LCFC V Villa Post Match

[ozleicester]

Ive seen more boring matches than that one... but then that was because i watched them rather than fall asleep.

[Babylon]

Does anyone enjoy going down anymore? That game just typifies everything at the minute. I’m completely bored of it.

[Dan]

11 minutes ago, Babylon said:

Does anyone enjoy going down anymore? That game just typifies everything at the minute. I’m completely bored of it.

I've found this league campaign even worse than Puel.

[Ted Maul]

29 minutes ago, Babylon said:

Does anyone enjoy going down anymore? That game just typifies everything at the minute. I’m completely bored of it.

Think my last home league game was Spurs. Don't feel like I've missed anything other than my money. Can't tell if it's apathy towards the team or modern football in general. 

[CrispinLA in Texas]

We've seen with Burnley that when an authoritarian father figure goes, the players feel free and get unleashed and want to play goal scoring football. 

Just like kids want to play all night long......with our players they can't wait till the final whistle blows so they can run down the tunnel with only Kasper last one off applauding the fans

[The Year Of The Fox]

3 hours ago, Babylon said:

Does anyone enjoy going down anymore? That game just typifies everything at the minute. I’m completely bored of it.

After Roma , I’ll have done more European away games this season than home league games 😂

 

I swear if they were playing on my back garden I’d close the curtains.

 

Genuinely feel for anyone lumbered with a ST at the moment 

Edited 24 April 2022 by The Year Of The Fox

[Bptiger]

Our attack has gone on holidays , daka couldn’t score in a brothel with a bag full of money . Barnes like wise , it all seems to go pear shape once we get near there box ( no pun indented ) gee we need to buy some creative midfielders who can hold the ball and play what’s in front of them rather than just pass it for the sake of it . 

[foxinsocks]

8 hours ago, iancognito said:

The modus operandi (or whatever the latin for "stuff to achieve" is) for any manager of this club is for us to compete at the top end of the table and regularly challenge for European places.The two previous seasons he's done that. This season because of injuries it's not gonna be that way but the focus is the Cup Winners Conference Cup. If we don't win that, next season we have no european games to affect us mentally, physically or injury-wise. At that point, Rodgers has absolutely nowhere to hide. If he gets off to a bad start like this season, he won't make it to Christmas. With Tv payments paying off the ground extension and European qualification needed to attract better players, he'll be under huge pressure to get it right.

Its not going to work is it.   He wont be happy until we keep the ball for 90 minutes in our own half  (nil nil).  

[phoneticerror]

43 minutes ago, The Year Of The Fox said:

After Roma , I’ll have done more European away games this season than home league games 😂

 

I swear if they were playing on my back garden I’d close the curtains.

 

Genuinely feel for anyone lumbered with a ST at the moment 

I’ll take two of those STs if anybody feels burdened 

[phoneticerror]

9 hours ago, Bert said:

Also I still can’t believe the “ref” let Ashley Young move Madders free kick 5 yards back from where he was fouled  

Terrible ref. One of Villas corners was taken from about an inch off the line as well. Tosspot.

Edited 24 April 2022 by phoneticerror

[The Year Of The Fox]

2 minutes ago, phoneticerror said:

I’ll take two of those STs if anybody feels burdened 

I reckon loads will become available this summer.

 

It’s cheaper to go to Soho for something equally as painful (or so I’m told) 

[Harpenden Fox]

4 hours ago, Babylon said:

Does anyone enjoy going down anymore? That game just typifies everything at the minute. I’m completely bored of it.

There have been plenty of frustrating performances this season for sure. Do I still love going down the City? Bloody right I do. These last ten seasons or so have been bloody magnificent. Full of thrills and spills. We will have a rare nothing to play for end of league season, but an exciting European semi-final to play for. 

[phoneticerror]

14 minutes ago, The Year Of The Fox said:

I reckon loads will become available this summer.

 

It’s cheaper to go to Soho for something equally as painful (or so I’m told) 

I hope you’re right. Been a crap season, but the atmosphere could potentially be better next season if the jaded ST holders don’t renew.

[Chelmofox]

11 minutes ago, phoneticerror said:

I hope you’re right. Been a crap season, but the atmosphere could potentially be better next season if the jaded ST holders don’t renew.

Yup. Would happily take some if people feel overburdened.  Couldn't get there yesterday but Palace and Brentford were great days out with some excellent goals scored. 

 

We know it's been a difficult season, and we aren't playing the finest stuff, but in terms of home form we've lost once at home this calendar year (i know it was a game that we should have won!) and we aren't far off where West Ham and Spurs are in terms of home form. Not bad for a terrible year. 

 

It should be better, and i think it will be better. If you look at that mid tier in the league everyone has been hugely inconsistent. Spurs can look like Liverpool for a few games, and then have successive games with no shots on target. Brighton can be everyone's favourite for a while and then lose 5 games in a row.  Arsenal can lose 3 in a a row and then wallop Man U. Apart from the top 2, its been a strange year for everyone.

 

For me, this year has only ended up suiting clubs with squads who can effectively rotate 2 teams who are pretty much better or equal to any other teams 1st 11. That's Man City and Liverpool. We do not have a rotatable midfield, so the fixture congestion has killed us there. Our midfield have played 4 games in 10 days, and one of those was an Amazing away fixture in Eindhoven.

[phoneticerror]

6 minutes ago, jamesp26 said:

Yup. Would happily take some if people feel overburdened.  Couldn't get there yesterday but Palace and Brentford were great days out with some excellent goals scored. 

 

We know it's been a difficult season, and we aren't playing the finest stuff, but in terms of home form we've lost once at home this calendar year (i know it was a game that we should have won!) and we aren't far off where West Ham and Spurs are in terms of home form. Not bad for a terrible year. 

 

It should be better, and i think it will be better. If you look at that mid tier in the league everyone has been hugely inconsistent. Spurs can look like Liverpool for a few games, and then have successive games with no shots on target. Brighton can be everyone's favourite for a while and then lose 5 games in a row.  Arsenal can lose 3 in a a row and then wallop Man U. Apart from the top 2, its been a strange year for everyone.

 

For me, this year has only ended up suiting clubs with squads who can effectively rotate 2 teams who are pretty much better or equal to any other teams 1st 11. That's Man City and Liverpool. We do not have a rotatable midfield, so the fixture congestion has killed us there. Our midfield have played 4 games in 10 days, and one of those was an Amazing away fixture in Eindhoven.

And let’s not forget that we managed to BEAT Liverpool at the KP this season. My favourite win of 2021.

[Pliskin]

4 hours ago, Babylon said:

Does anyone enjoy going down anymore? That game just typifies everything at the minute. I’m completely bored of it.

I have questioned it. But I don’t want to waste the £30odd my season ticket would lose. I think if we **** the ECL I’ll probably call it for this season and let some of the younger family go. Yesterday was absolutely tragic. 

[East Langton Fox]

The only positive from that was a clean sheet!

[PAPA LAZAROU]

15 hours ago, Sir Shep said:

Well its a clean sheet, keeping the ball stats good, lots of positives, be careful what you wish for, its only a young squad, villa have great players and manager, we are in a european semi so dont be entitled......

Erm no they don't have a great team or players. lost 4 on the bounce before us and looked like a  mediocre struggling prem outfit. No Coutinho next season and will do well to progress any further than what they have.

[CUJimmy]

Certainly not the best in terms of entertainment but as, others have said, after half-time it looked like the priority was to ensure that nobody got injured.  Vards got a few minutes into his legs too so I am expecting him to start on Thursday.

 

I thought we started with a fair bit of intent but, as has happened a few times, we seem to get put off by niggly fouls, holding etc.  KDH was a particular focus of attention which is only going to happen more as other managers see how important he is to us.  Mendy has been the epitome of calm since he returned from AFCON but even he got frustrated after half time hence the laughable yellow card.  We need a nasty fecker in there at times which is the extra dimension Wilf can bring.

 

My main worry though is that we look toothless up front.  When we have been at our best over the past couple of years we have been working the ball into the channels with crisp passing (usually involving Youri and Madders) for Vards and Harvey to chase.  Having overlapping full backs, especially Ricci P gives an additional option from the same starting point.  My problem with Daka is that he seems to stand still waiting for the ball rather than continually making runs to provide a target for the creative players.  Vardy does this brilliantly, probably 8/10 of his runs are not seen/used but the other 2 usually lead to a chance.  Either way it always pulls a defender out of position which Daka does not do.

 

This suggests to me a 4222 set up with Mendy/Wilf alongside KDH as CDM, JM and YT further advanced to provide the link to the strikers with RP and JJ/TC providing width.  Too often Youri has to come back for the ball or KDH has nobody available in front of him.  Everyone who has played the game is taught that the ball moves faster than the man, especially if that man is Youri!

 

In other news the bloke in front of me in the chippy had chips, gravy and a pineapple fritter on the same tray.  Now that really is indefensible 🤮

[SouthStandUpperTier]

Just watched the 2 minute 'highlights' video the club put up on its YouTube channel. Don't envy the poor sod who had to put that together.

 

There really isn't much of an excuse for not playing a more expansive game in these remaining league games. I get that there are varying amounts of prize money dependent on league position, but even taking this into consideration I think we'd be better served just going for it.

[East Langton Fox]

5 hours ago, Babylon said:

Does anyone enjoy going down anymore? That game just typifies everything at the minute. I’m completely bored of it.

I’m all the years I’ve been watching City I’ve seen a lot worse than that. Yesterday was turgid but Thursday is the game to focus on and avoiding injury was a priority.

[Sir Shep]

31 minutes ago, PAPA LAZAROU said:

Erm no they don't have a great team or players. lost 4 on the bounce before us and looked like a  mediocre struggling prem outfit. No Coutinho next season and will do well to progress any further than what they have.

Irony lost on you i see! 

[deep blue]

10 hours ago, Supergray22 said:

It was a poor poor game but I thought the team selection given the circumstances and the set up were fine. Subs were ok. The players just weren’t quite on it  today especially on the offensive movement. We seemed to lack urgency and the invention we have been showing at our best recently. Positives - no injuries reported and a clean sheet. Put it behind us and look forward to Thursday. 

Given the importance of Thursday's match, I fail to understand why KDH wasn't rested.  His energetic play has become pivotal to our game.  The last thing we want on Thursday is for him to be jaded or not be able to last the 90.

[SouthStandUpperTier]

1 minute ago, deep blue said:

Given the importance of Thursday's match, I fail to understand why KDH wasn't rested.  His energetic play has become pivotal to our game.  The last thing we want on Thursday is for him to be jaded or not be able to last the 90.

Rodgers said in his pre-match presser that Saturday-Thursday gives them a decent enough recovery period.

[HighPeakFox]

Did all players manage to avoid injury? If so, job done. They won't admit that all focus is on Roma, but I suspect that's the case, and it's pretty understandable at the late stage too.