Wrong tactics?

[Blizzard]

I read a lot about tactics on here, is it really as simple as Raneri tactically getting it wrong?

[foxfan92]

Last season we didn't change anything. Didn't need to. We found a system that worked for us and no one had an answer to it.

 

This season Kante leaving forced a rethink on the way we play, he was a big influence in the middle of the park, and teams have taken steps to neutralise Vardy and Mahrez. So that's our most influential attacking players unable to play the way they did last season and our midfield playing different roles each week.

 

We played an entire season last season happy to draw in the opposition and hit them quickly on the counter.

 

With the midfield less effective we've tried to get the ball quickly forward still but it seems to be more hoof it up the field and hope with players looking for that Hollywood pass with almost every touch it seems. All too often the opposition are getting the ball back and we're defending again.

 

It's almost no surprise Huth and Morgan are looking shakey this season. I think they're having to work twice as hard since we're always on the back foot due to us never having the ball and giving it away so cheaply and our midfield being less effective at breaking up the opposition attacks on route.

 

At times I quite like the look of Amartey, Mendy and particularly Ndidi but I think all 3 need time since the partnership with Drinkwater doesn't appear as natural as the one he formed with Kante. One of those 3 might have a good game but it seems rare that both our central midfield (when we do have a midfield 2) are both having good games. (The times both have seem to correspond to the times we win games).

 

While in terms of ability I don't think King is there I actually think he's always putting 100% in and this season his positioning has been better (I can't remember too many games he's gone anonymous this time around when he's played).

 

I sometimes wonder if he'd make a better number 10 since while I'm a huge Shinji fan, he - like many players - seem to now be playing with his shoulders dropped down. Unfortunately when things go badly - sometimes the harder you try to play (without confidence) the more you find you're making mistakes and beating yourself up more (or in Shinji's case losing the ball when you try to dribble through everyone and throwing yourself to the floor).

 

Lastly - last season we had no real injury worries and the same 11 players knew their roles backwards. We've accommodated new players - and we don't see the same team each week. Sometimes we're a midfield 3 sometimes a midfield 2 sometimes we're a diamond (let's hope not again). Players playing badly don't want to be playing different roles all the time. It's like going to work and being told each day to do the job in a different way. You're not going to be at 100% because it's not quite what you're used to.

 

In summary, I think changing the tactics as much as we have are an influence on the way we're playing right now, but other factors such as new players, injuries (Mendy out for so long etc.) and the opposition to taking steps to counter our threats from last season, and also the confidence of our players, are all contributing to our performances of late.

 

A Vardy playing with confidence wouldn't have missed the great opportunity he had last game with virtually an open goal. Vardy last season wouldn't be mistiming so many runs - but he's so desperate to score a goal to get some confidence back he's jumping the gun early, getting cross with himself, his shoulders are dropping more and more, and he's becoming fed up with himself, getting angry with teammates for service (because you do start blaming others when things go wrong) when he should be fighting for every lost cause like last season and scoring goals he has no right to score...

 

I think we need consistency. I think we need to drill players into their defensive duties to make us hard to break down like last season. And we need to plan routes to Vardy (or whoever is up front) using channels, quick one twos, up the field like last season, rather than defen hoof up field lose possession defend and repeat.

[Bossman Blessed It]

Although Vardy's not shown the intelligence he did last season, particularly with his running, it's really hard to blame him for looking completely useless when all we do is smash it long to him and hope that he wins a flick on (to whom, I am not entirely sure). It worked last year because we used to ping it over the top of the last couple of defenders on the counter, not while the entire back four are perfectly positioned and are well aware about what we would do. 

 

With all that being said, to answer your initial question I would argue that a lot of it sprouts from extremely low confidence. Tactics are obviously very important, but the best tactician in the world won't help when Wes has taken a heavy touch, has an opposition striker running towards him and can only think to wallop it as far as possible. 

 

I refuse to believe that as premier league footballers, some playing at international level, they don't have the ability to keep hold of the ball. All of it comes down to a lack of self-belief, resulting in sheer panic and mayhem. 

[Steven]

 

https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2017/feb/01/claudio-ranieri-leicester-city-system-failure

 

 

Claudio Ranieri’s persistence fails to recognise Leicester system failure

Paul Wilson

Jamie Vardy’s running off the ball, Riyad Mahrez’s dribbling and perhaps even the manager’s decision-making have been nowhere near good enough this season

 

 Claudio Ranieri and Danny Drinkwater at Turf Moor after Leicester’s late 1-0 defeat to Burnley. Photograph: Martin Rickett/PA

•  
•  
•  
•  

Another week another refereeing controversy, yet there was curiously little complaint from Leicester City over the legitimacy of the Sam Vokes goalthat denied them a point at Turf Moor.

“There might have been a handball but the referee said no and the referee is always right,” said a philosophical Claudio Ranieri. That is fine if you want to be completely civilised about this sort of thing and it would not be a bad idea if some of the more strident managers and coaches took a leaf out of Ranieri’s book of mannered restraint, though we all know, and television is there to prove it, the referee is not always right. Take a game with something really important riding on it, such as a World Cup qualifying play-off between France and the Republic of Ireland, and the referee not spotting an injustice the entire world has seen several times over simply will not do.

Sam Vokes pounces late as buoyant Burnley beat Leicester City

 

In these particular circumstances, when aggrieved players are surrounding the referee pointing to their hand or indicating a shirt has been tugged, it seems unnecessarily Luddite for the official to shrug and wave away their protests, when a quick peek at a replay monitor would solve the problem to everyone’s satisfaction. The time surely cannot be far off when some sort of appeal or decision referral system, maybe one or two per captain per game, would force a referee to take a second look before awarding a contentious goal.

But that is for the future. In the present, last season’s champions have been dragged into the relegation dogfight. Crystal Palace play Sunderland on Saturday, which means points for at least one of the sides below them in the table, and if Sam Allardyce can engineer a win against one of his old clubs mere goal difference is all that will be keeping Leicester out of the bottom three by the time they line up against Manchester United on Sunday. It is perhaps just as well Swansea are away to Manchester City on the same day, for any more evidence of a Swans revival would leave Leicester and Middlesbrough looking most vulnerable.

The question everyone would like answered is when is Leicester’s revival going to commence? Fair enough last season was a complete one-off, probably an unrepeatable party trick on the evidence of the utter absence of chemistry or understanding between Jamie Vardy and the rest of his team at Turf Moor on Tuesday, and no one expected Leicester to be scaling similar heights again.

Yet they still have a solid squad of players – only N’Golo Kanté has been lost – and it beggars belief that having extracted the maximum from his squad last season Ranieri is now presiding over a team running on empty. Forget the title defence for a moment, everyone said last season that Leicester’s success was based on the strength of team spirit forged under Nigel Pearson. That team are still there, even if the spirit seems to have gone walkabout.

Kasper Schmeichel is still an excellent goalkeeper, Wes Morgan still a doughty defender and captain, Riyad Mahrez still a potential matchwinner and so on. Imagine the fire sale should Leicester go down.

There would be no shortage of interest from clubs in the top half of the Premier League, because that is where many of Leicester’s players have shown they can thrive.

Yet the belief is not there any longer. The memorable 4-2 victory over Manchester City turned out not to be a turning point after all, it was just a glimpse of what worked last season allowed by opponents too complacent to realise Leicester still carried a threat. Last season Leicester earned 39 of their total of 81 points on the road.

They won 11 away games and drew six. That is phenomenal – no wonder they were champions – though the contrast with this season’s haul of three points from three away draws is stark. That is relegation form, unless you can turn your home ground into a fortress, and with five home wins from 11 games Leicester have not been doing that either.

Terrible title defences: from Manchester City in 1938 to Leeds in 1993

 

 

 

Burnley, with seven home wins on the trot in all competitions, are the relegation-tipped team making the most of home advantage this season, and Sean Dyche had a point when he claimed that though the winning goal against Leicester was lucky, his side deserved it for constantly creating chances and “knocking on the door”. In all probability that may have been part of the reason Ranieri had so little to say about Vokes’s handball. Leicester were only deprived of a point, and by that stage of the game they were lucky to still be level. Ranieri is not the type of manager to go off on a rant just to create a few diversionary headlines. He knew his side had not produced enough and accepted it. “We battled,” he said. “But maybe our final ball was not good enough.”

One half of that statement contains significantly more truth than the other. If that is what Leicester call battling, they really are going to find it difficult to climb away from trouble. While compared with the final balls of last season, when two or three pinpoint passes would shred defences and have Vardy bearing down on goal before opponents could do anything about it, Leicester are barely scratching the surface of possibility at the moment, just lumping the ball forward more in hope than expectation like all the other teams near the bottom. Leicester’s final ball is nowhere near good enough, though one could say the same about Vardy’s running off the ball, Mahrez’s dribbling and perhaps even Ranieri’s decision-making.

Popular and astute as he is, the manager is persisting with a system that is no longer working, and you wonder how much time he will be allowed to turn things round. You also wonder, ridiculous as it seems, how the resumption of Champions League fixtures will impact on a side with relegation concerns. This is uncharted territory but what Leicester need is a confidence-boosting win from their next two league games. If they can do to Manchester United what they recently did to Manchester City all will be well, at least for a while. If they cannot, they must put all their efforts into securing a first away win of the season. Their next match is at Swansea, and for both parties the outcome could be hugely significant.

[Babylon]

It's not just about tactics, there are a hundred other little things that have accumulated to get us in this position. But his persistence with attempting to recreate last seasons style, when it hasn't worked from day one... and actually started to struggle at the end of last season, is one of the biggest.

 

He fell into the trap that so many did on here, of seemingly believing that the only issue was the we didn't have Kante. The overloading of our squad with defensive midfielders highlights that.

 

We needed to start thinking about adapting in the summer, not radical change. But a tweak on what we had to add other threats and add other ways of playing. Pearson had his critics on here for his style. But we were capable of mixing it up depending on circumstance. If we could knock the ball about we would, if we had to hit it long, we would. If we have the chance to counter attack at pace, we would. There was no fixed system.

 

Now though, we only have one way of playing, hit the ball long to isolated players and hope they hang onto it and do something with it. It's doomed for failure as the oppo just drop deep, have an extra man and there is nothing we can do as there is so little support.

 

I've seen absolutely no attempt to change our style of play, only the shape of the team (with a ridiculous 4 formations in about 5 games) and a constant swapping about of players hoping something works. Nothing has though, because we continue to try and play the same way.

 

That's why I didn't understand the moaning about the transfer window. If we continue to play in this way, if doesn't matter who you bring in because it's the style of play that's flawed.

[Moksky]

You can tweak styles of play, if you have confidence, which is missing. The belief isnt there in a few of the players. We are a counter attacking side. We cant change the style to much to become a posession based isde as we dont have enough possession type players to do that.

 

You can argue that being footballers that should be automatic, but when confidence ois low , players are not as comfortable on the ball. Even if we get the ball out wide and cross it in for a target man in Slimani or Ulloa , you need the confidence of your players to do that. I would try this though.

 

We have reverted back to 4 4 2 against Derby and though we played well in the 2nd half, I honestly thought we were the better team for 20 mins at the start the other night at Burnley and looked like it was a matter of time, but some poor final balls let us down.

 

We are taking too long to get the ball delivered ito the box from wide areas, checking back etc. and then delivering later allows opposition defenders to get into position, instead of the instinct of first time ball, thats when your strikers find space and defenders are struggling to turn. Thats where the confidence has gone.

 

Get the ball in early, whtether it be from out wide, or simply over the top earlier which leave any pacey forward somethgin to latch onto. We are hanging onto the ball too long and the slower tempo is not suiting us and then eventually lumping it high. By moving the ball quickley increases the tempo, which suits us

 

 

[STUHILL]

I don't think it is tactics. 

 

He has tried different formations now, and the players just aren't working hard enough or listening to his instructions.

 

You can see him shouting on the sidelines to keep the ball on the floor, and time after time. Wes, Huth, Simpson, Albrighton, Drinkwater will launch a slow floated ball directly into two towering CB's.

 

It was actually painfully funny watching Mahrez, Gray and Vardy trying to win headers against Mee and Keane the other night. The only ever time a ball like that should be played to any of those 3, is if it is a panicked clearance. Ranieri played with the front 3 I would have, and then Drinkwater and N'didi sitting in midfield, yet the team played like we had been told to hit an imaginery 6ft 5 target man at every chance. In all of Claudio's years of experience, there is no way he is instructing his players to play this way and hit those types of hoof balls time after time. 

 

So, I honestly don't believe tactics are the problem. I think it is a combination of players who are so low on confidence, they resort to a long ball punt, rather than a short pass or a dribble in a crowded area, as well as them not having enough faith in Claudio anymore to follow his instructions. Has Claudio lost the dressing room? You would have to argue that he has, simply because no matter what formation or players he tries, they still play the exact same way - No pressing, Low energy and Long balls.

 

It's either going to take a Managerial change or the core of players responsible, to suddenly freak the hell out about relegation being a severe possibility, and then we might see a huge increase in tempo, effort, closing down, movement and intelligent, accurate passing which was so successful last season. 

 

[STUHILL]

4 minutes ago, Moksky said:

You can tweak styles of play, if you have confidence, which is missing. The belief isnt there in a few of the players. We are a counter attacking side. We cant change the style to much to become a posession based isde as we dont have enough possession type players to do that.

 

You can argue that being footballers that should be automatic, but when confidence ois low , players are not as comfortable on the ball. Even if we get the ball out wide and cross it in for a target man in Slimani or Ulloa , you need the confidence of your players to do that. I would try this though.

 

We have reverted back to 4 4 2 against Derby and though we played well in the 2nd half, I honestly thought we were the better team for 20 mins at the start the other night at Burnley and looked like it was a matter of time, but some poor final balls let us down.

 

We are taking too long to get the ball delviered ito the box from wide areas, checking back etc. and then delivring later allows opposition defenders to get into position, instead of the instinct of first time ball, thats when your strikers find space and defeners are struggling to turn. Thats where the confidence has gone.

 

Get the ball in early, whtether it be from out wide, or simply ove the top. We are hangin onto the ball too long and the slower tempo is not suiting us. By moving the ball quickley increases the tempo, which suits us

 

 

I have to disagree, as I don't think I have ever seen a player deliver an earlier pass or cross than Albrighton does. It actually breaks down our attacks as he will hit a first time pass from pretty much anywhere on the pitch. I think the problem is, that we aren't playing enough smart, quick pass and move type football and instead resorting to trying to force it too early with either a long, and direct hopeful ball or an early cross which is easily dealt with by defenders. These types of crosses are even more ineffective when you don't have an aerial threat like against Burnley. The only crosses that would have been effective that night, would have been getting to the byline and drilling them low across goal or pulling the ball back for someone to shoot. 

 

We actually need to hold onto the ball better and pass shorter and quicker and find pockets of space with more intelligent movement, work our way up the pitch and get into better and more dangerous positions before we hit that cross or that through ball. You could see the impact Mahrez had against Derby last week, by running with ball and being closer to their goal, and picking smart short passes or through balls. It was much more effective than an early cross by Albrighton or Fuchs, or a long ball by Drinkwater. 

 

More energy. Better movement. Faster, shorter passes and taking players on. Cut out the long balls and early, hopeful crosses. 

[shade]

what about keeping the 442, maybe gray and vardy up front, but having both of the two strikers drop deep, literally just in front of our midfield. so either the defenders leave them and they can take a short pass and turn and run, or alternatively the defenders come with them and force them to play a high defensive line? i'm no tactical expert but couldn't this work?

[Babylon]

14 minutes ago, Moksky said:

We are a counter attacking side.

I'm going to pick up on this one bit, yes be became obsessed with that side of it because it paid dividends. But we were far more than that before, we were better at football in our first season in this league when given half a chance. Just as we were in the championship.

 

Our other abilities have been coached out of the players into a sole reliance on counter attacking, and I think that's where one of our issues is.

[Moksky]

5 minutes ago, STUHILL said:

I have to disagree, as I don't think I have ever seen a player deliver an earlier pass or cross than Albrighton does. It actually breaks down our attacks as he will hit a first time pass from pretty much anywhere on the pitch. I think the problem is, that we aren't playing enough smart, quick pass and move type football and instead resorting to trying to force it too early with either a long, and direct hopeful ball or an early cross which is easily dealt with by defenders. These types of crosses are even more ineffective when you don't have an aerial threat like against Burnley. The only crosses that would have been effective that night, would have been getting to the byline and drilling them low across goal or pulling the ball back for someone to shoot. 

 

We actually need to hold onto the ball better and pass shorter and quicker and find pockets of space with more intelligent movement, work our way up the pitch and get into better and more dangerous positions before we hit that cross or that through ball. You could see the impact Mahrez had against Derby last week, by running with ball and being closer to their goal, and picking smart short passes or through balls. It was much more effective than an early cross by Albrighton or Fuchs, or a long ball by Drinkwater. 

 

More energy. Better movement. Faster, shorter passes and taking players on. Cut out the long balls and early, hopeful crosses. 

I dont know whether you went to the game the other night, but he has started to check back and when he is on the left he has to get it onto his right foot.

I recall once in the first half he has the chance to deliver it and Vardy was unmarked, but he decided to play a one 2 go along the byline and the cross was easily cut out as Burnley got defenders back, from the right he can deliver it first time, but watch him closely he has started not to to deliver the way he did. He has started to lump it in the air, and as the game wore on, he gave the ball away hell of a lot, that was one reason why he got dragged. I cant fault his workrate though.

[Moksky]

8 minutes ago, Babylon said:

I'm going to pick up on this one bit, yes be became obsessed with that side of it because it paid dividends. But we were far more than that before, we were better at football in our first season in this league when given half a chance. Just as we were in the championship.

 

Our other abilities have been coached out of the players into a sole reliance on counter attacking, and I think that's where one of our issues is.

We were getting constantly beaten in our first season until we became exactely a counter attacking side. Championship, well after what I saw at Derby, you can play with possession, the gulf is getting bigger. You cant go out gainst many of the top side sides and take them on by being open, we will get nowhere fast, we have to play to our strengths and set the team up accordingly. We go toe to toe with Arsenal we will be too open, as last season when we got beaten at home by them. Ranieri said it himself we were too open and tried to beat them playing their way. Play to our strengths, being solid , (which we are not) and then hitting teams early with pace . Just like Man City at Home. Yes we can argue that teams have learned how to cope, but I also think we are not playing with the desire and hunger, or the sharpness or speed as last season. 

[STUHILL]

6 minutes ago, Babylon said:

I'm going to pick up on this one bit, yes be became obsessed with that side of it because it paid dividends. But we were far more than that before, we were better at football in our first season in this league when given half a chance. Just as we were in the championship.

 

Our other abilities have been coached out of the players into a sole reliance on counter attacking, and I think that's where one of our issues is.

I think this is exactly it. Our players have it drilled into them from last season, that we are a counter-attacking, direct, long-ball team.

 

They are wrongfully thinking that was the only reason and style that won them the league. If you actually look at how we played last season, it was far more than that. We passed it so well and our movement was brilliant. Yes, we broke fast and hit a long ball, but that was only part of why we were so successful. We played some amazing quick pass and move stuff. That tikka takka video was not a one off. We did stuff like that consistently throughout the season and all over the pitch. 

 

The players are only remembering a first time ball over the top being affective and forgetting and ignoring all the other stuff we did so well last season. If I was Claudio I would sit them all down and make them watch hours of clips of them passing short and building the play with quick and decisive passes, working their way up the pitch and into dangerous areas that way, rather than these ridiculous hoofs that are no use to Vardy or anyone.

 

We are losing every week anyway, so I would prefer it if we actually tried to play properly and maybe get caught in possession or a short through ball cut out etc. I think they would find, if they backed themselves to make some smarter passes or go on a few runs with the ball, then it would be far more successful than the direct long ball or first time cross.  

[jmono84]

Of course the players have no confidence passing the ball about... I remember one interview with CR a while ago where he said something about the players being no good passing...

 

I don't think we have played like we did last season, especially without the ball, we back off from making tackles all the way into at least a third of our half, absolute suicide football!

 

i follow the Republic of Ireland and the way leicester have defended this yr reminds me of when trapatoni was in charge... The way they defend at the moment i feel is purely down to CR's Italian approach, it's awful and I said the same thing about trapatoni and was thrilled when he left!

 

All I can see is it's only a matter of time before we're in relegation spots and CR leaves.

[STUHILL]

8 minutes ago, Moksky said:

I dont know whether you went to the game the other night, but he has started to check back and when he is on the left he has to get it onto his right foot.

I recall once in the first half he has the chance to deliver it and Vardy was unmarked, but he decided to play a one 2 go along the byline and the cross was easily cut out as Burnley got defenders back, from the right he can deliver it first time, but watch him closely he has started not to to deliver the way he did. He has started to lump it in the air, and as the game wore on, he gave the ball away hell of a lot, that was one reason why he got dragged. I cant fault his workrate though.

How many goals did we score last season from first time crosses? Most our goals and nearly all of Vardy's goals came from clever through balls or him running with the ball. I would understand it more if Slimani was in there, but it just makes no sense to put high, first time crosses in the box when we have no aerial threat. It was easily dealt with by their defence and I don't believe that delivering them slightly earlier, would make much of a difference with Vardy, Mahrez and Gray as our attackers. They need the ball to their feet or one to run onto or pulled back on the floor for them to shoot.

 

We are too predictable. The opposition know they are going to be dealing with a large number of high balls and crosses from deep. As soon as Albrighton gets the ball, they know a cross is coming. What if Albrighton for a change, dumied the cross and cut inside, ran with the ball or played it short to Mahrez's feet just outside the box or a neat through ball splitting the defence for Vardy to run onto. Yes on paper it sounds easy, but I would much prefer we tried some inventive stuff like that, rather than Albrighton crossing from the throw-in line and a defender easily out jumping and out muscling Vardy to clear it.

[Babylon]

7 minutes ago, Moksky said:

We were getting constantly beaten in our first season until we became exactely a counter attacking side. Championship, well after what I saw at Derby, you can play with possession, the gulf is getting bigger. You cant go out gainst many of the top side sides and take them on by being open, we will get nowhere fast, we have to play to our strengths and set the team up accordingly. We go toe to toe with Arsenal we will be too open, as last season when we got beaten at home by them. Ranieri said it himself we were too open and tried to beat them playing their way. Play to our strengths, being solid , (which we are not) and then hitting teams early with pace . Just like Man City at Home. Yes we can argue that teams have learned how to cope, but I also think we are not playing with the desire and hunger, or the sharpness or speed as last season. 

Nobody is saying you don't counter attack, there is a time and a place for it as there was under Pearson. You play the bigger and better teams of course you're going to look to counter more often. If all you want to do is counter against the likes of Burnley or West Brom then you have a serious problem.

But I'll say this, the football we played in our first season against United at home, Arsenal at home and away, Liverpool home and away, Chelsea at home and away was far and away better than anything we've managed this season. And that's with Dean Hammond, Konch, De Laet, Nugent, Moore etc being involved.

[Guest Bob Hazels shorts]

Its not about tactics. 

 

Wheres the spirit now ?

 

 

[Babylon]

12 minutes ago, STUHILL said:

They are wrongfully thinking that was the only reason and style that won them the league. If you actually look at how we played last season, it was far more than that. We passed it so well and our movement was brilliant. Yes, we broke fast and hit a long ball, but that was only part of why we were so successful. We played some amazing quick pass and move stuff. That tikka takka video was not a one off. We did stuff like that consistently throughout the season and all over the pitch. 

I thought it was obvious as the season went on we became more and more reliant on the long ball. We started off in swashbuckling fashion, we swapped the full backs fair enough as we weren't solid enough. But we still managed to be quite good in attack... then it all started grinding to a halt. Part because of other teams setting up differently, but part because of our obsession with it... we no longer had the other style.

[Mike Oxlong]

An ex pro on yesterdays Talk Shite Jim White Show said  that he knew a few of the Leicester players who had told him that they were confused by Claudio's changing tactics (press/don't press, play short/play long, defend deep/defend high).

 

It's up to Claudio to get his ideas across but understanding changing tactics is surely a fundamental aspect of being a professional footballer. 

 

The note farce in the recent home game demonstrated how unprofessional things are at the moment. As I've said previously, I really struggle to see what we are working on or achieving during training. 

[Thracian]

Ranieri needs to go. And the quicker the better. But that won't mend us overnight.

 

Ironically, two of our best players in some situations, have become two of our worst this season. Drinkwater and Vardy.  

 

Drinkwater's always been the fans favourite. Whatever they watch from him, he's irreplaceable.

 

I've never been his greatest fan but I do think he's  become much stronger in winning the ball and never stops trying and taking responsibility.       

In terms of attitude I can't fault him.

 

The problem is he gives the ball away far too easily and often in trying to do something that's not on.

 

And, he's all but no threat whasoever in front of goal -either in terms of scoring himself or teeing someone else up.

 

His third problem is that he not really creative anyway.  He doesn't beat a man or threat a canny pass very often. Nor does he flight the ball in the manner, say, of Davie Gibson who could quite literally drop the ball on a sixpence and often did as much in his demonstrations.

 

Given that team him with spoilers like N'Didi and Amartey in midfield and there's no real supply for anyone without King because King is the only quick and accurate passer we have.

 

There needs to be balance and why we've not signed more creative players I don't know.

 

Then there's Vardy. He might well have a case for becoming frustrated because he's been supplied like a hermit on a desert island...once or twice in a very long time.

 

But instead of demanding something be done he seems to have just gone through the motions and not very many of them at that.

 

My impression of his typical game now is to have two or three early chases to give the impression he's up for it, to miss a couple of half chances without ever giving the impression he's going to score and then to fade out like a spent battery.

 

His goals record this season doesn't reflect the temporary bad spell that all strikers go through but something seriously wrong within the team and quite likely in the dressing room.

 

And whatever the reasons I can find no reason whatsoever for his not being dropped.  .       

 

Unless someone can get to the core of the problem immediately and get it sorted.  

 

       

[Moksky]

8 hours ago, STUHILL said:

How many goals did we score last season from first time crosses? Most our goals and nearly all of Vardy's goals came from clever through balls or him running with the ball. I would understand it more if Slimani was in there, but it just makes no sense to put high, first time crosses in the box when we have no aerial threat. It was easily dealt with by their defence and I don't believe that delivering them slightly earlier, would make much of a difference with Vardy, Mahrez and Gray as our attackers. They need the ball to their feet or one to run onto or pulled back on the floor for them to shoot.

 

We are too predictable. The opposition know they are going to be dealing with a large number of high balls and crosses from deep. As soon as Albrighton gets the ball, they know a cross is coming. What if Albrighton for a change, dumied the cross and cut inside, ran with the ball or played it short to Mahrez's feet just outside the box or a neat through ball splitting the defence for Vardy to run onto. Yes on paper it sounds easy, but I would much prefer we tried some inventive stuff like that, rather than Albrighton crossing from the throw-in line and a defender easily out jumping and out muscling Vardy to clear it.

That was last season. Vardy isnt running like that anymore and the tempo is slower. Teams worked us out, they sit deeper for the through balls. Crosses dont have to be high balls, but putting qaulity ball in early causes panic havinf defnders face there own net chasing back. The footballing bit comes with confidence, nobody is scared of possession, at the minute its a hot potato witht the exception of Mahrez. Highballs from deep isnt the way to go, put balls from wide areas and early and not all aimed in the air.

[Moksky]

8 hours ago, Babylon said:

Nobody is saying you don't counter attack, there is a time and a place for it as there was under Pearson. You play the bigger and better teams of course you're going to look to counter more often. If all you want to do is counter against the likes of Burnley or West Brom then you have a serious problem.

But I'll say this, the football we played in our first season against United at home, Arsenal at home and away, Liverpool home and away, Chelsea at home and away was far and away better than anything we've managed this season. And that's with Dean Hammond, Konch, De Laet, Nugent, Moore etc being involved.

Thats what we did in most of matches last season, even against the likes of the WBA, they had more posssession.

 

Ask yourself how many points did we get out of those fixtures in the first season, attractive on the eye I agree, but when you need points, im afraid the first thing to do is not to concede, the lower the confidence the deeper you sit, and you resort to the counter attacking, and in the run to stay up thats excatley what we did and the momentum carried in into the success last season. I would like to see it tried next season and coaced in a good pre seasson, but we need better ball playing players than the like of Huth. U less Im missing something, with Huth you cant really build from the back. Those players you mention , most were not featuring into the battle to stay up

[somebum]

Seemed to get them right at vital moments last season. He tweaked the team at points of games to give us positive results which is why we ended up champions.

 

This season he has tried to implement the Azzurri way but our players do not have the brains to understand.

[Guest]

We need to stop the defensive italian football bs and start pressing and attacking with verve. 

[norwichfox]

54 minutes ago, toddybad said:

We need to stop the defensive italian football bs and start pressing and attacking with verve. 

I think the word to use is negative, we've no defence as such.