-2.

[jaqo88]

1 hour ago, one F in Fox said:

I'd like to know which one of our shots was the 1 on target?

Was it Drinkwaters shot from outside the box or Vardys or Slimanis blocked shots

from Van Djiks backpass?

Maybe the one where the keeper had to make the save?

[cityfanlee23]

Since the start of the season none of them have looked bothered really, some good performances in the CL but even then they switched off far too many times, clearly complacency has moved in since may. 

 

Fuchs looks like he wants to be in New York,

Huth and Morgan give me Zero confidence without a babysitter at the moment, 

Amartey has potential and gives me a bit of hope but not sure if his positioning is good enough to warrant a starting place,

Drinkwater looks tired compared to last season, glad he's not with England. 

Albrighton is okay, does his job but still not really confident he has the raw ability to play for a top 6-8 team.

I love ulloa but he's just nowhere near good enough, 

Vardy is about 10 paces off last season, if he's been training shit, play Musa, not sure what him or kaputska have to do to get a run. 

 

I know it's early on and I sound like a Grinch, but we seriously need to be signing players in January.  

 

CM,

2x CB,

CAM,

ST and sell ulloa.

[The Doctor]

13 hours ago, daddylonglegs said:

Sorry if this has been mentioned - but Jamie Vardy has never ever lacked confidence.

 

It's one of two things. Firstly - Claudio (and the fitness team) have told him to manage his body better and run less to prolong his career (the more likely). OR, the conspiracy theorists idea - he is not particularly bothered about Southampton at home when he has a book coming out soon, accompinied by the fact he wants to stay fit to be in the England set up over the next few weeks and doesn't want to dive into challenges.

 

He was shite today, though. 

That's a load of bollocks. How close he came to quitting after his first season here, and the work done by Pearson to convince him to keep at it, is well known.

[martyn]

Vardy's performances are a big worry, and i hope it's simply down to feeling jaded.

 

It wasn't just a lack of workrate in terms of pressing and harrying the back 4, but the complete lack of desire to make any runs at all. A few times yesterday we won the ball after a Southampton attack broke down, the ball ended up with Drinkwater, and when he looked up, Vardy was simply trotting forwards/standing still. Last season he makes the run straight away. 

 

Albrighton's place has to be in jeopardy as well, he is extremely sluggish and lacking in confidence. Any time he receives the ball in a tightish space, he tries that no look 1 touch flick around the corner which invariably results in losing possession. When he's getting the ball in space, he is reluctant to drive forward with it and instead tries long balls which don't come off, or allows the space to condense, before passing it backwards or sideways. I know he is valued for his defensive contribution, but any time Tadic got the ball on the right yesterday, it ended up with him selling Albrighton a dummy, before sticking a dangerous ball into the middle.

 

It has been said but we're missing Okazaki's presence. There is far too much space between the midfield and the forwards, which means we're seeing none of that slick interplay between Mahrez, Drinkwater, Okazaki and Vardy which was a highlight of last year, rather, when Drinkwater picks the ball up, his only options are the ball over the top (which is a problem with Vardy strolling about), or a sideways/backwards pass. With the lack of ball playing ability amongst our back 4, it invariably results in a hoof by someone. Given how solid Southamptons 2 centre halves are in the air and (mostly) on the ground, this pattern of play was always going to be a problem yesterday.

[one F in Fox]

36 minutes ago, jaqo88 said:

Maybe the one where the keeper had to make the save?

Does the keeper have to make a save for it to count as a shot on target?

[foxy boxing]

it is really disapointing because last season we would have won games like these and we seem to be struggling at the start of this season. maybe the team are collectively tired at the moment with midweek champions league games and most have not had a summer rest.we need to get back to what we were doing so well last season and take some initiative in games. our two greats from last season vardy and mahrez are not performing to the standard we expect from them they are the leaders on the field for us and those the rest of the team look for inspiration and that bit of magic.the players we have brought in need to start showing why we wanted them in the first place and to put their character on a game.the league is our bread and butter and we can't afford to relax in it for the sake of champions league games

[MPH]

21 hours ago, ARM1968 said:

Enough from the apologists. We need to get a grip ASAP. Large amount of money spent and so far not amounting to much really. This for me was a must win. 

 

Our players are approaching this season like last season was a Fluke

 

 

 

You really thought we would win it again?

[foxaholic]

20 hours ago, Kendal Fox said:

Man... Southampton are a team never to be underestimated...But the fact is they were in Israel just 2 and a half days ago and we still couldn't do anything with them at home and were lucky to get a point.

After a shaky start to this season, I still heralded much optimism that we'd do ourselves proud and cement our statuts as a force to be reckoned with in the PL. But let's not kid ourselves - The 40 point target alone is going to take a lot of hard work to achieve. Anything else is a bonus.

I guess it just goes to show that the saying "If you can't beat em, join em" is a load of bullshit. Meaning that it wasn't money that won us the league. We seem to have forgotten that.

They made 7 changes so Israel is irrevelent

[FoxinNotts]

A lot of negativity, and I guess that's understandable.

 

Some positives:

- back-to-back clean sheets.

- good home record maintained.

- we still pick up point(s) when our star players have an off day.

- Slimani does a lot of running and harrying 

- chances are still being created. (Stats re 'on target' are questionable, as mentioned above).

- it's a cliché, but it is a game of fine margins. Last season, we would have snatched a win. Same as Hull away on the opening day.  Performance level aside, we should/could have been 5 points better off. The negativity would be gone.

 

I'm not pressing the panic button yet, but performances need to improve from the likes of the defence (especially on the road) and Vardy needs his focus/sharpness back.

[Realist Guy In The Room]

2 hours ago, Dan LCFC said:

I'm not having it that we're not a top ten side. You don't go and win the league by ten points under any circumstances if that's the case.

Last season we skipped about 5 stages of development and won the league.  Since West Ham at home in the great escape season we've ha da remarkable run where our fixtures have fallen against teams at the exact right time enabling our confidence to soar.

 

Pre season and Utd and Liverpool away have shown us what we are.  Cannon fodder for the top teams.  Then you're left with the rest of theh division where it really is a lottery whether we win or not.

 

Last season was a gift and our CL involvement this season really is wonderful but the sooner most of the fans get back to reality the better.

 

Man for man when you compare the squads in the Premier League, we'll sit around 12th.

 

Last season was an exception, not the rule.

[Matt]

I'm still wound up about it now.

 

I'm normally a results first, performance second, I've even been known to say **** the performance it's all about results.

 

Forget about any of our games so far this season this is the one I've been most pissed off about, even though we got a point.

 

It was not acceptable and I don't think I've over exaggerating when I say it's probably the most bored I've been at a football match since atleast when we were back in the Championship, a few years ago put it that way.

[Rialto 290352]

Also concerned at how poor the team is playing compared to last season.  Perhaps the sheer emotional and physical effort has left them jaded?  Too much football for some - especially those who are the wrong side of 30.  They are not going to achieve anything like they did last season and perhaps they lack motivation now?  After all many have only professional pride to drive them on this season.  Claudio urgently needs to assemble a side and play a formation which is competitive, solid defensively and carries a threat up front.  If players are not performing they ought not to be in the side.  There is no room to be sentimental.  

[SuperMike]

Musa and Schlupp need game time. If we are not gonna play Musa, why did we pay 16m for him? and if we're not gonna play Geoffrey - why didn't we take West Brom's 20m???  Pace Pace Pace!  Oh, and what of Kaputska? Good enough for Poland, but not Leicester?????

May have the desired effect on our star players.

 

[Guest Col city fan]

I wonder how much of this is about money? The psychological realisation that some of our players are now being paid as megastars.  The news that Vardy was staying to the tune of not far off 100k per week and Mahrez, Drinky, Albrighton all followed, was reviewed with a resounding round of applause by most people on this forum, I suspect. 

However, now that they have it...the money, the fame, the title etc how much is there left to play for?

This has been touched on in other threads But Vardy seems to be the biggest change this season. He's snatching at chances, he's not finding space and he's getting wound up more easily.

Albrighton has been pretty doggo (why is he still in the team?) And Mahrez ain't the same threat this season as last.

Just a thought. I reiterate...most people on this forum shouted a broad hurrah at the contract renewals. I wonder how much impact 'being made for life' has had?

[Wymsey]

Wish the club constructs a performance-related pay proposal.

[Peterorange]

Watched the game, the players were flat but I'm just amazed at the reaction of some fans on here. Mostly the same 13 players have just gone for a season and a bit without any dip in quality, playing at virtually 100%. Surely we can give them a break? They are only human, and playing at a different level of intensity to last season's one game a week. 

 

And they are now 'the team to beat'. Puel said 'Its always difficult against Leicester'. There's no complacency from opposition any more.

 

If anyone needs looking at its Ranieri. All very well saying it's all new for Leicester, and now he realises he should have rested players. But he is an experienced manager, he's been in the Champions League before. He should know how to play it.

[ozvaldo]

I'd drop Vardy & Albrighton for the next game and do this:

 

3-5-2

Kasper

Hernandez, Wes, Huth
Gray, Mendy, Drinky, Amartey, Fuchs,
Musa, Slimani

 

I think Musa needs to start a few games.
I love Shinji's pressing, but with another man in the midfield, I feel this should be sufficient cover for that role.
Plus, on the counter, we need pace.  And apart from his goal against Swansea, I can't remember an impactful sprint from Vardy this season.  Time for a change up.
As for Gray - he's much more of an exciting prospect than Albrighton who really just crosses it from literally any part of the pitch (and quite often without looking up). He's too hit & miss.  

God Bless.

[Peterorange]

Watched the game, the players were flat but I'm just amazed at the reaction of some fans on here. Mostly the same 13 players have just gone for a season and a bit without any dip in quality, playing at virtually 100%. Surely we can give them a break? They are only human, and playing at a different level of intensity to last season's one game a week. 

 

And they are now 'the team to beat'. Puel said 'Its always difficult against Leicester'. There's no complacency from opposition any more.

 

If anyone needs looking at its Ranieri. All very well saying it's all new for Leicester, and now he realises he should have rested players. But he is an experienced manager, he's been in the Champions League before. He should know how to play it

[Reg Vardy]

Two years ago we'd have lost this game....Southampton caned West Ham last week, haven't conceded in hours... We got a point off a team who were better than us on the day, pluses, Kasper, Amartey, DD, Simpson......and a clean sheet....not the disaster most people are making out on hear.....

[Gary Eatfood]

2 hours ago, Matt said:

I'm still wound up about it now.

 

I'm normally a results first, performance second, I've even been known to say **** the performance it's all about results.

 

Forget about any of our games so far this season this is the one I've been most pissed off about, even though we got a point.

 

It was not acceptable and I don't think I've over exaggerating when I say it's probably the most bored I've been at a football match since atleast when we were back in the Championship, a few years ago put it that way.

The last time I can remember being as bored as that down the City was the 0-0 with Hull in 14/15. That was the day I believed we'd go down so at least yesterday wasn't quite as bad as that.