If we switch back to 4-4-2

[Koke]

We played 4231 against West Ham and won. We played 433 against Boro and Everton and drew and won. I get what he was trying to do against Chelsea but it failed badly.

 

I hope we play 4231 moving forward. 

[HoustonFox]

10 hours ago, Col city fan said:

I think Kante leaving has had a HUGE impact on how we play. But this is well documented.

I also agree with @Babylon. Our problems run much deeper than just losing this one player. Much deeper.

We could revert to 442 but let's face it, we got annihilated in some games with that formation. 

I don't know where we go from here. We need some sort of spark, a bit of luck, a key signing, something. 

Yet another formation change, I fear, will be just papering over the cracks.

Did someone hack your account Col?  

 

I think, in Ndidi, we have the real deal in him being a destroyer.  Bigger midfield worry for me is what has happened to Drinkwater?  Last season he was the Regista we had dreamed about, the English Pirlo.  Now he is a hustle and bustler who can't string two passes together.  Maybe with Ndidi the Destroyer next to him, he can start playing like that again.  He needs to accept he is one of the 2 in a 4231 or can be a fulcrum in 442 and does the covering as well as passing.  I think he was the biggest gap in the midfield on yesterday, and him being woefully off form is a really big miss for us.

 

I like 4231 for us but think that Mahrez is better on the right.

 

We could try

 

Kasper

Simpson ---- New CB / (Amartey?) ----Huth ---Chilwell/Fuchs

Drinkwater ---Ndidi

Mahrez -----New CAM ---Gray

Vardy (that tries) / Slimani

[Guest LCFC_World]

4-4-2 will not work. 

Kasper

 

New RB

Huth

New CB 

Chillwell 

 

Gray

Ndidi

Drinkwater 

Vardy

 

Mahrez

 

Slimani

 

I know I've got Vardy out wide but he can be replaced with Albrighton and can rotate in the team. 

[Mike Oxlong]

I'm still at a loss to understand what the coaches are doing day in day out. 

 

Surely at this level the players should be drilled to be able to switch formation upon instruction.

 

For example, if different formation options were listed 1-6, each should know what their position is expected to do for any given choice so that even mid game if Claudio says we are going to option 3, each will know what is required of them. It was shocking the other week when mid match the teamhad no idea what they were meant to be doing with bits of paper flying back and forth between the players and the bench. 

 

The lack of coaching is in my opinion evident from our approach to set pieces. At throw ins we lack players making late runs into space. It's either a throw down the line in the hope that we win the header or a throw and pass back to the player taking the throw who more often than not is put under immediate pressure. Our short corners normally put us in a worse position than a ball straight into the box, sometimes ending up with the ball back at Schmeichel's feet and Mahrez apart there is virtually no threat from free kicks and we only look  comfortable on the ball when we play sideways or backwards.

 

Players shouldn't be finishing training early afternoon until we address some of the basics.

 

The biggest worry for me is that performances don't suggest an upturn in results. 

[foxes21]

10 hours ago, Koke said:

We played 4231 against West Ham and won. We played 433 against Boro and Everton and drew and won. I get what he was trying to do against Chelsea but it failed badly.

 

I hope we play 4231 moving forward. 

I'd say west ham was our best performance this season imo. More so than Man City, because lets face it pep played into our hands. But West Ham actually had a game plan and still couldn't cope with us in that first half.

[Ted Maul]

It has to be 4-2-3-1. We looked back to our best first half against West Ham, and for some reason it has been altered since- I guess that could be because Mahrez has been away and we don't have anyone else who can play that role in the centre of the 3 effectively. I'm hoping this is why we are trying to bring Ramirez in.

 

This 4-3-3 with Drinkwater drifting right and Mendy left has to go. 4-4-2 needed changing as it had plenty of faults this season, but needed to be replaced with something far more balanced than the 4-3-3, or 4-3-1-2 diamond, whatever that was. At least we would win the odd game in 4-4-2, we've looked like relegation certainties over the last couple of games.

 

The 4-2-3-1 had everything really- solid enough midfield (which would be stronger with Ndidi), width, players in areas to affect the game creatively, players between the opposition lines- it just looked like we had more dimensions to our play. That's the way we need to go- but I wouldn't be against trying 4-4-2 again on occasions now we've got some midfield options.

 

Saying that, it's all pretty redundant if the players can't be arsed.

[Guest MattP]

If we are going to play Slimani we need to play wingers, that's clear as day, whether it's a 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 probably should depend on who we play.

 

I'd pick a midfield two and stick to it (even when we play 3 we can't control possesion and have conceded 6 in two games so may as well not waste a space) I've seen nothing from Mendy yet that says he's any better than what we have got so it's Amartey or Ndidi, probably go with the latter for a few games to see if he can strike up a partnership with Drinkwater, I'm not not tossing Fuchs on the rubbish tip as Chilwell makes too many mistakes that often lead to goals, although another performance like Sunday and that change does happen. I think it's certain a new CB comes in.

 

We need workers as well, it's what our success is built on, Slimani isn't a worker, Gray isn't and Mahrez isn't, all three can't be on the pitch at the same time.

 

Schmeichel

 

Simpson

Morgan (or new CB)

Huth (or new CB)

Fuchs

 

Drinkwater

Ndidi

 

Albrighton

Mahrez

Okazaki

 

Slimani

 

Hopefully this will give Vardy the kick up the arse he needs as well, he comes on to make a two man front against weaker opposition or when we are chasing.

 

 

 

 

[Stevosevic]

4231 with a proper number 10 in the Okazaki role is the way forward.

 

One of Vardy and Slimani on the bench

[FoxinNotts]

Firstly, as others have said, priority has to be to motivate the players to up their efforts, across the board. Press from the front more, bring the play on to us, and hit them with fast counter attacking football. Simple off-loads and get it into Vardy (preferably not up in the air to him!)

 

By all means go back to 4-4-2 (which was actually a defined 4-4-1-1, until CR tried to accommodate Vardy and Slimani), but the effort has to be there, and a number 10 other than Okazaki, he always over preformed last season, and under performing massively this season!

[Jobyfox]

We need a new CAM or no. 10 to be more flexible with our formations. Without that I would, indeed, go back to 442 or 4411 and hope it's enough to pick up points. 

 

I'm a little more optimistic now we've got more options in midfield. Some of those early games were relying on King (not PL standard) or Amartey (slowly improving) as filling one or both of the central midfield positions. 

[Koke]

34 minutes ago, Stevosevic said:

4231 with a proper number 10 in the Okazaki role is the way forward.

 

One of Vardy and Slimani on the bench

 

Totally agree

 

                      Ndidi - Drinkwater

               Mahrez --  Gaston -- Gray

                                 Slimani

[Ric Flair]

Right now, I don't see a role for Vardy in our XI. Ok, it's not his fault the lack of service but what is his fault is he's limited as a footballer. If he isn't given throughballs to run on to then he's very average. Slimani's performance vs West Ham showed he's got the work ethic and strengths to lead the line but we have to make sure that he doesn't get frustrated. It's evident he is very strong attacking crosses and on the ground he's not much better than Ulloa. The thing is, I think it's easier for us to get crosses in for him to attack than it is for us to get through balls to Vardy as we no longer have the counter attacking fluency we had last season. That's down to a lack of confidence, form and the opposition sitting back on us.

 

Mahrez and Slimani is a partnership I'd work on, either as a front two or with Mahrez in a free role with Gray supporting Slimani. I've no immediate faith in Okazaki or Musa right now. Albrighton's crosses are an asset for Slimani but only on the right hand side, he either plays RM or RB.

[Bablemikey]

I just don't believe the shape is the magic bullet here. Without the drive, effort, and fight we had last term we will come off second best regardless of the formation we choose.

 

[desertfox2]

If we do revert to 442 and sign Ramirez then Drinkwater has to pull his socks up and rediscover his form otherwise I can see it being

 

                     Vardy Slim

                       Ramirez

Mahrez                           Albrighton/Gray

                         Ndidi

[AJSLCFC]

On 23/01/2017 at 19:15, foxes21 said:

Vardy/Slimani have to be rotating at CF for me, depending on opposition. Against top 6/possession/cl teams, Vardy plays. Against team wanting to sit deep or games when we have more of the ball, Slimani plays. Play to both these players strengths, they are match winners.

 

Desperately need a CAM though. If its Ramirez, i'd have Ramirez/King/Okazaki competing for the number 10 role.

Kinda agree with this king should be given the chance at the number 10 role he's an effective finisher with both his head and feet but also can drop deep and help the midfield if neccessary, i feel okazaki has an amazing work rate but when he has the ball doesn't really offer too much. But i also would love to see us set up in a simillar fashion to how we did against united(when we won 5-3) 2 years ago where vardy played in a wider role.

 

Personally preffer albrighton to mahrez and gray as i feel he tracks back alot more and is better defencively also don't think you can play mahrez and gray at the same time as they have very simillar styles of play. Also the need for a new right back has been a must since we joined the premier league, also if we are to sign a new centre back EPL experiance or atleast quality international experiance is kinda neccessary.

[Nod.E]

On 23/01/2017 at 13:24, Nod.E said:

Yep.

 

Looking at the fixture list it's going to get worse before it gets better.

 

By the time our fixture list settles we'll most likely be right in the mix for relegation. My hope is that this will give our players a necessary, and timely, kick up the proverbial.

 

We'll have a motivated bunch coming up against average sides, which should be enough to see us safe.

 

Great escape mark II? I do hope so. Hopefully we are able to rebuild from there and ride that momentum wave again.

I need to start betting on us. 

[KingKoala]

This thread shows just how clueless those football experts are on this forum.

Playing too much video game maybe.