Our system detected that your browser is blocking advertisements on our site. Please help support FoxesTalk by disabling any kind of ad blocker while browsing this site. Thank you.
Jump to content
StanSP

LCFC 1-3 Arsenal - Post Match Thread

Recommended Posts

We visibly looked tired in the second half, as we did in the second half of the Villa game. Vardy needs more recoup' time, as was pretty clear today, especially with the one on one he was "levered" off. Those couple of yards are everything for his way of playing and pressuring the opposition defense. If we can see it then obviously their defense can which gives them more confidence and freedom.

 

For me the nature of this whole season so far is catching up with us. We were doing amazing in Nov' with managing injuries and the hectic schedule. Once the EL group stages were done we practically went straight into the Winter/Christmas period. A lot of people called it back then, this just wasn't sustainable for a team like ours and it would come back and haunt us. And our injury list testifies it is. I don't get the argument we should have played our main players on Thursday knowing all that. If this is the reality of the situation then you're asking those injured/exhausted players to play 3 days earlier, with LESS rest! How does that work? Does that seem sensible?

 

We have to be pragmatic about this. I would think about resting Vardy for a bit (even a month and a half). Our biggest run of games come at the end of the season. Rest him for those. Roll him on as a sub or something for the ManC game in April. Which gives Nacho lots of game time and we'll finally see what he's capable of as our number one striker. It could be a real turning point for him and if not then we'll know.   

 

Under, I don't see what others see in him tbh. He can run quickly with the ball for a couple of meters. That's about it. There's almost never an end result and 99 times out of a 100 the opposition just get the ball back to recycle. BR has to give him a chance but he has to find his form asap. What concerns me the most tho' is that we've had a couple of different combinations down that right all season and they've all managed to find a partnership. But he feels very isolated. 

 

Burnley wont be easy. We find it crazy hard to break down hyper defensive teams with our best players, with these injuries and the selection that BR can choose from it'll be a tough watch. But we still have some very talented players who can provide moments of genius so we have to dig in and grind out these games. I have faith. We've been incredible all season, not just with STILL being third in the table but how we've managed that with our schedule of games and injuries.

 

Oh and 100% I'd want a new training ground over spunking that money on players who might not even perform. Maybe that makes me a bad fan. Strikes me as a good long term investment in our future youth players but also a good advertisement to prospective future players we might want to buy. It's one of the best training grounds in Europe, so I'm proud of that as well. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, tyfox said:

I think the faster we get fans back into the ground the better. The lads need us more than ever now with all the injuries

 

35 minutes ago, StevieLynex said:

Can we play with 32,000 players?

What i'd do for a rousing speech from Birch pre match making out we could make the difference and give the lads a lift....

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The display was very disappointing considering Arsenal gave us a blueprint on how to play them, with the 1st goal. Ndidi & Youri press high up, win the ball, we get behind their defence and score. After that we inexplicably camped around our penalty area and gave Arsenal free rein over the pitch. Why did we revert to such negative tactics?Whatever the reason, we beat ourselves with our poor negative gameplan.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I do think we're having another tail off and the problem is I don't want it to turn into our 'thing', like a Spursy, like starting well and falling off is 'well Leicester' or whatever. I don't want that kind of bottlejob reputation. It becomes a vicious cycle.

 

But unlike last season, where I was genuinely cross with the manager and players, I'm a lot more sympathetic this time. There was a degree of inevitability about this for me.

 

That passive January is looking like an error again. We didn't need some spending binge, just a smart loanee or two to allow more rotation and to keep players fresh. My worry is the injury situation could get even worse before it gets better. Tielemans needs a couple of games out yet we're going to be forced to playing him every game still - and in doing so the chances he gets an injury are increased.

 

So annoying we play on Wednesday. Burnley as well of all teams. About the last side to face when you're facing an injury crisis.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Matt said:

****ing pathetic.  

 

Deja Vu. PTSD from last season. Weak mentality.  

 

We're going out with a whimper, again.  

 

I made the point yesterday, whilst the injuries are fact, we've had injuries to key players all season and never once made them an excuse, we've just got on with it, but now we're falling apart it seems easy to make it all an excuse and we're going all Liverpool bemoaning the injuries, the thing is in the last couple of games our team have been arguably close to what we expected our strongest team to be at the start of the season. 

 

Someone countered my point by saying there is a difference between and excuse and an explanation, I accept that, however no-one was 'explaining' or even really mentioning it before, besides there are no you cannot excuse poor performances and don't let the situation be an excuse for poor performances so when does a explanation become an excuse certainly as when i've said in the last few games this arguably the closest to what we expected to be our strongest team at the start of the season.

 

Bottom line is we're playing our worst football of the season, and its all too similar to last season, injuries or not you cannot excuse these poor performances.

 

5th place beckons.  

 

Here's to next season having a strong first half, fall out of every competition just after the new year, make excuses, finish 5th and repeat.

But it is the injuries....!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Although we can debate the many reasons for our current 'predicament': injuries, schedule, tactics, failure to strengthen in January, the plain fact of the matter is that we are currently 'out of gas'. What we need to do now is not feel sorry for ourselves but come out fighting. We are in a 12 game battle and our destiny is still in our own hands. The immediate challenge is to find a way to beat Burnley. To achieve this Rodgers must employ fresh legs. If we can match their intensity we should still have enough quality to come out on top. He must also adopt a more positive approach. Set up to try and win the game rather than just sitting back and trying not to lose. If we don't ultimately make the top 4 let's at least go down fighting rather than succumbing with a whimper like we did last season. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, BigGibbo said:

Back to back managerial clangers from Rodgers and the lack of investment in the squad multiplied by the shortened season laid bare for all to see. 

 

Rodgers is a world class manager but has a bit of the Hyacinth Bucket about him so I'll always give him grief when he tries to be too snooty (Slavia) or too deferential (Arsenal) until he learns.

 

The owners are also some of the best owners in the world but aside from the training ground if you put the transfer outgoings alongside the incomings we've had for the last several seasons the investment in the playing squad is not great and getting worse.

 

Fingers crossed for serious investment this summer.

Crap..!!! Rodgers is not to blame.!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Adster said:

Why aren't you a football manager then? Instead, sitting on FoxesTalk crying about the result? 

 

Regardless of the defeat today, I think I trust a manager that has kept us in the top 4 all season and most of last over you.

 

He makes mistakes but anyone who is targeting Rodgers today over the stupid amount of games and mounting injuries to key players, is a complete moron. Why is it so hard to grasp for some people?

Errrm, probably because they are morons...:ph34r:

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest StevieLynex
4 minutes ago, Gamble92 said:

Nothing like Birch dressed as Churchill to inspire the lads. Think every time he did that we got relegated.

Are the players gathering in the tunnel

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, Dan LCFC said:

That passive January is looking like an error again. We didn't need some spending binge, just a smart loanee or two to allow more rotation and to keep players fresh.

Watching the WH game I was wondering why we never pitched in for Lingard on loan. I wonder if MU would have said straight no given we're in direct competition. Or were. Liverpool's Minamino is the same. There's players out there who could have done a job up front. I'd be curious to know what the club's thought were on all this. It didn't need a rocket scientist to know this situation was a high probability.  

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

In isolation its just a loss against a team who we have never really performed against, or who have performed against us. The worry is the players will start thinking, like a lot of fans 'bloody hell here we go again', and it's just compounded by the injuries, we simply can't compete in terms of affecting games offensively when we don't have any offensive players. Vardy just isn't right, I'm not sure what the issue is but surely he's carrying some sort of knock. We've got under, who doesn't seem to be good enough, or fitting in, Albrighton, who's fantastic but not someone you hang your hat on to the a creator, and ihenacho who can be a world beater or pedestrian, depending on the game. Madison, perez, praet, barnes all out, we just can't possibly cope with so many injuries to creative or attack minded player. I pray we pick up points in this next batch of seemingly winnable fixtures, but with Vardy looking off the pace, where are the goals going to come from?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank goodness we got the points we did earlier in the season. Including against Villa and Liverpool. We're on empty now, absolutely obvious, injuries new and recoveries not fully made and that includes Ricardo, Castagne, Vardy, Ndidi. Question is whether we can grind out results. Stick eight behind the ball and try to not concede? Or try some of the kids. Because at least for the next few weeks we haven't got too many options. At least I saw occasional flashes of spirit in the last 20, need more of it in the coming weeks until some first teamers come back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Hoopla10 said:

Watching the WH game I was wondering why we never pitched in for Lingard on loan. I wonder if MU would have said straight no given we're in direct competition. Or were. Liverpool's Minamino is the same. There's players out there who could have done a job up front. I'd be curious to know what the club's thought were on all this. It didn't need a rocket scientist to know this situation was a high probability.  

Either of those two would've strengthened us. It didn't have to be anyone fashionable, just somebody you can utilise. I feel it's going cost us.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, foxfanazer said:

Season can't end soon enough. Abomination of a day 

Sick of saying/feeling like this at this stage of the season for the past 3 seasons.

 

Infact it's probably the last 4 seasons isn't it (Inc this one).

 

Edited by Matt
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Dan LCFC said:

Either of those two would've strengthened us. It didn't have to be anyone fashionable, just somebody you can utilise. I feel it's going cost us.

There isn’t a chance in hell Liverpool or Manchester United let a player come to us. Sure we might ask, but it’s just not happening.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

50 minutes ago, Hoopla10 said:

For me the nature of this whole season so far is catching up with us. We were doing amazing in Nov' with managing injuries and the hectic schedule. Once the EL group stages were done we practically went straight into the Winter/Christmas period. A lot of people called it back then, this just wasn't sustainable for a team like ours and it would come back and haunt us. And our injury list testifies it is. I don't get the argument we should have played our main players on Thursday knowing all that. If this is the reality of the situation then you're asking those injured/exhausted players to play 3 days earlier, with LESS rest! How does that work? Does that seem sensible?

 

Excellent post overall but this stood out as very important. Rodgers did so well coaxing 10 or so big performances from the likes of Albrighton, Fuchs, Mendy before December but as time goes on those players become less effective too.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, peach0000 said:

Todays result wasn't inevitable. Football is about dreaming. Sorry for not being pessimistic!

Not really my point pal. I meant in one day we’ve had threads with people saying we’re in a title race to people getting worked up about finishing 7th or below. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...