Our defence

[MC Prussian]

Hernandez

Wasilewski

Benalouane

 

Why did we sign these players and/or handed them contract extensions if they're not playing (and aren't even loaned out to gain match practice)?

 

The whole squad-handling, not just with regards to our defense, looks somewhat dubious.

[Guest Lako42]

I'm watching a midfield that cannot tackle, we have the worst tackling stats in the league, by quite a distance.

 

For every tackle we don't win or don't make they get through to our defenders, they are then getting dragged all over the ****ing shop as the midfield is nowhere having just been bypassed with ease.

 

Amartey marks space, he shepherds a player and they then pass or go past him.

 

The set piece situation is also a massive contributory factor and is something that needs addressing. I keep hearing our players can't defend them how they used to which to me suggests we have defenders who cannot perform their job properly and more than likely need replacing by someone who can.

 

 

This is a double edged sword, perhaps even more complex when you take into account we don't defend from the front anymore which means we are defending against less punts up field.

[Ric Flair]

The defence have their limitations but one thing they can do is defend balls in the box but there's so much space left from our anonymous midfield that they aren't mobile enough or machine-like enough to stop goals, it's not their fault. That being said I would like it freshening up, there's some confidence and age issues for me. There's no harm in Chilwell getting a gig, especially in a defensive 3.

[Babylon]

2 hours ago, Col city fan said:

I think you've always tried to play down the loss of Kante. 

Kante is a wonderful box to box midfielder. And was absolutely crucial to both how we played and our success last season.

I don't think I have at all. I've said that there is no way you're not going to miss your best player (and he was for me). What I haven't done is pin all our problems on his loss, which is what a lot of people seemed to be doing at the start of the season. I have noticed a shift in that thought process now though.

 

I said from day one that there was more issues at play than just the loss of Kante, and I still stick by that. From how other teams are playing us, to lack of hunger, a shift in how we are trying to play ourselves, lots of new players etc.

 

We've played good football and looked far better than we do currently without Kante even being at the club. We were putting in better and more committed performances with the likes of GTF, Nugent, Konchesky, Moore, Hammond that we currently are. Where they let us down was they didn't have the ability, I don't think this squad has that excuse at all.

[Ric Flair]

12 minutes ago, Babylon said:

I don't think I have at all. I've said that there is no way you're not going to miss your best player (and he was for me). What I haven't done is pin all our problems on his loss, which is what a lot of people seemed to be doing at the start of the season. I have noticed a shift in that thought process now though.

 

I said from day one that there was more issues at play than just the loss of Kante, and I still stick by that. From how other teams are playing us, to lack of hunger, a shift in how we are trying to play ourselves, lots of new players etc.

 

We've played good football and looked far better than we do currently without Kante even being at the club. We were putting in better and more committed performances with the likes of GTF, Nugent, Konchesky, Moore, Hammond that we currently are. Where they let us down was they didn't have the ability, I don't think this squad has that excuse at all.

It's not so much the loss of Kante as a single entity it's the fact Ranieri didn't take it seriously enough just how important he is to playing 4-4-2 given the rest of our squad of players. We could have coped a lot better if we'd formulated a plan, but there is no plan. Ranieri has stuck with the same tactics and used inferior players to Kante which has left us bereft of confidence and now there are so many other problems it's hard to know where to start. I'm not even sure a change in systems would make any difference as I fear the losing mentality is set in now and it's so difficult to shake it. You can see that by the way we still managed to play against Swansea, Burnley and Palace but a run of horrid games and now when we play the likes of West Brom and Middlesbrough we have nothing. It's very worrying.

[Babylon]

2 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

It's not so much the loss of Kante as a single entity it's the fact Ranieri didn't take it seriously enough just how important he is to playing 4-4-2 given the rest of our squad of players. We could have coped a lot better if we'd formulated a plan, but there is no plan.

Absolutely, we'd also be better if he'd seen what was coming (it was so obvious) with regards how other teams are playing us and our struggles up front. The writing was on the wall from the Norwich home game. We needed to formulate another plan of attack, I was expecting us to come back with something different. But all we've done is try and play exactly the same and it's too easy to play against with a deep defence.

 

The players and the manager were all too busy patting themselves on the back in the summer and failed to see it coming.

[Ric Flair]

1 minute ago, Babylon said:

Absolutely, we'd also be better if he'd seen what was coming (it was so obvious) with regards how other teams are playing us and our struggles up front. The writing was on the wall from the Norwich home game. We needed to formulate another plan of attack, I was expecting us to come back with something different. But all we've done is try and play exactly the same and it's too easy to play against with a deep defence.

 

The players and the manager were all too busy patting themselves on the back in the summer and failed to see it coming.

Yeah, I've had a few debates with fans of other clubs recently about teams sussing us out this season but it wasn't suddenly this season that teams have wised up to us. It happened from Christmas onwards and took us a few games to gather ourselves and keep cracking at it, that's why we got all those 1-0 wins through blood and thunder and holding on to a lead. But the writing was on the wall, we weren't simply going to be allowed to smack teams on the break and there's so little creativity in a 4-4-2 especially with our squad of players and inverted wingers, plus a very old fashioned and old defence and a inferior central midfield to the previous season. That doesn't even begin to consider Mahrez being doubled up on and Vardy's struggles, it just really grates that there's been no plan for this. It grates even more that Ranieri hasn't then swallowed his pride after a ten or so games and regrouped and made a plan THIS season, he's just ignorantly carrying on as before which I don't think will work. When does that sort of thing ever work? I think we're now on the verge of a very bad season or two. I may be being very negative and dramatic but where is there any sign of change from our management? We know our owners won't make drastic decisions so he'll be allowed to continue but it'll be too late by the time he eventually makes the change.

[sylofox]

41 minutes ago, Babylon said:

I don't think I have at all. I've said that there is no way you're not going to miss your best player (and he was for me). What I haven't done is pin all our problems on his loss, which is what a lot of people seemed to be doing at the start of the season. I have noticed a shift in that thought process now though.

 

I said from day one that there was more issues at play than just the loss of Kante, and I still stick by that. From how other teams are playing us, to lack of hunger, a shift in how we are trying to play ourselves, lots of new players etc.

 

We've played good football and looked far better than we do currently without Kante even being at the club. We were putting in better and more committed performances with the likes of GTF, Nugent, Konchesky, Moore, Hammond that we currently are. Where they let us down was they didn't have the ability, I don't think this squad has that excuse at all.

I agree in total.

 

Every game after spuds away in the great escape was streets ahead of this season. Even in that losing streak we were harder to beat than we are now.

 

Am I right saying we never lost by more than 2 goals that season. And fans said we were shite then.

 

A bad performance you can except but the total lack of fight is un acceptable. If we don't show some fight soon we are gone.

[Babylon]

5 minutes ago, sylofox said:

I agree in total.

 

Every game after spuds away in the great escape was streets ahead of this season. Even in that losing streak we were harder to beat than we are now.

 

Am I right saying we never lost by more than 2 goals that season. And fans said we were shite then.

 

A bad performance you can except but the total lack of fight is un acceptable. If we don't show some fight soon we are gone.

Correct, shows how bad we've been this season getting mullered a number of times.

[sylofox]

3 minutes ago, Babylon said:

Correct, shows how bad we've been this season getting mullered a number of times.

Getting done by a team with 12 pro's fvcking hurts to.

[Buce]

We have a defence?

[foxy boxing]

the defence has played non stop for years and it is catching up with them, the likes of Morgan and Huth great defenders that they are cannot play week in, week out anymore. they are not getting any younger and are becoming less mobile and are becoming more and more exposed. we also have no backup for them which is criminal. when push comes to shove Morgan and Huth both revert back to defending by being all over the opposition player and it will cost us.we needed to bring in younger more mobile defenders that could have learned off Morgan and Huth for a season before taking over.

[norwichfox]

5 hours ago, shen said:

Yes, it can actually get worse. Obviously we've previously seen Kisnorbo switch to a central defensive role with great success after having looked like a fish out of water in midfield, but I'd rather stick Hernandez in there. I believe sorting out the midfield problem will by proxy ameliorate the defense problem too. Just like when were shipping goals in our first season back and changed formation, it all changed. Or last season when we were pressing so high and shipping goals to dropping deep and looking rock solid.

Came upon a word I don't recall hearing before and had to look it up.....

"ameliorate"

əˈmiːlɪəreɪt/

verb

formal

verb: ameliorate; 3rd person present: ameliorates; past tense: ameliorated; past participle: ameliorated; gerund or present participle: ameliorating

1. make (something bad or unsatisfactory) better.

   "the reform did much to ameliorate living standards"

    

   It's a lovely word, but I don't think it will have the effect on our defence there's no turning the clock back, either with the revised rules for tackling by the defence or with their age. I'm afraid Morgan and Huth just don't cut the mustard in the current climate anymore. Simpson is just about passable, but still needs help, particularly self help on concentrating for 94 minutes of game time.

[Guest Mickyblueeyes]

5 hours ago, MC Prussian said:

Hernandez

Wasilewski

Benalouane

 

Why did we sign these players and/or handed them contract extensions if they're not playing (and aren't even loaned out to gain match practice)?

 

The whole squad-handling, not just with regards to our defense, looks somewhat dubious.

I couldnt agree more with this. Whoever is responsible or whichever collective is responsible needs to answer some questions. We've had a seriously decent budget since the Thais took over and while not the same sums as a Man City, our squad should not be as weak as it currently is. We have little or no midfield cover and defence is non existent. It seems that the summer was a learning curve for those in experience positions. Which in any industry is not acceptable.

[MC Prussian]

2 hours ago, Buce said:

We have a defence?

Yes. Usually evident in the club's post-match comments.

[shen]

1 hour ago, norwichfox said:

1. It's a lovely word, but I don't think it will have the effect on our defence there's no turning the clock back, either with the revised rules for tackling by the defence or with their age. I'm afraid Morgan and Huth just don't cut the mustard in the current climate anymore. Simpson is just about passable, but still needs help, particularly self help on concentrating for 94 minutes of game time.

The limitations of our defense means we have to allow them to stay deep and defend inside their own half and preferably in and around the box. Once they get trapped in that area between either box, you can almost see the blood coming out of their noses, as recently shown against Boro.

To do that, we need a midfield that protects them and closes down space effectively. If that means adding a third man in central midfield, as we no longer have Kanté, then so be it.

I'm not having that a team that became champions a few months ago by being rock solid at the back and potent going forward, is now useless. Morgan didn't "cut the mustard" in February 2015. Little over a year later he captained a side to the unlikeliest of titles and now he's back to not cutting mustard? Nah...

[Sammy]

The difference in Huth's performances is really concerning me. There have multiple occasions he has only gone in for the ball with under 50% intent and it has directly led to a goal. Morgan shone when playing next to the solidity of Huth last year and I just do not see that there anymore