Tactics Under Maresca

[davieG]

4 hours ago, Unabomber said:

I thought that clique was Maddison kdh Thomas barnes? 

Who decided that ?

[volpeazzurro]

1 hour ago, davieG said:

Who decided that ?

Certainly with the first 3 they were always out together socially for a start.

[bmt]

8 hours ago, davieG said:

Erm KDH, Ndidi, Vardy, Nacho, Ricardo, Faes etc were all part of the clique and all were less then convincing. Enzo has revived them from their stupor.

What clique you weirdo

[ChrisFilter]

3 hours ago, bmt said:

What clique you weirdo

There was lots of talk of cliques at the club last year. Distinct groups who’d sit separately in Seagrave. Like something out of a US high school drama.
 

Maddison’s Creek. Except none of them were Pacey. 
 

Geddit? I’ll get me coat. 

[davieG]

Surely the clique thing is missing the point anyway they were all party to a lack of effort and caring about the club enough to put in the effort to keep us in the PL, granted Rodgers wasn't helping. Enzo has shown what some motivation and commitment can do to a player and I'm sure he could have got the best out of any of them.

 

Anyway this is drifting off the topic so I'm out of this chat.

[StriderHiryu]

Leicester City 2 - 0 Stoke City Post Match

 

 

A very routine game this one. Stoke turned up and parked the bus even more than Preston North End did, which is saying something. This game was over after 24 minutes. Even if somehow they equalised, it was only going to end one way.

 

 

^ Here are our average pitch positions for the day, it's crazy how high our CBs pushed up to join in with the play.

 

• Stoke parked the bus from minute one, spaces were at a premium.
• The key man for Leicester was Jannik Vestergaard. He's had the most touches of any Leicester player this season, but today he was able to push up so high he almost took over from Winks as the Regista of the team.
  • He was inching his way patiently up the pitch, at times playing just outside their D!
  • He was controlling the pace of play, as well as the angle of attack. He was clever at pushing / probing the ball down one side, so either he or someone else could switch to the other side to open up the game.
  • He also played a number of great through balls to our attackers.
• We played a really patient game, looking to create high quality chances. This was shown with the first goal where around 7 of our players were involved, the attack was sustained and shifted from left to right, back to the middle and through.
• Ricardo deserves a lot of credit. It's said on here a number of times that we miss his maruading runs, but when teams turn up and park the bus, his clever use of the ball and through balls have opened up teams. He did it with a blind pass against Preston and did something similar again.
• Overall, over the last two games, Enzo Maresca shows his absolute class and coaching ability. His tactics systematically open up deep blocks and make space. Everything is controlled, so there's no need to rush the play. The control also means that teams are reduced to almost no chances against us at all.
  • On paper it looks like he has created the most dominant Championship team of all time. The game against Ipswich will be really interesting as they seem like the only team that will be able to give us a proper game. Hull beat us, but that was a lucky victory.

 

Move of the Match

 

 

^ This is Enzo Maresca's brand of football at it's absolute finest!

 

• Look at how high our centre backs push up. Vestergaard gets to within 25 yards of the opposition goal WITH the ball.
• EIGHT players are involved in this move.
• Ricardo who starts the game as a right back, ends up in a number 10 position to put through an incredible goal. @Raj take notice
• Look at the way we shift the Stoke City defensive block around during all phases of this move. We move it to the right, then back, then to the left, then centrally.
  • Look at where the Stoke players start off, and where they end up moving to. This is not possession for possession's sake, this is like a game of Chess where we are moving their pieces around to setup checkmate.
• Look at how pivotal Vestergaard is in this move. He's had the most passes of any player in the Championship. But it's not pointless passing like Puel / Rodgers, look what he's doing with it.
• Ricardo's pass is simply sensational, the run from Iheanacho timed to perfection.
• The finish is superb.
• When the goal is scored, Stoke have NINE outfield players in their own box, plus their keeper and we still score.

 

I think this might be the best team goal we've scored in a long, long time. And that's because this is relatively early in the game against a super deep block and we broke them down systematically because of great coaching. A beautiful goal!

 

 

 

Edited 7 October 2023 by StriderHiryu

[Lillehamring]

On 05/10/2023 at 00:26, Aleksz said:

Slight tweak to the in possession shape tonight for the first half - Ricardo playing in an advanced area along with KDH and Ndidi. 
 

Enzo mentioned on RL that they sprung a bit of a tactical surprise on him, think he obviously expected them to turn up with a back 5 and so wanted to go 6 (Mavididi, Ndidi, Vardy, KDH, Ricardo, Fatawu) vs an expected back 5… so maybe expect to see that again when the next back 5 low block team rock up at the KP.

 

Normal service resumed once we tweaked and Ricardo dropped back alongside Winks second half. Much more control, and it showed. 
 

But nice to see Enzo had something new up his sleeve nonetheless.

 

 

 

PS. Not having a left footer in that back three is killing the fluidity a bit in possession, but we’re riding it out. 

I noticed that Coady seemed to be playing a lot of passes with his left foot - certainly he looks much more comfortable than JJ or Hamza.  

 

I feel like we could do a lot worse than faes/JV/coady until doyle returns.

[tom27111]

3 minutes ago, Lillehamring said:

I noticed that Coady seemed to be playing a lot of passes with his left foot - certainly he looks much more comfortable than JJ or Hamza.  

 

I feel like we could do a lot worse than faes/JV/coady until doyle returns.

 

Still think he'd be better up front 

[ronnup]

I really like our style of play, maybe I'm a pervert 

[Aleksz]

15 minutes ago, Lillehamring said:

I noticed that Coady seemed to be playing a lot of passes with his left foot - certainly he looks much more comfortable than JJ or Hamza.  

 

I feel like we could do a lot worse than faes/JV/coady until doyle returns.

Coady is right footed, also don’t see Maresca wanting him to play wide CB too often because of his lack of pace to defend out wide when caught on the break - which I think is the whole thinking behind converting Hamza to play there. 

[StriderHiryu]

Move of the Match

 

 

^ This is Enzo Maresca's brand of football at it's absolute finest!

• Look at how high our centre backs push up. Vestergaard gets to within 25 yards of the opposition goal WITH the ball.
• EIGHT players are involved in this move.
• Ricardo who starts the game as a right back, ends up in a number 10 position to put through an incredible goal.
• Look at the way we shift the Stoke City defensive block around during all phases of this move. We move it to the right, then back, then to the left, then centrally.
  • Look at where the Stoke players start off, and where they end up moving to. This is not possession for possession's sake, this is like a game of Chess where we are moving their pieces around to setup checkmate.
• Look at how pivotal Vestergaard is in this move. He's had the most passes of any player in the Championship. But it's not pointless passing like Puel / Rodgers, look what he's doing with it.
• Ricardo's pass is simply sensational, the run from Iheanacho timed to perfection.
• The finish is superb.
• When the goal is scored, Stoke have NINE outfield players in their own box, plus their keeper and we still score.

 

I think this might be the best team goal we've scored in a long, long time. And that's because this is relatively early in the game against a super deep block and we broke them down systematically because of great coaching. A beautiful goal!

 

If anyone ever asks you "What is Leicester's / Maresca's style of play?", show them this move.

 

 

Edited 7 October 2023 by StriderHiryu

[StriderHiryu]

 

This is a textbook Man City / Guardiola goal. A cutback-from an inside-run from one of the attacking 8's. You see this type of goal scored by Man City, Arsenal, Burnley and now us.

• Compress play in one half of the field.
• Switch the ball out to the opposite winger who is totally free.
• They play the ball into the half-space.
• The 8 attacks the half-space and cuts it back.
• Either the striker, other 8, or other winger will be attacking the box to score.

A great example of a well rehearsed attacking pattern of play. It's also a good showcase of how with system football you can make decision-making easy for players. Fatawu doesn't need to try to be a hero, neither does Ndidi, it's simple one touch football that is very hard to defend against.

 

[BrianSwan]

Fascinating to see what your team will look like in the Prem under Maresca.

 

Surely will average 55+ % possession judging on this.

[tom27111]

2 minutes ago, BrianSwan said:

Fascinating to see what your team will look like in the Prem under Maresca.

 

Surely will average 55+ % possession judging on this.

Remind me what % we won the league with?

 

I think there was only one game we had more possession 

 

You find a way to make it work.

[BluethroughtheMiddle]

Amazing run of form and completely dominating the league, the quality of our players and the managers tactics is so nice to see after last years nightmare.

 

But..

 

Have we actually faced anyone who hasnt parked the bus yet apart from Liverpool?

 

Would like to see how we deal with attacking teams this season in prep for next.

[CloudFox]

2 hours ago, BluethroughtheMiddle said:

Amazing run of form and completely dominating the league, the quality of our players and the managers tactics is so nice to see after last years nightmare.

 

But..

 

Have we actually faced anyone who hasnt parked the bus yet apart from Liverpool?

 

Would like to see how we deal with attacking teams this season in prep for next.

Southampton, for starters. We picked them apart.

 

Norwich weren't overly defensive from what I can remember. Coventry were also fairly willing to get forward, if I remember correctly?

 

We've already faced a few of each approach—park the bus or attack us—and with each passing game we're improving how we respond. We're going to have lots of practice with breaking down bus-parking tactics, but the beauty of our style of play now is that, in theory, teams attacking us just makes it easier for us to score.

[Raj]

10 hours ago, ronnup said:

I really like our style of play, maybe I'm a pervert 

Your a wrong un!!!😁

[FOXSE]

3 hours ago, BluethroughtheMiddle said:

Amazing run of form and completely dominating the league, the quality of our players and the managers tactics is so nice to see after last years nightmare.

 

But..

 

Have we actually faced anyone who hasnt parked the bus yet apart from Liverpool?

 

Would like to see how we deal with attacking teams this season in prep for next.

Southampton, Blackburn?

[coolhandfox]

@StriderHiryu interesting that Casadei (7) average position is deeper then Ricardo's (21) and Winks (8).

 

That's has to be tactical.

 

Edited 8 October 2023 by coolhandfox

[Chrysalis]

On 07/10/2023 at 03:52, bmt said:

What clique you weirdo

Read an article where has said Enzo has ended the cliques sitting in own groups in canteen and stuff.

[StriderHiryu]

4 hours ago, coolhandfox said:

@StriderHiryu interesting that Casadei (7) average position is deeper then Ricardo's (21) and Winks (8).

 

That's has to be tactical.

 

There was an interview with him post match where he said he had “to work hard in the middle of the pitch” so maybe you’re right. Personally I think it’s more that Enzo challenged him to get more involved in the game. I can’t think of a tactical reason for him to drop given the way Stoke played. 

[Matt]

13 hours ago, BrianSwan said:

Fascinating to see what your team will look like in the Prem under Maresca.

 

Surely will average 55+ % possession judging on this.

 

13 hours ago, tom27111 said:

Remind me what % we won the league with?

 

I think there was only one game we had more possession 

 

You find a way to make it work.

That's fine by me.

 

Better than 70% going nowhere like last season and beyond.

 

Fwiw, I think we'll probably have around the 60% but actually be useful with it (Hopefully) as opposed to possession for possession sake as we'd become accustomed to in the Premier League.

 

Edited 8 October 2023 by Matt

[coolhandfox]

21 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

There was an interview with him post match where he said he had “to work hard in the middle of the pitch” so maybe you’re right. Personally I think it’s more that Enzo challenged him to get more involved in the game. I can’t think of a tactical reason for him to drop given the way Stoke played. 

Definitely something for him to be that deep as one of our 8s 

 

 

[fuchsntf]

9 hours ago, BluethroughtheMiddle said:

Amazing run of form and completely dominating the league, the quality of our players and the managers tactics is so nice to see after last years nightmare.

 

But..

 

Have we actually faced anyone who hasnt parked the bus yet apart from Liverpool?

 

Would like to see how we deal with attacking teams this season in prep for next.

Said a couple of games ago…We kept saying wait until…

Well.Soton,Norwich,Preston,Blackburn  earlier Coventry,now a Stubborn Stoke…

We faced We won.

 

Lets play stupid.. 4 teams come along and attack more than those fore mentioned teams..We won’t lose all 8 games ( home + away).

I don’t see us imploding,maybe a couple of clipped ears results. but even now,

this squad,Enzo & system have found a successful  Formular.We just have to see first how far they can evolve then push & compete for top 2 positions in the championship,that will then develope into a PL side,but that’s for later..

Let’s enjoy what this season brings

[UniFox21]

On a much simpler view; it's refreshing seeing how well drilled the side is. Everyone knows their role, where they should be, the runs they should make etc. 

 

Many of the examples highlighted above, the one touch stuff all comes from each player knowing almost by muscle memory where their team mate is going to be.