Do we run enough?

[An Away Move]

Don we run enough?
I seem to remember Moyes saying that before he took over West Ham they were one of the poorest in the league at running. Now look at them.
Last nights game was infuriating for me, as have been a few recently. Is my observation correct that our attack for some reason is simply not running enough to provide enough movement for midfield and defence to pass to?

77% possession last night with two shots on target. That might be because the opposition sat as a low block, but I still didn’t see clever movement so the ball just got recycled over and over and quiet slowly. Only Cags seemed to show urgency trying to push the ball forward with little success. 
Iheanacho, rather than trying to find space comes for the ball and it often bounces off him. Would prefer to see him dart about. 
Apologies if this post is too much about last night’s game. Trying to ask a question about a more general point. We offer barely any movement up top. Is that Rodgers or the players? It’s doing my head in.  

Edited 5 November 2021 by An Away Move

[Fox92]

Our movement is shocking. A lot of the attacking players seem to wait instead.

I think it's often why we see the centre backs with the ball and not knowing what to do with it other than pass to each other.

[An Away Move]

2 minutes ago, Fox92 said:

Our movement is shocking. A lot of the attacking players seem to wait instead.

I think it's often why we see the centre backs with the ball and not knowing what to do with it other than pass to each other.

Exactly this. It’s the lack of movement up top that is linked to the slow backward passing. It is SO obvious. The fact it hasn’t been addressed has me questioning Rodgers. Why isn’t he doing anything about it? 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

I feel that we think we're too good to be doing the dog's work nowadays. 

 

That comes purely from the manager unfortunately.

[An Away Move]

Leicester’s blue print for success is recent years was perhaps less the counterattacking football and more about urgency and speed. When we absolutely needed to win in the Great Escape season we did because we attacked like our lives depended on it. We stumbled onto a style that we built upon. Remember Claudio’s ‘Red Arrow’s’?

It’s perfectly possible to be a possession based team and have a nimble and fast attack that offers space and movement. We’re not even trying at present. 

Edited 5 November 2021 by An Away Move

[volpeazzurro]

1 hour ago, An Away Move said:

Don we run enough?
I seem to remember Moyes saying that before he took over West Ham they were one of the poorest in the league at running. Now look at them.
Last nights game was infuriating for me, as have been a few recently. Is my observation correct that our attack for some reason is simply not running enough to provide enough movement for midfield and defence to pass to?

77% possession last night with two shots on target. That might be because the opposition sat as a low block, but I still didn’t see clever movement so the ball just got recycled over and over and quiet slowly. Only Cags seemed to show urgency trying to push the ball forward with little success. 
Iheanacho, rather than trying to find space comes for the ball and it often bounces off him. Would prefer to see him dart about. 
Apologies if this post is too much about last night’s game. Trying to ask a question about a more general point. We offer barely any movement up top. Is that Rodgers or the players? It’s doing my head in.  

I think you're entirely right but 352, as we play it, is partly to blame. In the ideal world, wing backs afford the width to help stretch the opposition. In the real world, we don't have any real wing backs but stubborn Brendan persists in playing it! With Castagne and Bertrand, all that really happened was that they managed to clog the midfield more often than not and instead of creating space and stretching the opposition, there was merely a porridge of players playing short balls but gaining little ground or having much effect on an organised but very get attable Spartak defence.

 

We saw it against Arsenal, we saw it again last night and Rodgers has strangled us with it for months now. For some reason, 'elite' and 'Rodgers' doesn't trip off the tongue for me. 

[iancognito]

The front 3 last night were static. No-one creating a space for others or going more than 5 yards to be a target for a pass. Soumare retains the ball and is a good screen but last night was a classic example of how we miss Ndidi sitting deep. When we don't have Barnes or Ricardo running in behind we have zero penetration at all, especially when Nacho is having one of those days where he can trap it further than I can kick it.

But my biggest issue isn't the running, it's the first instict being to look over the shoulder and knock it backwards instead of looking for something forwards.

[The boy Linacre]

Almost no off the ball movement ever, haven't seen it for months or at least a season or two.

I know loads love Jonny BUT as the crux he just moves the ball way too slowly ALWAYS, then runs out of ideas and then goes long and gives it away.

We aren't fun to watch, probably 2 good performances this season United & Moscow A, and in both we were a car crash defending.

 

[Mike Oxlong]

Sometimes I wonder if this is our coaching blueprint 

 

[TheFiveTime]

the three at teh back two at top can work if we can isolate their cb's with our strikers to go two on two. However, if they just sit back and do nothing then it can be quite limiting and if they play five ala bournmouth then we can't isolate defenders it doesnt work. Need to consider a mix of 5 and 4 at the back depending on who we are playing

[Dan]

There does seem to be this delusion that if we keep the ball long enough the chances will roll for us a bit like Man City. We're a very ordinary side from a creativity point of view though, very much below average based on the amount of the ball we do actually have.

[Arriba Los Zorros]

1 hour ago, Dan LCFC said:

There does seem to be this delusion that if we keep the ball long enough the chances will roll for us a bit like Man City. We're a very ordinary side from a creativity point of view though, very much below average based on the amount of the ball we do actually have.

We have creativity and creative players, we're just not prepared to take risks. We absolutely have the players with the intelligence, quality and technique to make runs and pass in triangles and then break through defensive lines this way, but Brendan is shit scared of these moves breaking down and the other team having the chance to run out our defence, which is why we instead see this static sideways crap and having to score the perfect goal to get anywhere.

[escape2victory]

In a word, No ! In other threads we are debating tactics and the merits of a back 4 or a back 3, but until we actually start running and sprinting, having the desire to match the oppositions runs, and out run and outwork the opposition, then it doesn’t really matter what formation you play.

 

 

[CosbehFox]

It's a good question this as there was a part of the Brentford what I enjoyed far more as a better workmate, teamwork and grit - looked like an anomaly now 

[CosbehFox]

18 minutes ago, escape2victory said:

In a word, No ! In other threads we are debating tactics and the merits of a back 4 or a back 3, but until we actually start running and sprinting, having the desire to match the oppositions runs, and out run and outwork the opposition, then it doesn’t really matter what formation you play.

 

 

Don't think that proves too much in all honesty. 

 

You have a team in 19th who are way over achieving. 

The 18th team are top of the table. 

The 14th team are in the top four. 

1st, 5th and 6th are having dreadful seasons. 3rd are underachieving substantially. 

[dmayne7]

1 hour ago, The boy Linacre said:

Almost no off the ball movement ever, haven't seen it for months or at least a season or two.

I know loads love Jonny BUT as the crux he just moves the ball way too slowly ALWAYS, then runs out of ideas and then goes long and gives it away.

We aren't fun to watch, probably 2 good performances this season United & Moscow A, and in both we were a car crash defending.

 

We're a much better side with him have to agree with this. The most infuriating player when we're losing as he just stands on the ball and dithers on the ball in injury time.

[An Away Move]

6 hours ago, escape2victory said:

In a word, No ! In other threads we are debating tactics and the merits of a back 4 or a back 3, but until we actually start running and sprinting, having the desire to match the oppositions runs, and out run and outwork the opposition, then it doesn’t really matter what formation you play.

 

 

I knew it! Make me manager!

[Wolfox]

Did anyone else spot Castagne’s runs yesterday?  It was generally Evans drifting it in to him running diagonally into the box…. Was quite effective and created some good opportunities…  I think they tried it 7-8 times with varying success 

 

Need more of the same

[drofmor55]

Soumare was tracking back almost half heartedly against  Sparta Moscow and it led to their goal. He also failed to to keep with his man at the corner that led to Arsenal's first goal. The intensity of the Premier League is on another level to the French League and he needs to step up in this department.

Remember when Raineri dropped Mahrez to the bench v Norwich for not tracking back early in the title winning season, it sent a message to everyone in the team. You can almost excuse Mahrez with his talent, but lesser mortals not 

[sacreblueits442]

13 hours ago, Sol thewall Bamba said:

I feel that we think we're too good to be doing the dog's work nowadays. 

 

That comes purely from the manager unfortunately.

...I can't believe that is right!!!

I believe it comes from the manager but not that we are too good to do the hard work. The manager dictates how we play, he sets the agenda and knows what is going to happen on game time. if our intensity is low, it is because he has failed to get his idea across and if he can't sort this he gets players in who does what they are told. he has to lay the law down.

Edited 5 November 2021 by sacreblueits442