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st albans fox

Square pegs, round holes and unbalanced

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16 minutes ago, l444ry said:

“In football everything is complicated by the presence of the opposite team.” -  Jean-Paul Sartre

"Football is a simple game made complicated by people who should know better" - Bill Shankly

 

Wish Claude would take note of these simple facts.

 

Don't those two quotes technically contradict each other?

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1 hour ago, Col city fan said:

However, I don’t see us ‘controlling’ games particularly well at all. For me, ‘control’ stems from a very solid defence and a ball playing central midfield.

We concede far too many daft goals to be a side who can be said ‘controls’ games.

I'd bet Claude Puel agrees with you! It's been an issue for months going back to last season and it's very frustrating that we can't solve it. And whilst individual errors are hard to pin on the manager, it happens so many times that he has to take a lot of the flak here. We've signed 3 new CB's and a right back but don't play any of them in the back 4 and have the same problems as last year. We don't have to play our new players in order to fix the problems but it is so frustrating seeing us make the same mistakes over and over. Versus Everton had we not conceded first... well Morgan's sending off might not even have mattered!

 

I think an interesting and direct comparison is looking back to how two previous managers addressed problems in the side.

 

352.PNG

(This was our lineup versus QPR on the final day of the season where we won 5-1)

 

2014/15. Leicester are bottom of the table coming into the new year and despite competing OK in games look like they are on a one way trip back to the Championship. Nigel Pearson brings in Huth recognising that Liam Moore can't handle the Premier League and brings in Marc Albrighton who later switches to a right wing back. He eventually switches us to a 3-5-2 and Leicester go on an incredible run and stay up. Without those two and without making that tactical change, we might not even be in the Premier League right now!

 

 

442.PNG

(This was our lineup versus Man City in February 2016 where we won 3-1 away from home in what must surely rank as one of our greatest ever Premier League performances)

 

2015/16. Leicester start the season very well but keep conceding goals, often conceding the first or even a second goal before getting a result (sounds familiar...). Ranieri has two masterstrokes here, he brings in Fuchs and Simpson instead of De Laet and Schlupp. We lose a little going forward but now are less open at the back. Then he also talks up the need to keep a clean sheet with the promise of Pizza. The team respond, we keep clean sheets and win the league! We also go on a run of winning 1-0 four games in a row followed by a 2-0 win. That change in defence helped us win the league. Interestingly that season also saw Kante come into the team, but remember he started off on the bench and even came on in one game as a winger (!). But Ranieri recognised his talents and changed things up. It's *kind of* like Mendy in that no one would have had him even in the squad at the start of the season but he's actually been one of our best players so far. We signed Inler as our first choice central midfielder that year, but it was Kante who was the main man.

 

This season I think it's a lot clearer to see the picture of what Puel is trying to do, but we are still quite short from being able to achieve it. Hence why we have square pegs in round holes as the opening poster correctly points out! But we have plenty of time and a young team. I very much understand the frustration of many of the forum posters here, but for me personally I think Puel (or whoever is in charge really) is entitled to a transition year given the team is so young. But if we are still making these kind of errors in January or dare I say even next season then I think it's no longer acceptable.

 

1 hour ago, Col city fan said:

I tend to consider myself possibly the most intelligent poster on the forum but you run a close second mate!

:P

lol

 

Ha ha ha cheers! If there was an equivalent of the PFA player of the year for Foxes Talk forum posts, this is what receiving this compliment feels like! :D

Edited by StriderHiryu
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9 hours ago, mod hero said:

When was the last time we put in a performance for 90 mins? Maybe Southampton away (1-4) last year?

 

Im really starting to develop dislike for Puel, I understand his vision but executing his ideas is another thing. 

 

Maddison LW

 

Buys a RB and puts him RW and plays Amartey. 

 

Shoe horns Nacho in.

 

Buys 3 defenders but doesn’t play any of them.

 

Wes

 

Ill probably get some stick for this but the football I have watched for the last year or so has been diabolical. How long must we give him for this “transition period” ?

 

Its so easy to play aginst us, we move the ball so slowly that the opposition gets back into shape and we can’t break them down.

 

2 week break now as well ?

 

??

Like and dislike is your choice. 

I would like to clarify some ofnyour post. 

1. Madison at lw. 

You need to watch the game more. He drift inside in possession as number 10. Againts Liverpool, man utd, and Bournemouth he play as no 10 yet he spend most of his time at half space. So its not like he play purely as lw and out of position. 

 

2.rb as rw

Ricardo look very vurnerable as rb yet. This is new league for him and he need to adapt. Yet he's got good contributions as rw and allow us to play with back 3 during attack. So there's should be no problem for a while until he fully adapt. 

 

3.nacho in

Watch chilwell. Watch gray. Especially chilwell, last season shakey didn't give him much chance. Puel did, and cost us some goal. But he persist. Now he's improve greatly especially in defence and got national team debut. 

Nacho show some glimpses of good player and need game time. You don't develop young player by put them on the bench everyday. 

 

3.buy 3 defender and didn't play them but wes

Its clear that puel wants evans for a while, while the 2 cb developing. But unfortunately he did injured right before the start of season. Evans comeback asap as he's avaiable against wolves but that game show he's not match fit. So wes comeback and made a decent job. So far Evans play twice in pl and didn't show that he's much better than wes. 

Im sure once he's match fit he will rode above wes. It's already happen vs wolves so its not like puel dump him. 

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4 minutes ago, Hanan96 said:

Like and dislike is your choice. 

I would like to clarify some ofnyour post. 

1. Madison at lw. 

You need to watch the game more. He drift inside in possession as number 10. Againts Liverpool, man utd, and Bournemouth he play as no 10 yet he spend most of his time at half space. So its not like he play purely as lw and out of position. 

 

2.rb as rw

Ricardo look very vurnerable as rb yet. This is new league for him and he need to adapt. Yet he's got good contributions as rw and allow us to play with back 3 during attack. So there's should be no problem for a while until he fully adapt. 

 

3.nacho in

Watch chilwell. Watch gray. Especially chilwell, last season shakey didn't give him much chance. Puel did, and cost us some goal. But he persist. Now he's improve greatly especially in defence and got national team debut. 

Nacho show some glimpses of good player and need game time. You don't develop young player by put them on the bench everyday. 

 

3.buy 3 defender and didn't play them but wes

Its clear that puel wants evans for a while, while the 2 cb developing. But unfortunately he did injured right before the start of season. Evans comeback asap as he's avaiable against wolves but that game show he's not match fit. So wes comeback and made a decent job. So far Evans play twice in pl and didn't show that he's much better than wes. 

Im sure once he's match fit he will rode above wes. It's already happen vs wolves so its not like puel dump him. 

Find people keep having to explain half of this to people. Do they not watch the games to know Maddison very rarely plays at LM or the Ricardo situation? Even if they don't, enough posters explain how we think they're setting up etc. 

It's infuriating to say the least 

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9 minutes ago, Hanan96 said:

Like and dislike is your choice. 

I would like to clarify some ofnyour post. 

1. Madison at lw. 

You need to watch the game more. He drift inside in possession as number 10. Againts Liverpool, man utd, and Bournemouth he play as no 10 yet he spend most of his time at half space. So its not like he play purely as lw and out of position. 

 

2.rb as rw

Ricardo look very vurnerable as rb yet. This is new league for him and he need to adapt. Yet he's got good contributions as rw and allow us to play with back 3 during attack. So there's should be no problem for a while until he fully adapt. 

 

3.nacho in

Watch chilwell. Watch gray. Especially chilwell, last season shakey didn't give him much chance. Puel did, and cost us some goal. But he persist. Now he's improve greatly especially in defence and got national team debut. 

Nacho show some glimpses of good player and need game time. You don't develop young player by put them on the bench everyday. 

 

3.buy 3 defender and didn't play them but wes

Its clear that puel wants evans for a while, while the 2 cb developing. But unfortunately he did injured right before the start of season. Evans comeback asap as he's avaiable against wolves but that game show he's not match fit. So wes comeback and made a decent job. So far Evans play twice in pl and didn't show that he's much better than wes. 

Im sure once he's match fit he will rode above wes. It's already happen vs wolves so its not like puel dump him. 

Just wanted to say good post! I appreciate English is not your first language, but this is very astute and well written. :appl:

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23 minutes ago, Bob Hazels shorts said:

From my seat it looked very much like Maguire covering for the mainly advanced Chilwell rather than Madison moving back to his on paper left wing position.

 

Its down our right that is farcical + no creativity in midfield

Which in the attacking phase is what should be happening. For all peoples cries for 3-5-2, we actually do play that when on the ball - Amartey pulls inwards to form a back three with Morgan and Maguire, Iheanacho moves up top to partner Vardy with Maddison in the hole, with width from Periera and Chilwell. Of course because it's not written as that on the team sheet, some posters will insist that will solve our problems...

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5 minutes ago, The Doctor said:

Which in the attacking phase is what should be happening. For all peoples cries for 3-5-2, we actually do play that when on the ball - Amartey pulls inwards to form a back three with Morgan and Maguire, Iheanacho moves up top to partner Vardy with Maddison in the hole, with width from Periera and Chilwell. Of course because it's not written as that on the team sheet, some posters will insist that will solve our problems...

Why don't we just go full blown 3-5-2 if what you say is correct?

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23 minutes ago, l444ry said:

Why don't we just go full blown 3-5-2 if what you say is correct?

Because that's not the defensive strategy - it's 4-4-1-1 in defence, with Iheanacho sitting slightly deeper than Vardy, then springs into a 3-5-2 with Maddison and Iheanacho moving up when we win the ball.

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On 07/10/2018 at 03:43, st albans fox said:

Claude on record as saying we needed to have support for Vardy against Huddersfield  - so he moved Maddison wider to allow Kelechi to play and played amartey as a more defensive minded full back given mendy and ndidi would be shuffling left covering Chilwell with Maddison unlikely to be defensively disciplined on that side. 

 

Surprised that he stuck with it away last week but you cant argue with the result ......... however, surely against decent opposition today, he should have reverted to a more pragmatic balanced set up - could have played Ricardo as RB to give us strong overlapping both sides.  I am not a fan of being deliberately unbalanced when it’s not necessary. Surprised that Puel felt under pressure to keep the same side. He isn’t usually shy about changing the line up. 

Puel’s answer to square pegs in round holes seems to be to just bang harder

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5 hours ago, Hanan96 said:

Like and dislike is your choice. 

I would like to clarify some ofnyour post. 

1. Madison at lw. 

You need to watch the game more. He drift inside in possession as number 10. Againts Liverpool, man utd, and Bournemouth he play as no 10 yet he spend most of his time at half space. So its not like he play purely as lw and out of position. 

 

2.rb as rw

Ricardo look very vurnerable as rb yet. This is new league for him and he need to adapt. Yet he's got good contributions as rw and allow us to play with back 3 during attack. So there's should be no problem for a while until he fully adapt. 

 

3.nacho in

Watch chilwell. Watch gray. Especially chilwell, last season shakey didn't give him much chance. Puel did, and cost us some goal. But he persist. Now he's improve greatly especially in defence and got national team debut. 

Nacho show some glimpses of good player and need game time. You don't develop young player by put them on the bench everyday. 

 

3.buy 3 defender and didn't play them but wes

Its clear that puel wants evans for a while, while the 2 cb developing. But unfortunately he did injured right before the start of season. Evans comeback asap as he's avaiable against wolves but that game show he's not match fit. So wes comeback and made a decent job. So far Evans play twice in pl and didn't show that he's much better than wes. 

Im sure once he's match fit he will rode above wes. It's already happen vs wolves so its not like puel dump him. 

I strongly disagree with Kalechi, I really want him to work but he isn’t going to, he’s not the right type of player for us and he doesn’t compliment Vardy at all. It’s vastly unpopular for reasons unknown, but Okazaki has to start along side Vardy. Or you play Albrighton and put Maddison behind Vardy. Kalechi has to be sold on, he is never going to work here. 

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2 hours ago, Pliskin said:

I strongly disagree with Kalechi, I really want him to work but he isn’t going to, he’s not the right type of player for us and he doesn’t compliment Vardy at all. It’s vastly unpopular for reasons unknown, but Okazaki has to start along side Vardy. Or you play Albrighton and put Maddison behind Vardy. Kalechi has to be sold on, he is never going to work here. 

With limited gametime he are already provide some goal and assist. Why are you looking for write him off asap? 

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7 hours ago, UniFox21 said:

Find people keep having to explain half of this to people. Do they not watch the games to know Maddison very rarely plays at LM or the Ricardo situation? Even if they don't, enough posters explain how we think they're setting up etc. 

It's infuriating to say the least 

When you are watching football you watch the ball movement most of the time. You didn't see the player positioning, off the ball movement, defensive action, but you look for passing, you look for shooting. You wanna see goal. That's how fans see football. 

No wonder once some fans watch starting lineup, they don't bother with actual match

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6 hours ago, The Doctor said:

Because that's not the defensive strategy - it's 4-4-1-1 in defence, with Iheanacho sitting slightly deeper than Vardy, then springs into a 3-5-2 with Maddison and Iheanacho moving up when we win the ball.

Agree but on the ball its morw like 3412 rather than 352

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7 hours ago, Hanan96 said:

With limited gametime he are already provide some goal and assist. Why are you looking for write him off asap? 

He hasn’t had limited by game time, he’s had ample opportunities to deliver and fails every time. He cost the club close to £30 million, his return is simply unacceptable, the odd decent through ball every now and then isn’t an indication that something is on the horizon. He as an extremely limited footballer, who lacks any kind of intelligent movement or a consistent goal threat, he’s a goal poacher, and we don’t play like a side that would benefit from a goal poacher.... that being said, he’s always a yard behind play, that passage of play at the weekend where vardy plays the ball across the area and Kalechi is just casually jogging when he should be busting his ass to get there sums him up for me. It’s time to just move on, he’s just another mistake made by the recruitment team. 

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16 hours ago, l444ry said:

“In football everything is complicated by the presence of the opposite team.” -  Jean-Paul Sartre

"Football is a simple game made complicated by people who should know better" - Bill Shankly

 

Wish Claude would take note of these simple facts.

 

You’ve quoted two people who’ve been dead almost 40 years. You can also find that Cloughie quote which is in a similar vein - from a man who’s only contribution to the Premier League is to get relegated. 

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21 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

He hasn’t had limited by game time, he’s had ample opportunities to deliver and fails every time. He cost the club close to £30 million, his return is simply unacceptable, the odd decent through ball every now and then isn’t an indication that something is on the horizon. He as an extremely limited footballer, who lacks any kind of intelligent movement or a consistent goal threat, he’s a goal poacher, and we don’t play like a side that would benefit from a goal poacher.... that being said, he’s always a yard behind play, that passage of play at the weekend where vardy plays the ball across the area and Kalechi is just casually jogging when he should be busting his ass to get there sums him up for me. It’s time to just move on, he’s just another mistake made by the recruitment team. 

I totally agree and understand my sentiments do lean this way...!!!

 

However,I actually believe Nacho has something...He has the pace to get to that vardy cross,I just believe he still aint

in that Rythme and understanding with Vardy.....It does take time to set up a pairing....Coaching-staff also have to earn

Their keep....I said from the outset,my opinion only,but I wanted Vardy and Nacho to play into December,with them

Interchanging position...Nacho has the pace,but does he  have that fight and spirit,Vardy brings...not yet but one

Should persivere awhile longer...

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On 07/10/2018 at 04:21, StriderHiryu said:

Good topic for discussion this one! I was going to post something about this in the Tactics thread, but this thread is more relevant.

 

Our current formation is definitely guilty of all of the things the thread title implies. Players in positions that aren't their natural positions and literally a system of playing that is unbalanced. We literally have one true raiding full back in Chilwell who has to do double the work as the player in front of him in Maddison drifts infield when we have the ball.

 

Capture.PNG.b80cc3c3058b4da2843bc3f645324591.PNG

 

Rather than praise or criticise the system I think it's important to think about why Puel might choose to play the system first. What are his team goals and what is his footballing philosophy? I think understanding that allows us to understand why he kept the same team lineup when this is something he has rarely done since being in charge of Leicester.

 

Puel's gameplan (and a word he uses often) is "control." It's something he has done historically at Lille, Nice and Southampton. He wants his teams to get on the ball and control the game such that the opposition doesn't get much possession and that we as a team attack and defend together. When we have control of the game, then we look to drag players out of position and play the intricate passing stuff to open the door. I think if you look at the second half of the Huddersfield game and especially versus Newcastle this plan succeeded. Newcastle had one shot on target in the entire game and that was from inside their own half! That's why I think he chose the same lineup because it was the first time this season the team has executed the "Puel gameplan" down to the smallest of details.

 

I think it's also important to think about what changes Puel has made as the season has gone by and why he might have made these adjustments:

 

- Maddison started off as our 10 early in the season, but moved to a left inside forward so that Nacho, Maddison and Vardy can all play in the same team. Against Huddersfield, these three linked up very well indeed and created one of our best attacking displays of the season.

 

- Ricardo when played at Right Back left us really vulnerable at the back. Too vulnerable! So Amartey came in so that Ricardo or another player can play as a traditional winger. It also meant that we could have three at the back so that Chilwell doesn't have to worry so much about things defensively, which is important because the player in front of him Maddison will drift inside when we have the ball, meaning he often has to occupy two opponents.

 

- Another change I noticed today and at Newcastle was that of the midfield two, whereas Ndidi started off as the one that stayed further forward, now Ndidi is doing that role and Mendy as more licence to drive the game in midfield. Mendy must be a contender for our player of the season as he has done a fantastic job and I think in today's game he was even more influential now that he can drive forward as his passing is often forward, faster and more accurate than Ndidi.

 

- (There's a lot more we could talk about such as the experiment with Gray up front against Liverpool and dropping Evans for Morgan, but I don't think these are as relevant for today).

 

It's clear that several of our players aren't playing in their best positions, but if it improves us overall as a team, then it can still be a good call. To evaluate our formation and today's performance... whilst we did lose, I would say that before we had Morgan sent off we controlled the game again (I appreciate this is a subjective opinion). Between minutes 45-60 Everton were really penned back and we were passing between the lines, playing side-to-side and dragging players out of position. We were building up a head of steam and looked the more likely to score. After we lost a man we fell apart though. Yes we had a man disadvantage, but we stopped doing what we had been doing and conceded the ball and control of the game for Everton who ultimately punished us.

 

If you are the manager of Leicester City and with the squad we have, you could opt to play any number of ways. Whilst we have some flaws in our squad (e.g. we haven't 1 for 1 replaced Mahrez with a player of equal quality), we do have a number of options and could choose to play in all manner of systems and formations. So it is interesting to see why he chooses this system specifically. As you imply in the  first post, we could play a more traditional system rather than this weird hybrid / hodge-podge system.

 

Personally I don't have a strong opinion on what system or formation we should play. However, as a fan I like to see exciting football of high quality and most importantly an entertaining game. If the Newcastle game is an example of Puel's ideal gameplan then personally I'm quite happy. Though our goals came from a set piece and a counter attack in that game, we played good stuff and looked like we could score from open play. We controlled the game and hardly gave Newcastle a kick and still looked exciting and threatening on the ball. You are right in that against a much better side than Newcastle in Everton today the system didn't look nearly as good. But do remember we have a very young team and they all need to learn how to play with one another. To make the sort of changes that Puel is trying (changing our style of play, changing the player profile of our squad and bringing through young players) is very tough to do in a short space of time and I think it's important to remember that. Sarri at Chelsea has done a great job in a short space of time in trying to change their style of play, but they have players that cost a hell of a lot of money recruited from around the top leagues and clubs.

 

It will be interesting to see how we play against Arsenal, but I think we will simply replace Evans for Morgan and continue with the same system. Ricardo scored today and for most of the game we were quite decent. Certainly in an 11 on 11 game you'd have thought we would have got a point at least from the game. I think 10 games into the season is a good time to judge where we are as a team. I personally see us as a team in transition and as a work in progress. That can't be used as an excuse forever (which is why Man United are a joke right now), but this is a super competitive league with a lot at stake. Everton have spent a lot more money than us in recent seasons but our relatively young team went toe-to-toe or better than them for large parts of the game today. There is definite potential in our squad.

 

 

An excellent assessment. 

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Over the last 3 windows how many players can you name that we have signed who sit around on the bench or play for the under 23s go out on loan but never get the chance to play and if they do it’s 10mins towards the end of a game.

They have a poor game with the under 23s but is it them or some of the under 23s not up to standard, so let’s call them shite and not consider them for selection.

No player at this club can be expected to get any better if not given the chance, and the odd few that have got potential have been sent out on loan.

So what’s going on ! how much longer can we continue spending big money on not good enough players.

Are we becoming a dumping club for second rate players.

 

I HOPE NOT

 

 

 

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On ‎06‎/‎10‎/‎2018 at 23:23, Ian Nacho said:

We literally lost today because of a screamer, which always needs an element of luck, and one poor individual display. If you think we were awful today you need your head checking.

Let's pretend the game finished 1-1 and Morgan hadn't been sent off. If we dissect the game, we started horribly as per usual but got back in to it with a lovely counter attacking move. We are still at our most dangerous when we counter attack, the Iheanacho and Vardy goals vs Huddersfield and Ricardo's on Saturday show just how good we are. The 2nd half I felt we started to have the control that Puel craves but in terms of creating openings it was proving quite difficult, Chilwell had a great run and shot which would have been worthy of winning the game like Sigurdsson's turned out to do but bar that we created very little in that 2nd half when we had 11 men. After Morgan went it was difficult to judge the team anyway. I thought we looked shit scared of their front 4 all game, even when we'd got back on level terms and were starting to control the flow in the 2nd half they were away in a flash a few times and we were twitchy, Walcott had a few half chances. It's those quick moves that are the most lethal in football as not many teams can defend with pace and keep their cool, there's little time for your positioning to be spot on from your defence and supporting midfielders and that's why we exposed so many teams in recent years.

 

We have removed a certain amount of pace and quick football from our play in the last year and are turning in to a side that we'd have eaten for 3 meals a day and snacks in between. For all the control and ability to retain possession, we are suckers for quick attacks and also set pieces so there's still way too much to worry about defensively before we are anywhere near good enough to compete at the business end of this league. I believe we are now a team that is comfortable in retaining possession when needs be, but our philosophy should always be to do what we are most good at and then vary the play when needs be. Vardy is purely a fast style of football player, it's a horrible waste of his rare abilities to spend the majority of games tinkering the ball about between our defence and holding midfielders before we get it out wide due to the opposition allowing us to move forward in slow stages and once it's taken out wide and teams have 6-8 players back in their positions then we could lob 100 balls in to the box and I'd be astounded if more than 5 led to a chance let alone a goal, we aren't good at attacking crosses. If we are to play that style then Slimani should have stayed, I'm perplexed that Puel doesn't do his nut at us for reverting to this so often. Maddison needs the ball centrally, or at least higher up the pitch to be able to turn and if he's in space then drive forward and release Vardy or take some long range shots that he's so good at. We've barely seen much of this and yet he's had what most people would agree as a great start to his career here, there's so much more to come from him if we could get the most out of him. I can't help feel that both central midfielders style of play aren't condusive with getting the ball released to him quick enough when teams are out of position slightly, Maguire gets some balls in to him but he'd be much more likely to take the ball forward himself in a back three like he does for England and then he can look to exploit the space for Maddison and then Vardy.

 

There's still so many question marks over what on earth it is we are trying to achieve under Puel. The £60m spent on new defenders and not one of them successfully playing in defence is quite staggering. We were sold the dream that we'd be changing our style of play with the loss of Mahrez to become a more all round defensive and attacking team, yet all that we are seeing is a vulnerable defence, a central midfield pairing that are the good, the bad and the ugly, a creative player in Maddison who's barely being used correctly and who's replaced our only creative outlet in Mahrez. I was fully accepting of the loss of Mahrez and us having to look to shore up defence as we try and develop as a new identity, I'm not a huge fan of defensive football but I could at least tolerate and accept it if we were any good at the back but we aren't. Therefore what on earth were all these defenders recruited for and very little done to bring in more attacking options? We let go all our fringe attackers to boot. It's a mystifying time under Puel, a more upmarket era from Craig Levein.

 

Until we find the right balance in this team, I think we'll be as Paul Merson described us. The more level headed fans would point out that that is what a lot of mid table sides are but that doesn't stop us fans expecting more logic to the way we play or wanting to see progression and improvement.

 

Anyway, it's my favourite parts of the season. The international break. I can forget about how pissed off I am with Leicester, get frustrated at England instead and then as next week heads towards the weekend again have that hopelessly positive feelings return of a good run of form. Soyuncu, LETS BE AVIN YAAAAA

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5 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

 

There's still so many question marks over what on earth it is we are trying to achieve under Puel. The £60m spent on new defenders and not one of them successfully playing in defence is quite staggering. We were sold the dream that we'd be changing our style of play with the loss of Mahrez to become a more all round defensive and attacking team, yet all that we are seeing is a vulnerable defence, a central midfield pairing that are the good, the bad and the ugly, a creative player in Maddison who's barely being used correctly and who's replaced our only creative outlet in Mahrez. I was fully accepting of the loss of Mahrez and us having to look to shore up defence as we try and develop as a new identity, I'm not a huge fan of defensive football but I could at least tolerate and accept it if we were any good at the back but we aren't. Therefore what on earth were all these defenders recruited for and very little done to bring in more attacking options? We let go all our fringe attackers to boot. It's a mystifying time under Puel, a more upmarket era from Craig Levein.

I think these are all very good points. Puel was backed heavily in the transfer window but we have the same achilles heel as last season with our currently pourous defence. It's very frustrating.

 

I personally think that this season we do have an identity under Puel, European style passing and possesion football that is unsurprisngly very French in it's style. There are definite improvements - don't forget that we've so far scored in every league game this season including against Liverpool and Manchester United. The issue is that conceding early and starting badly has meant we have generally been on the backfoot in most games. In the games we've gone ahead in, we've so far gone on to win those matches often quite comfortably even against Wolves when down to ten men. But at the end of the day Puel is the manager and he's been given money to sort out the defence. So it's up to him to fix it!

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7 hours ago, Pliskin said:

He hasn’t had limited by game time, he’s had ample opportunities to deliver and fails every time. He cost the club close to £30 million, his return is simply unacceptable, the odd decent through ball every now and then isn’t an indication that something is on the horizon. He as an extremely limited footballer, who lacks any kind of intelligent movement or a consistent goal threat, he’s a goal poacher, and we don’t play like a side that would benefit from a goal poacher.... that being said, he’s always a yard behind play, that passage of play at the weekend where vardy plays the ball across the area and Kalechi is just casually jogging when he should be busting his ass to get there sums him up for me. It’s time to just move on, he’s just another mistake made by the recruitment team. 

he did. he played 20 match last season with total minutes 793. roughly less than half for his every match. even okazaki got almost twice minute play despite only played 6 more matches

He did have 3 goal and 3 assist last year 

This year he start for 3 match, one against man utd, everyone know this is big club. And he's yet to get full match, let alone some run of games to gain confidence. Yet he already has 1 goal and 3 assist. It's decent record for 22 years old who's got such circumstances. 

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:o  We can still have a thread where knowledgeable posters construct intelligent arguments using facts and examples, engage civilly in two-way communication, and grant that some facts support the other side.  I am enjoying and learning from this discussion.

 

A word of thanks to those of you who continue to choose to engage, rather than enrage. 

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