What would you do to sort this mess out?

[winteriscoming]

Start Kolo instead of Vesty. 
Would definitely be quicker. 

[Kilworthfox]

48 minutes ago, turtmcfly said:

 

Call me a pessimist, but I don't think a tactic that relies on a solid, well-drilled defence is an optimal choice currently. 

 

Giving them less to do (for me via a strengthening of the midfield) would be a better option imo

 

 

I suppose we could have them fanning about with the ball instead, against an opposition that actually presses from the front unlike ourselves. 

 

I'd literally take any change in tactics as I'm bored or Brendanball. 

[kingfox]

10 minutes ago, Arriba Los Zorros said:

Doesn't work against teams that come for a point, or all 3 using the same tactics themselves though does it...

Let’s just continue to get dicked then, because if we keep going for this same approach without Evans, then our defence is just going be a continued mess.

 

Brendan said we need better structure, only way I see us getting better structure, is if he opts for a more defensive approach and counters, exactly like we saw in a few games last season which ended up being successful.

[Ric Flair]

36 minutes ago, glenny_fox said:

Our pressing game has completely changed to what it was. our whole team has dropped probably 20 yards back and we no longer press as a team, which is inviting a lot of extra pressure onto us.

 

in possession our attacking triangles seem to have completely vanished, and once one of players passes the ball there is no quick movements forward to find that space to receive the ball back. Everything is just far to slow and passive. 

 

also, play both Ricardo and Castagne... even when they aren't fully on their game, they offer far more than Bertrand has demonstrated so far. Oh and get Vestergaard some boots that have wheels on, so he can at least outpace a Tortoise.

This. The fact we no longer press really annoys me. It was counteracted last season by being a little more pragmatic and looking to hit teams on the counter but in reality against other teams that want to counter we'd spend a lot of team passing the ball about at the back and up the other end let teams bring the ball out and maintain the shape they want. We are still so good when we do it at forcing errors in the final 3rd and pouncing on them, that should be our game but it seems the injuries and European football have made Brendan deem it not possible.

[StriderHiryu]

 

Just now, Ric Flair said:

This. The fact we no longer press really annoys me. It was counteracted last season by being a little more pragmatic and looking to hit teams on the counter but in reality against other teams that want to counter we'd spend a lot of team passing the ball about at the back and up the other end let teams bring the ball out and maintain the shape they want. We are still so good when we do it at forcing errors in the final 3rd and pouncing on them, that should be our game but it seems the injuries and European football have made Brendan deem it not possible.

Ideally this is how we should go back to playing, but as you say we get the impression the coaching team don't think it's possible to play that way with the number of games we have this season. Which means...

 

5 minutes ago, kingfox said:

Let’s just continue to get dicked then, because if we keep going for this same approach without Evans, then our defence is just going be a continued mess.

 

Brendan said we need better structure, only way I see us getting better structure, is if he opts for a more defensive approach and counters, exactly like we saw in a few games last season which ended up being successful.

This. Go back to basics and make the team hard to beat. Vardy and Nacho know where the back of the next is regardless of who is selected. If teams want to high press us... let them. And simply play the counter attacking game that worked so well for us in 15/16.

 

Focus on getting a clean sheet. Brendan can take a leaf out of Claudio's book and offer to take them out for Pizza if they do it! 0-0 against Man United is better than another 2-2 or 1-1 because it might get some confidence back among the back 4.

 

[Lambert09]

I’m not sure even big Sam could fix this defence 

[turtmcfly]

6 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

 

Ideally this is how we should go back to playing, but as you say we get the impression the coaching team don't think it's possible to play that way with the number of games we have this season. Which means...

 

This. Go back to basics and make the team hard to beat. Vardy and Nacho know where the back of the next is regardless of who is selected. If teams want to high press us... let them. And simply play the counter attacking game that worked so well for us in 15/16.

 

Focus on getting a clean sheet. Brendan can take a leaf out of Claudio's book and offer to take them out for Pizza if they do it! 0-0 against Man United is better than another 2-2 or 1-1 because it might get some confidence back among the back 4.

 

 

If Simpson, Huth, Morgan and Fuchs can do it (with Kante in front of them), then there's no reason why... oh

 

[Arriba Los Zorros]

24 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

 

Ideally this is how we should go back to playing, but as you say we get the impression the coaching team don't think it's possible to play that way with the number of games we have this season. Which means...

 

This. Go back to basics and make the team hard to beat. Vardy and Nacho know where the back of the next is regardless of who is selected. If teams want to high press us... let them. And simply play the counter attacking game that worked so well for us in 15/16.

 

Focus on getting a clean sheet. Brendan can take a leaf out of Claudio's book and offer to take them out for Pizza if they do it! 0-0 against Man United is better than another 2-2 or 1-1 because it might get some confidence back among the back 4.

 

Brendan won't do this though, he's a front foot manager, or at least a purist in liking passing football. And once again, it doesn't work when you have the minnows like Burnley, Norwich and Spurs rocking up with the bus parked in front of the goal.

 

I'd rather get tonked on the road a few times but be able to beat the division's dross rather than 0-0 every week, home or away.

[Happy Fox]

https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/leicester-city-premier-league-brendan-rodgers-tactics-1232952
 

Interesting article hits home what some of us have conveyed 

[kingfox]

Just now, Arriba Los Zorros said:

Brendan won't do this though, he's a front foot manager, or at least a purist in liking passing football. And once again, it doesn't work when you have the minnows like Burnley, Norwich and Spurs rocking up with the bus parked in front of the goal.

 

I'd rather get tonked on the road a few times but be able to beat the division's dross rather than 0-0 every week, home or away.

He has done this though and it worked, if he wants structure then he might have to adopt this approach again, certainly in the short term, especially if Evans remains out.

 

You look at our run of fixtures up until November, Man Utd, Brentford, Arsenal, Leeds, plus cup games in between, these teams don’t look to park the bus. As I said in my original post, he opted for a more defensive approach against Leeds & Arsenal away last season, we got six points.

 

Allowing these teams to have the ball, press them, then counter attack has paid off in the past.

 

We can’t allow ourselves to be open, play basketball matches against these sides and continue to get dicked, if Brendan continues with what we’ve been seeing recently, then it will be bye bye.

[cruzFOX]

BACK TO BASICS PLEASE for the love of god!

When Rogers first came to us I really thought our new way of playing was two-fold ie we play this new purposeful possession based BUT fast and direct football but when we need it we can revert back to our dangerous tried and tested defend & counter attack style we became legendary for. Now I know we don't have Kante' or Mahrez anymore or Huth and Wes but surely we can still find a way to play that way?

 

Anyway, what's needed now is a big change in mindset. Players have to be read the riot act and step up their game all of them! They have to be woken up rudely to the fact that everything they have worked so hard for previously will be for nothing if they don't get back into the game and start chasing for top 6. Show some ambition and some hunger. While the mental coaches are working on sorting them out Rogers really needs to come up with a solid plan that the players can follow to the T. Doesnt have to be complicated just simple. Fortify our defense (take your pick on players/formation) Keep their shape. Vardy and Kells up front to cause mayhem which leaves this hole in the middle currently and all we can do is say to our midfielders is to work their bloody socks off for a few months. Until we get reinforcements its down to them. Yes it will be tiring and difficult but they are needed badly to step up. Siege mentality us against the world of doubters so lets prove them wrong - drop the sexy football and lets get ugly and hard to beat.

 

 

[blueharmie]

High press and counter. 

 

Need to address the defence. Ricardo and Tim must start. 

Very unsure what can be done with cags and vesty at the back as we dont have any other options. 

 

Once thats sorted, we need to stop playing slow backwards and sideways football and ffs put some more effort in from midfield. 

 

 

[Vazman]

1 hour ago, turtmcfly said:

 

Call me a pessimist, but I don't think a tactic that relies on a solid, well-drilled defence is an optimal choice currently. 

 

Giving them less to do (for me via a strengthening of the midfield) would be a better option imo

 

 

Exactly this.

 

Then I'd be having a serious debate about injuries, and why so many, then how we get these injured players fixed and in form better than we are. I appreciate some are unavoidable, and some take longer to get back to form due to the nature of the injury, but this seems to be, at least, a good reason why our team is not balanced and playing as well as they could.

 

Then as a pick me up and a team bonding session make them all watch Gordon, Gino and Fred, I like many others, are on a bit of a downer but watching their new series cheered me up no end.

[sacreblueits442]

2 hours ago, tickler28 said:

100% agree that Nacho and Vards have to start....how that happens and how we set up is anyones guess but for what its worth this is how I would lineup....the diamond has to return!!

 

Schmeichel 

 

Ricardo

Evans

Soyuncu

Bertrand

 

Hamza (bottom of diamond)

Castagne (Right of diamond)

Soumare (left of diamond)

 

Tielemans (point of diamond)

 

Vardy

Nacho

 

Yes I've pushed Castagne into midfield on the right....a position he is more than capable of playing.....I've got Tielemans higher up with less defensive duties and kept Nacho and Vards up top.

 

Thoughts?

 

 

 

 

 

 

....Youri is not great playing in that #10 role!!!

Castagne, if I recall was unhappy at being shunted around at his previous club and coming here was to fulfil a specific role. With the quality in the United team we look pretty lightweight with this personnel and set up. This will be a war of attrition and we need to get the basics right before we start to address our attack.

   A solid backline with four infront and Vardy as the lone striker is what we need to apply. We cannot play United in a formation (Diamond) that we rarely use, as a team, bereft of confidence can only hope to give some kind of account for themselves, in a system they do not believe in.

[An Sionnach]

31 minutes ago, Arriba Los Zorros said:

Brendan won't do this though, he's a front foot manager, or at least a purist in liking passing football. And once again, it doesn't work when you have the minnows like Burnley, Norwich and Spurs rocking up with the bus parked in front of the goal.

 

I'd rather get tonked on the road a few times but be able to beat the division's dross rather than 0-0 every week, home or away.

Spurs are not minnows, they have two of the best forwards in the world and I would argue that no premiership team is a pushover. We are going to have no easy matches this season, not one.

[blueharmie]

Cant we get big wes Morgan back to teach them how to defend and lead on the pitch. 

 

 

[Corky]

Ricardo and Castagne both playing. Iheanacho in the eleven alongside Vardy. Barnes getting back to his best. Maddison back in the New Year form.

 

We're getting out of this by attacking the problem.

[FoyleFox]

3 hours ago, EastAnglianFox said:

Get the old band back together as defensive coaches. 

 

Put Huth, Wes, Simmo and Fuchs through the coaching badges ASAP and get them to sort our current shower out. 

 

 

Sod the coaching, ask 'em to play instead.

Pace might be an issue, but could they be any worse...

[stillwater]

Get rid of the leaky Southampton defence !! Why buy shite that let in goals for fun at Southampton, no surprise we now look weak at the back

[Sunbury Fox]

4 hours ago, filbertway said:

4 2 3 1

 

Schmeichel

 

Ricardo

Amartey

Soy

Castagne

 

Soumare

Tielemans

 

Lookman

Kel

Barnes

 

Vardy

 

If we've got the ball at the back and we're being pressed high, then go long, hit Lookman and Barnes in the channels.

 

If the opposition is sitting deep get the ball out wide and have Ricardo/Lookman and Castagne/Barnes overloading out wide and get crosses into the box. When we do this with intent and the opposition clear it, we tend to have possession of the ball very quickly again.

 

Press high and as a team and try and kill the game before before the half time whistle has gone, like the good old days.

 

 

This is basically the formation we played on Sunday - and even Palace totally overran our midfield. If we want to play a front 2 we need 3 in midfield - either a 352 or 4312. Quite like the idea of using the formation that Rodgers used at Liverpool with Lookman or Barnes in behind the front 2. Until Wilf returns, I would go for a midfield 3 of Soumaré,  Youri and KDH. Still hopeful that Jonny will be back for the next game, in which case I would play a back 4 of Ricardo, Evans, Soyuncu and Castagne. 

Edited 5 October 2021 by Sunbury Fox

[StriderHiryu]

1 hour ago, kingfox said:

He has done this though and it worked, if he wants structure then he might have to adopt this approach again, certainly in the short term, especially if Evans remains out.

 

You look at our run of fixtures up until November, Man Utd, Brentford, Arsenal, Leeds, plus cup games in between, these teams don’t look to park the bus. As I said in my original post, he opted for a more defensive approach against Leeds & Arsenal away last season, we got six points.

 

Allowing these teams to have the ball, press them, then counter attack has paid off in the past.

 

We can’t allow ourselves to be open, play basketball matches against these sides and continue to get dicked, if Brendan continues with what we’ve been seeing recently, then it will be bye bye.

Great post! Yep we counter attacked Man City, Arsenal and Leeds last season and won all 3 games. At home when we tried to beat Arsenal and Leeds at playing "proper" football, we lost both games. So with the team hideously out of form and leakier than a sieve, it wouldn't be a bad time to try the counter attack again.

 

Ironically out of all these teams only Man U and Spartak Moscow will be the ones to sit in against us. The others will look to play. 

[tickler28]

Sign Paulinho and Mangala

[Pliskin]

I agree with those suggesting a more counter attacking based style, as it is a good style to adopt, particularly when you’re struggling like we are.

 

We did actually see signs of this prior to falling apart in the first half at palace, perhaps we afforded them a little too much possession, and our press wasn’t as aggressive as it could be, but I think Rodgers is genuinely that worried about the defence (which begs the question why sign Jannic?).

 

For me it is simple case of hitting the reset button and looking at the fundamentals of the game. When the chips are against you, you can’t pray for luck, you have to engineer a different way of playing, and this is that time.

 

I’d be looking at potentially this type of formation.

 

 

                     GK

 

         CB       CB      CB 

RWB                              LWB

                     CM

          CM                CM

 

                             SS

                 ST

 

 

Unfortunately a return to a back three, why? because we simply need to reinforce the defence, if we’re happy to relinquish possession slightly then we can look to sit a little deeper, but it means that if Jannic has to play, there’s no need to let him be isolated.

 

The two wing backs would supply most of the attacking threat, perfect for counter attacking football, and by adding in a deeper CM it means you’ve got that extra cover, can be Hamza if needed, as he could be deployed to literally press in that position, go after the ball and disrupt the oppositions play. 
 

The two other CM you’d have your ball player, and your drive and a second body to press/counter, so essentially trying to emulate the Kante & Drinkwater partnership with three players. 
 

The second striker role would replace the ten, it also means Kelch can play too to support Vardy.

 

Difficult to leave Lookman out, not so much Barnes at the moment, but it gives you options  from the bench. 
 

We need to be playing a way that hopefully will yield results, and in my opinion this is the best way to try. 

[Bellend Sebastian]

I think it's 80% mental, and that's not an easy thing to sort.

 

Tweaks to formations and line-ups don't seem to make much difference at times when the self-belief looks to be lacking.

 

It seems that City in recent years, and this predates Rodgers either seem to be riding a crest of a wave form-wise or in a protracted spell of being a bit crap, whereas other sides give the impression of having shorter peaks and troughs.  I've put it down to the relative youth of the side of late but WHAT DO I KNOW

[TrentFox]

This is a great question/thread. I suspect most of us are pretty disillusioned with the quality of football on offer, presently. But I also suspect most of us accept that a lot of the contributing factors are beyond immediate control - namely, injuries and form. Given what can be impacted, the options for change are not great. Benko playing ahead of Vesty is just nonsense. So I’d go for a simpler philosophy of getting more of our better players on the pitch at the same time. That means Nacho and Vardy start - as a two up top. That then determines everything else. Similarly, Timmy and Ricky start. It’s then just a case of 2 or 3 at the back. Three for me, given how porous we look. So that’s Dan added to Soy and Vesty. Just leaves three in the middle. Right now, Youri starts. We have nobody better. Either side of him? 🤷. Soumare has to be given a run and looks good in patches. The other spot? Either Lookman as a 10 or we toss a coin between Madders and Perez. And yes, I know……. you don’t have to say it   - that’s the reality of where we are at 🤷