A Question on Claudio's tactics?

[GingerrrFox]

Claudio has often said that our tactics play to the strengths of our players and we play "without" the ball because it suits the players we have and we don't have the players for a game based on possession. 

 

I've been thinking about this recently and is that really true? Looking at our squad, yes there are players such as Morgan, Huth and Albrighton who look like Bambi in the headlights carrying a bomb when they are in possession of the ball. On the flip side we also have players like Mahrez, Drinkwater, Gray and Fuchs who are all very gifted footballers with lots of possession. 

 

The tactics of the side are clearly to try and play the long ball over the top of the defence and try and win the 2nd ball off that. It's clearly not working to the level it was last year without Kante in the side who was a phenomenon at winning the ball back in advanced positions to launch counter attacks. 

 

Against the majority of sides in this league I feel like we have a squad that is capable of dominating games (bar the obvious Liverpool, Man City, Chelsea etc), rather than containing, being defensive and just trying to capitalise on our opponents mistakes; maybe it would be more prudent to try and take the game to other teams and show we can dominate? We've seen glimpses such as Burnley and Swansea this season, maybe a change in personnel at the back could help us with this? 

[Guest]

Fully agree.

[foxy boxing]

so our strength is to play without the ball? the fact is if you do not have the ball then you cannot do anything with it and teams that don't have the ball have two work so much harder than that of teams with the ball and Claudio needs to understand this and that is why most of our players are knackered after sixty five minutes. we played well last season without the ball but that was last season and things change quickly. we would be a lot more comfortable in games if we could keep hold of the ball more and be able to pass it around more and search for an opening rather than the hit and hope long ball all the time.

[sylofox]

I'm not going to read the op to find the question. Whatever the question is the answer is 442

[adejo92]

That my friend, is why we are sinking. Long balls in the prem is very tactically poor.

 

I think CR is lost at the minute and doesnt know his head from his arse.

[davieG]

Another difference is that we're  giving the ball away a lot more this season with sloppy and suicide passing. So many players are simply not playing to their best ability.

[Old Fox]

We have a team that was under prepared and had a massive big challenge in a new competition which has been the focus (rightly or wrongly) - we have not got going at all and even in the CL we have not been as dynamic as last season but have defended better hence the good results. The team are struggling with confidence, expectation and missing links in the team have left us not as competitive as previous. Tactically i think Claudio could and probably should be trying a new formation (especially with DD suspended) but the biggest thing for me is the players look devoid of energy and confidence...

[Captain...]

We played some lovely stuff with the ball against Bruges, the kind of passing and moving that would cause any defence problems.

 

More of that please.

[foxy boxing]

Just now, Captain... said:

We played some lovely stuff with the ball against Bruges, the kind of passing and moving that would cause any defence problems.

 

More of that please.

yes but that was against Brugge who are piss poor for a Champions league team it is a lot harder in the premier league with teams that will press us more 

[Guest Col city fan]

Ranieri's tactics away from home have been shocking really. I say that with sincerity. We've conceded tons of goals whilst not threatening enough t'other end.

I couldn't believe it when we again just stuck two in the middle against Watford. And lost to a poor side.

We've over relied on young Amartey and haven't supplemented him with a third midfielder.

Piss poor.

[ozleicester]

48 minutes ago, sylofox said:

I'm not going to read the op to find the question. Whatever the question is the answer is 442

it is always 42

[Bob Weasel Fox]

9 minutes ago, Col city fan said:

Ranieri's tactics away from home have been shocking really. I say that with sincerity. We've conceded tons of goals whilst not threatening enough t'other end.

I couldn't believe it when we again just stuck two in the middle against Watford. And lost to a poor side.

We've over relied on young Amartey and haven't supplemented him with a third midfielder.

Piss poor.

I can't quite understand it Col especially when last season Ranieri was an absolute legend. Not sure why things have changed as much as they have (it's not just Kante)

[AmarteyAndChill]

I'd like to see us play 4-5-1 or 4-3-3 with nampalys Mendy playing the makelele role and Drinkwater and one other (Ndidi or Silva) getting close to Slimani as he brings the midfield into play. Hopefully this will make us more solid at the back and with the extra man in midfield we can keep the ball better.

[ZeGuy]

This kind of play is built from the defence (or the GK following Guardiola's theory) and is based on a strong midfield. You can't play like this without CB's who aren't afraid of the ball, a decent holding midfielder and not when the only the playmaker exiled on a wing and shackled by defensive duties.

[leicesterlad1989]

My issue with this season is that we don't seem to have an 'identity,' whereas last season we did.

 

Are we a pressing team? Do we press from the top and throughout the team? Do we sit deep, soak up the play and hit teams on the counter? Are we going to simply keep possession?

 

So far this season there are half arsed attempts at all of the above and it simply isn't working. Yes we missed Kante. Any team that had a player of his ability is bound to but that doesn't mean that we cannot play to the strengths of the players we currently have.

 

So far this season, Vardy (when he can be arsed or when he's told to) and Okazaki will press and then there's a huge gap left behind them where someone from the midfield should be pressing and covering. Obviously this would have been covered by Kante last season.

 

Sitting deep doesn't work when you are being overrun in midfield. It is shocking that we continue to play with two men in centre mid away from home.

 

Possession football will only work if you move the ball about quickly and if players move. Too many times this season players have been static and Huth and Morgan have literally been hoofing the ball out in hope of the second ball.

 

Lets face it, if you are our opposition at this moment in time; you would sit deep, put an extra man on Mahrez and swarm the midfield to stop Drinkwater playing the ball (when available).

 

I think now is the time to perhaps take a leaf out of Conte's book at Chelsea and re-think our tactics and formation. we have more than enough quality to try a 3-5-2 or a 3-4-3. 

[fuchsntf]

1 hour ago, leicesterlad1989 said:

My issue with this season is that we don't seem to have an 'identity,' whereas last season we did.

 

Are we a pressing team? Do we press from the top and throughout the team? Do we sit deep, soak up the play and hit teams on the counter? Are we going to simply keep possession?

 

So far this season there are half arsed attempts at all of the above and it simply isn't working. Yes we missed Kante. Any team that had a player of his ability is bound to but that doesn't mean that we cannot play to the strengths of the players we currently have.

 

So far this season, Vardy (when he can be arsed or when he's told to) and Okazaki will press and then there's a huge gap left behind them where someone from the midfield should be pressing and covering. Obviously this would have been covered by Kante last season.

 

Sitting deep doesn't work when you are being overrun in midfield. It is shocking that we continue to play with two men in centre mid away from home.

 

Possession football will only work if you move the ball about quickly and if players move. Too many times this season players have been static and Huth and Morgan have literally been hoofing the ball out in hope of the second ball.

 

Lets face it, if you are our opposition at this moment in time; you would sit deep, put an extra man on Mahrez and swarm the midfield to stop Drinkwater playing the ball (when available).

 

I think now is the time to perhaps take a leaf out of Conte's book at Chelsea and re-think our tactics and formation. we have more than enough quality to try a 3-5-2 or a 3-4-3. 

I cant argue with this..

 

[Motty]

3 -4-1-2

         simo-wes-fuchs

allbrighton-drinky-amartey-sclupp

                 mahrez

     Vards              Slim

[China Black]

My view is that CR should have made plans in evolving the team's style of play from the moment the title was won. Having a proper recruitment strategy, which ensured only top quality players for all parts of the team were bought, would have helped. The club failed to take advantage of the unique situation it found itself in during the summer.

[StriderHiryu]

As Leicesterlad pointed out, this season we don't have an identity or solid plan. Last year every man knew their job and we got huge mileage out of sitting deep with a fast counter attack. 

 

This year we lost our ball winner so can't get the ball to start the break. In fact when is the last time we made a trademark lethal counter attack goal? We brought Slimani who is great but still play the same style and don't play to his strengths with lots of crosses and wing play. 

 

Overall we just don't have a solid plan which is why the team often looks clueless this year! On top of that teams know how we play and are happy to take a point so there is no space in behind!

 

I feel it's all solvable but would like to see Ranieri mix it up. Right now we are stubbornly playing a system that doesn't work! This season is now looking like a transition one so let's get our game plan together. Also with Ndidi seemingly a done deal it seems like our plan from last year will be better than it has so far. But we need another way to play too!