LCFC 1-0 Birmingham - Post-Match Thread

[DerbyshireFox]

Birmingham brought a good following! First half was Norwich like in its lack of activity. Second half we were improved and spent it camped in their half probing, but again it was too slow. Albrighton was marginally better than Gray, which isn’t saying a lot. Gray simply will never cut it at this club. I’ve said it before, but unfortunately Albrighton isn’t up to the required standard anymore to get to where we want to be consistently. On the plus side, Youri looked motivated and got stuck in when he came on, and Birmingham created next to nothing, and we avoided another half hour of watching that game 🤣. Still, we got through, got a win by hook or by crook, and got a few days to prepare for Villa, where hopefully we’ll take some confidence from a victory. We will need to do a damn site better than tonight. 

[easilee]

1 hour ago, Bert said:

Look back, you are   

 

Credit where credits due yeah, but Albrighton was crap tonight, whether you like it or not. 

Albrighton wasn't at his best but at least he's STILL trying to do the things that might get us a goal.

Teams just set up to defend us out these days and park the bus...cos they KNOW we are toothless trying to walk the goal.

The only thing WE have left is to get down the flanks and whip it in. Albrighton is one that does that well. Along with Barnes.

Chilly needs to have a good look at himself.

Gray......Championship at very best, and I gave him the longest chance of everyone but........nah !

Talented but........If only he could aquire a footballers brain.

[fox_favourite]

Painful to watch, painful to recall. Yes it's a win, but I don't see any improvements to give me hope for the up and coming fixtures and to say, "that was a lot better!" Because it simply wasn't. 

 

Subs made absolutely no difference to the game. No one would take responsibility or stamp their authority on the game. All seemed very.... stale. 

Edited 5 March 2020 by fox_favourite

[Deeg67]

It may be time to try Praet and Tielemans as a pair, with Maddison on the bench.  He looks totally lost and you can't (I mean, I wouldn't think) possibly bench Praet at this point.

[Cooter]

Can anyone explain why the sprinklers were on at half time?

[BraunstoneFox23]

Well I had fun I guess. Atmosphere wasn’t as dead as I thought it would be, we actually held our own against the unintelligible brummies. We were far too slow overall but deserved the win on the balance of play really. Let’s hope we take it and build from here 🤷‍♂️ 

[Daggers]

The sooner we’re actually properly shit and the moaning fvckers in this thread go back to “support” Chelanchestersnal Untcity the better. Fvck your halfandhalf FM2020 opinions. 

[Dan LCFC]

4 hours ago, FIF said:

80% possession in the second half and then can't hold the ball for 5 secs in the last 5 minutes. The difference in the second half was that we played with more speed and passed forwards more (still not enough). We must have less headers in the box per cross than any other team in history. Does Brendan know that we can't head the ball very well?

Thought that as well. Couldn't believe how much pointless possession we had during going for a goal yet when we needed precisely that we totally lost our heads - and not just the younger players either.

 

Confidence is on the floor at the minute I think and regardless of winning the game I'm really not sure it will have changed much.

[Dan LCFC]

4 hours ago, Cardiff_Fox said:

We’d have passed it around them if they come out too much. Their tactics were 70% correct but they had zero pace on the counter to take advantage 

Why on earth they left Bela and Bellingham out I've no idea. Play those two I think it's quite plausible we lose that 0-1.

[Gamble92]

2 hours ago, Cooter said:

Can anyone explain why the sprinklers were on at half time?

Bernie's annual shower

[WigstonWanderer]

I only managed to catch the second half (sounds like I didn’t miss much), but thought Chilwell looked much better than he has done recently.

[z-layrex]

How. The. ****. Have we gone from a team that destroys clubs 9-0 to... whatever that rancid vomit of a performance was. Unbelievable.

[Mike Oxlong]

1 hour ago, WigstonWanderer said:

I only managed to catch the second half (sounds like I didn’t miss much), but thought Chilwell looked much better than he has done recently.

What do you think it was down to, haircut or facial moisturising balm ? 

[goody2028]

3 hours ago, Dan LCFC said:

Why on earth they left Bela and Bellingham out I've no idea. Play those two I think it's quite plausible we lose that 0-1.

Think that Bela was injured and Bellingham left out to be ‘rested’. Sounds to me like he’s leaving to go Dortmund though so a bit dodgy there. 

[Dahnsouff]

The Southampton result, 0-9, was what happens when a team is so low on confidence against a team who’s confidence is at unbelievable levels, AND everything they try comes off.

This result, the Norwich result, several others, is a more usual, especially when teams come to sit deep, frustrate and nick a goal, an almost antithesis of Southampton.

As much as something does not feel quite right, we won and that may be the tonic we needed.

 

[Dahnsouff]

As we are in this delightful time of societal hyperbole, I am sure we can all 110% agree  that Ben was wonderful last night and he has for once and for all proved the doubters wrong 

Right?

[Pliskin]

6 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

Biggest concern with our current form and the formation is that Vardy or Iheanacho when up front on their own are having minimal chances created for them or by themselves. We simply have to find another answer, we looked a bit better in that regard when they both played vs Man City and I think we have to do the same vs Villa on Monday.

This. We simply are not moving the ball quick enough to play with one striker. I've thought for a long time 3 at the back would really suit us down to a tee, because then we can allow Chilwell to advance and not really worry about coming back, and we can allow Riccy to do Riccy stuff. Our width is shite, so we may as well try to change that with advancing wing backs, and despite Chilwel's current dogs arse form, he does drive us up the pitch well, so it would really help him. I also think a back three would suit Youri, as he wouldn't have to worry about sitting too deep, you could give him a free role between the lines, and really home in on those passing skills. Finally, it offers support for Vardy, who has never really been at his best on his own, having someone else buzzing around to annoy defenders makes Vards a lot more dangerous and it is no coincidence that our form has dropped when Madders finds himself in his own half for most of the game. 

 

Villa will be a turning point, I think the lads have been gunning for them since the cup exit. 

[Haywood_6]

Worst performance of the season.

[mozartfox]

Need to get through the last games and hopefully make the UCL, then it requires a serious re-build.  Also, giving sentimental contracts to any body needs a really serious Brain Fart first. This will be wasting wages, squad places, and hold back a youngster or two from progressing.

 

2 Strikers/Winger/2 CB's required urgently. 

 

Is Congers up to this?  I doubt it.

[RowlattsFox]

It wasnt good, but we're through. Brilliant header from Ricardo. Our wingers were never good, but now they are completely shit. And Maddison is poor. 

Hopefully gain a bit of confidence moving forward. 

 

I know it's a bit of a joke saying it's puelesque but it really was. Lucky we didn't go behind. 

 

 

[NaijaFox]

5 hours ago, Dan LCFC said:

Why on earth they left Bela and Bellingham out I've no idea. Play those two I think it's quite plausible we lose that 0-1.

Bela out for a month with a crocked hamstring, while Bellingham was supposedly rested on advice from their sports science staff. Even with them both however, we probably still would have shaded it.

 

Edited 5 March 2020 by NaijaFox

[The Quick Brown Fox]

8 hours ago, Ric Flair said:

I'd play neither. Its evident in this moment with nearly 75-80% of our team way off form that we need to cut out our weaknesses which are our wingers. Get Vardy and Iheanacho up front together in a 3-4-1-2 

 

Ricardo is our only true consistent player put wide and I'd probably play Justin over Chilwell but it's a punt. Get Maddison back in the hole and let's go a bit more direct and try and force a shift in our momentum.

 

Albrighton is not the answer, he will be in the Champions League next season.

Corrected for you. He is just as important as Wes and Fuchs if you ask me. True pro, reliable back up who always give everything when called upon.

[hejammy]

5 hours ago, Cooter said:

Can anyone explain why the sprinklers were on at half time?

They almost always come on at half time mate, depends on which of our players like a wet surface so the ball travels faster, it's usually done to the home teams advantage and before anyone comment....... Yes I know most players love a "wet surface" 

[NaijaFox]

6 hours ago, easilee said:

Albrighton wasn't at his best but at least he's STILL trying to do the things that might get us a goal.

Teams just set up to defend us out these days and park the bus...cos they KNOW we are toothless trying to walk the goal.

The only thing WE have left is to get down the flanks and whip it in. Albrighton is one that does that well. Along with Barnes.

Chilly needs to have a good look at himself.

Gray......Championship at very best, and I gave him the longest chance of everyone but........nah !

Talented but........If only he could aquire a footballers brain.

If that’s Plan B, then we are properly Fuched!

 

Not only do we rarely get enough warm bodies quickly into the box, but Vardy is our only player that can arguably attack (or is in fact a decent header of) the ball in the final third. Frankly, that’s why most of Albrighton’s quick crosses are pointless. Barnes, on the other hand, rarely crosses the ball, preferring instead to get around his man on the outside or run into the channel inside until (on each of the two routes) he loses the ball, takes a poor shot or pick a poor choice. But in fairness to him, he’s a young improving (albeit inconsistent) player and at least he scores every now and then - something Albrighton has not done for a minute. Marc will always be a City legend, but sadly he seems inexorably headed down the Andy King path (which is a tad bit disappointing given his preseason performances).

[notnow john]

Any news on Wilf?

That was some ice pack he had on his knee.