Were the cracks starting to form last season?

[Babylon]

19 hours ago, Donut said:

The cracks were showing because we went on a long run of winning games 1-0 that wrapped up the title.

 

I think im done with this forum and the horseshit posts that sully ever thread.

Because it's that black and white. How about you look at the run of play in every game and how we actually performed, rather than just the result.

 

That run of games starting with Norwich at home it was obvious people had changed their style of play to combat us. They were happy to let us have the ball and sit deep, despite winning the games it was clear we weren't creating as many chances and the games were far from comfortable. You could look at every game and the oppo also missed some sitters or some excellent chances. Like the champions league this year, we might have got the points but we weren't playing particularly well and we were relying on a lot of shit play by the oppo.

 

The way teams are playing us has carried on to this season and we're seeing similar struggles in performance, which has now translated across to results. The oppo are taking the few chances they create and we're not scoring the few we are.

 

It was a predictable struggle, and one that was predicted on here by quite a few people I think. That's why a lot of people championed more creative players, creative no. 10's, players with better technique.

 

I wish I could dig out the Ben Arfa thread, and loads of the others from transfer talk. Because that's exactly where I and most of the others had talked about the need for a change of style, a better plan B, better technical players to crack the predictable nut that was coming this season. As it is all we went for was a load of like for like players out wide and up top that offered nothing massively different.

 

 

[NotTheMarketLeader]

3 hours ago, brucey said:

Nope. Was more trying to demonstrate Walsh's importance in his judgement about potential recruits being better than Ranieri's (as we would expect). I'm indifferent re Pearson. Last season would never have happened without Ranieri but I think he (like Pearson) is significantly worse without Walsh. Particularly as Walsh also had significant input as assistant manager in game strategy.

That's fair comment if that was the case then. 

[NotTheMarketLeader]

23 minutes ago, Babylon said:

Because it's that black and white. How about you look at the run of play in every game and how we actually performed, rather than just the result.

 

That run of games starting with Norwich at home it was obvious people had changed their style of play to combat us. They were happy to let us have the ball and sit deep, despite winning the games it was clear we weren't creating as many chances and the games were far from comfortable. You could look at every game and the oppo also missed some sitters or some excellent chances. Like the champions league this year, we might have got the points but we weren't playing particularly well and we were relying on a lot of shit play by the oppo.

 

The way teams are playing us has carried on to this season and we're seeing similar struggles in performance, which has now translated across to results. The oppo are taking the few chances they create and we're not scoring the few we are.

 

It was a predictable struggle, and one that was predicted on here by quite a few people I think. That's why a lot of people championed more creative players, creative no. 10's, players with better technique.

 

I wish I could dig out the Ben Arfa thread, and loads of the others from transfer talk. Because that's exactly where I and most of the others had talked about the need for a change of style, a better plan B, better technical players to crack the predictable nut that was coming this season. As it is all we went for was a load of like for like players out wide and up top that offered nothing massively different.

 

 

This

[sylofox]

18 minutes ago, Babylon said:

Because it's that black and white. How about you look at the run of play in every game and how we actually performed, rather than just the result.

 

That run of games starting with Norwich at home it was obvious people had changed their style of play to combat us. They were happy to let us have the ball and sit deep, despite winning the games it was clear we weren't creating as many chances and the games were far from comfortable. You could look at every game and the oppo also missed some sitters or some excellent chances. Like the champions league this year, we might have got the points but we weren't playing particularly well and we were relying on a lot of shit play by the oppo.

 

The way teams are playing us has carried on to this season and we're seeing similar struggles in performance, which has now translated across to results. The oppo are taking the few chances they create and we're not scoring the few we are.

 

It was a predictable struggle, and one that was predicted on here by quite a few people I think. That's why a lot of people championed more creative players, creative no. 10's, players with better technique.

 

I wish I could dig out the Ben Arfa thread, and loads of the others from transfer talk. Because that's exactly where I and most of the others had talked about the need for a change of style, a better plan B, better technical players to crack the predictable nut that was coming this season. As it is all we went for was a load of like for like players out wide and up top that offered nothing massively different.

 

 

Some of us understood how hard this season would be for us.

 

And let's be honest better sides than us have struggled as defending champions.

Just as sunset and sunrise happen every day we knew this reaction would come too.

 

Nice to also see the bad penny has returned

[Babylon]

11 minutes ago, sylofox said:

Some of us understood how hard this season would be for us.

 

And let's be honest better sides than us have struggled as defending champions.

Just as sunset and sunrise happen every day we knew this reaction would come too.

 

Nice to also see the bad penny has returned

Just passing through whilst bored at work, I'll vanish down the back of the sofa again soon enough.

[HighPeakFox]

No.

 

a) Kante went

b) exhaustion/lack of fitness

c) psychological shock

 

There will be general loss of form too, but I reckon c) is the greatest factor of all.......

[Struwwelpeter60]

3 hours ago, brockmyster said:

I think you are vastly underestimating how crucial kante was to our playing style last year. He didn't really start games at centre mid properly until about 6/7 games, takes a while to settle into a side and build a chemistry up and then once he had after roughly about those 12 games we were a much more solid time as they had all worked out how to play as a unit, something we lack this season.

 

Kante allowed drinkwater and mahrez much more freedom to concentrate on driving us forward and doing it quickly, kante could pick the ball up anywhere on the pitch and offload it to someone more capable to passing, or even drive it forward, all this happening in just a few seconds leaving teams completely caught out. The opposite happening this season with it taking 10 seconds for some players to even pick a pass, without space automatically created players like Vardy just look like rabbits in headlights as he doesnt know how to create it himself. The goals at watford would not have been conceded if Kante was playing that is for certain.

 

Without him we need to find a way to solidify our midfield and protect our aging centre backs, he was that crucial to the title win.

 

1 hour ago, Churchill said:

Completely hit the nail on the head, we have lost that drive in the middle that can take 2 or 3 players out of a game. Check our goals last season and see how many times Kante was heavily involved.

You may be surprised, but I agree almost completely with you both.

Kante was vital for our game. But in contrast to many others, I think, that he was much more important for our offence, than for our

defence (the numbers don't lie). Why?

Because he was able to switch from defence to offence in a split second. After winning the ball, he often played immediately those

accurate 10-15 yards passes into the channels, that enabled Vardy and Mahrez to score. Without a player like him our

counter-attacking game doesn't work anymore.

I think Ranieri was well aware of that problem and therefore signed Mendy, when he realized, that Kante would leave.

To lose Mendy too (his injury may even be career-ending) was the worst case scenario. Just bad, bad luck.

Let us hope, that Slimani's slight groin problem is exactly that and not a case of Gilmore's Groin.

Otherwise...

[Donut]

4 hours ago, Babylon said:

Because it's that black and white. How about you look at the run of play in every game and how we actually performed, rather than just the result.

 

That run of games starting with Norwich at home it was obvious people had changed their style of play to combat us. They were happy to let us have the ball and sit deep, despite winning the games it was clear we weren't creating as many chances and the games were far from comfortable. You could look at every game and the oppo also missed some sitters or some excellent chances. Like the champions league this year, we might have got the points but we weren't playing particularly well and we were relying on a lot of shit play by the oppo.

 

The way teams are playing us has carried on to this season and we're seeing similar struggles in performance, which has now translated across to results. The oppo are taking the few chances they create and we're not scoring the few we are.

 

It was a predictable struggle, and one that was predicted on here by quite a few people I think. That's why a lot of people championed more creative players, creative no. 10's, players with better technique.

 

I wish I could dig out the Ben Arfa thread, and loads of the others from transfer talk. Because that's exactly where I and most of the others had talked about the need for a change of style, a better plan B, better technical players to crack the predictable nut that was coming this season. As it is all we went for was a load of like for like players out wide and up top that offered nothing massively different.

 

 

It really is black and white. There were no cracks last season, we were awesome. Because digging out a 1-0 win in the circumstances is every bit as good, if not better, than flat tracking a team 3-0.

 

These were players playing in a situation that would have been totally alien to them, with teams way bigger than ours breathing down their necks, and playing with the pressure of having to keep our form going. Of course the games were uncomfortable when youre on the last lap with everything on the line for us and the opponents its not going to be a breeze is it.

 

Mentally they were resilient, and found a way to do what good teams do, and thats grind out results. A hallmark of so many Alex Ferguson teams.

 

We were still the better team in a lot of the games. Watford away 2nd half we were the better team. We were the better team vs Southampton over the 90. We were obviously better in the games vs Swansea and Everton and what did you expect that we would go away to teams like Sunderland who were fighting for their life and batter them? We were gutsy and we got the job done under tough circumstances.

 

What really is this bollocks about "teams working us out" or teams working other teams out in general. I could go down the vast majority of teams in the league and tell you pretty much what theyre going to try and do on a matchday. Its no secret is it. Theres no "working out", theres no lightbulb moment that comes on at 2:15 pm on a wet thursday February afternoon where a manager declares he has found the formula to beat Leicester, he has what he has available to him, theres a few strengths he plays on, a few weaknesses he tries to exploit.

 

Weve lost our most influential player, we have a big signing injured, we have a loss of confidence and players in bad form. We have bought badly i wont deny that, but thats the reasons for the dip in form and im confident we will turn it around.

 

To say there were cracks in the best season Leicester will ever have is really silly.

[fuchsntf]

5 hours ago, Babylon said:

Just passing through whilst bored at work, I'll vanish down the back of the sofa again soon enough.

Looking for your holiday money...Sofas are the best Bank...

[Wymsey]

80% due to missing Kante presence in midfield.

20% due to what ever else, can't really pin-point to it.

[Babylon]

3 hours ago, Donut said:

It really is black and white. There were no cracks last season, we were awesome. Because digging out a 1-0 win in the circumstances is every bit as good, if not better, than flat tracking a team 3-0.

 

These were players playing in a situation that would have been totally alien to them, with teams way bigger than ours breathing down their necks, and playing with the pressure of having to keep our form going. Of course the games were uncomfortable when youre on the last lap with everything on the line for us and the opponents its not going to be a breeze is it.

 

Mentally they were resilient, and found a way to do what good teams do, and thats grind out results. A hallmark of so many Alex Ferguson teams.

 

We were still the better team in a lot of the games. Watford away 2nd half we were the better team. We were the better team vs Southampton over the 90. We were obviously better in the games vs Swansea and Everton and what did you expect that we would go away to teams like Sunderland who were fighting for their life and batter them? We were gutsy and we got the job done under tough circumstances.

 

What really is this bollocks about "teams working us out" or teams working other teams out in general. I could go down the vast majority of teams in the league and tell you pretty much what theyre going to try and do on a matchday. Its no secret is it. Theres no "working out", theres no lightbulb moment that comes on at 2:15 pm on a wet thursday February afternoon where a manager declares he has found the formula to beat Leicester, he has what he has available to him, theres a few strengths he plays on, a few weaknesses he tries to exploit.

 

Weve lost our most influential player, we have a big signing injured, we have a loss of confidence and players in bad form. We have bought badly i wont deny that, but thats the reasons for the dip in form and im confident we will turn it around.

 

To say there were cracks in the best season Leicester will ever have is really silly.

But people have changed how they play us and they do set up differently. So to rubbish teams working us out is ridiculous when the evidence is there in several forms. 

 

Cracks... let's rephrase it and say there were signs that this season would be far more difficult if teams carried on playing us that way... They have and it is. If the signs weren't there, then there wouldn't have been huge discussions about them all summer. If you chose to ignore them then that's up to you, but it was glaringly obvious to others.

 

It's not the only problem, but one of a number contributing to us being a bit shit. But the management should have see this one coming.

 

[carled]

8 hours ago, Babylon said:

But people have changed how they play us and they do set up differently. So to rubbish teams working us out is ridiculous when the evidence is there in several forms. 

 

Cracks... let's rephrase it and say there were signs that this season would be far more difficult if teams carried on playing us that way... They have and it is. If the signs weren't there, then there wouldn't have been huge discussions about them all summer. If you chose to ignore them then that's up to you, but it was glaringly obvious to others.

 

It's not the only problem, but one of a number contributing to us being a bit shit. But the management should have see this one coming.

 

A lot of those that post in here are delusional. Thinking we're amazing for winning what most in the football world realise is about the easiest champions league group we could have drawn is a bit like wildly celebrating a 2-0 fa cup win against some non-league outfit. The result is good, it's how we're doing it that is the problem. 

 

How people can fail to see our frailties is beyond me. We are 1 dimensional in our play, we rarely string together 3 meaningful passes and we are taking too long to transition our attacks. This habit our midfielders have of turning back robs us of what used to open doors for us last season:transition speed that caught opponents disorganised. The extra few seconds they now get makes the world of difference. This was starting to happen to us last season but we had Kante and two attacking players in peak form and, more importantly, oozing with confidence. They made the tiny difference we needed and we got away with it, scraping the 1-0 wins. 

 

We've lost the 'difference' player now and our attacking players don't have that confidence. We've lost our edge and are now being exposed for the distinctly average team we are. 

 

Ranieri has, thus far, shown zero evidence that he knows how to change this and that is worrying.