The Enzo Thread

[Nod.E]

1 hour ago, Corky said:

I think whatever he did would be futile as they had an extra man and potentially another 30 minutes with extra subs available if required. We cannot afford more injuries too.

 

I would have gone for it but chucking attackers on leaves more space for them. Damned either way, really.

As usual, football fans concentrate on outcome rather than the root cause (the guy you're replying to).

 

You're right, once we went down to 10 our chances were tiny, but people are analysing how we performed once down to 10.

 

The problem was in how the red came about, and why we looked wide open all afternoon.

 

Our players are being asked to press so high, all game long. We don't pick our moments, we just press, press, press. 

 

It's why teams cut through us like butter, because once you beat that press you're up against our slow back line. Too easy.

 

It's also probably we concede so many late goals at the moment. Pressing all game means that we're goosed by the end of the game. 

 

We need to return to what worked for us for most of the season, which was controlling the ball and working it from the back. 

 

I'm most disappointed that it appears Enzo has caved to our moronic fan base. 

Edited 17 March by Nod.E

[st albans fox]

1 minute ago, Nod.E said:

As usual, football fans concentrate on outcome rather than the symptom (the guy you're replying to).

 

You're right, once we went down to 10 our chances were tiny, but people are analysing how we performed once down to 10.

 

The problem was in how the red came about, and why we looked wide open all afternoon.

 

Our players are being asked to press so high, all game long. We don't pick our moments, we just press, press, press. 

 

It's why teams cut through us like butter, because once you beat that press you're up against our slow back line. Too easy.

 

It's also probably we concede so many late goals at the moment. Pressing all game means that we're goosed by the end of the game. 

 

We need to return to what worked for us for most of the season, which was controlling the ball and working it from the back. 

 

I'm most disappointed that it appears Enzo has caved to our moronic fan base. 

I assume our recent move to be a little more direct at times has come whilst our confidence has dropped and opposition coaches developing a better way of pressing us. (And that we’ve found ourselves chasing games).    The fact that we actually managed to play quite a few passes today reflected that Chelsea often didn’t bother to press high and that the players may be a little more resilient than we think.  

[Tielemans63]

21 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

We don't actually have enough fit full backs though. He's fcuked us.

 

Maybe he could go 3-4-3 and play Albrighton and Justin but otherwise what we got?

I honestly think 3 at the back is worth a try with the personnel we have currently. I'd be in favour of the 3-4-3 you've suggested. At least give it a crack. 

[JimmyC74]

1 minute ago, Tielemans63 said:

I honestly think 3 at the back is worth a try with the personnel we have currently. I'd be in favour of the 3-4-3 you've suggested. At least give it a crack. 

I also think 343 could work for us but, Enzo has shown little sign he is willing to change. Hopefully Ricky P will be back after the break.

[Paninistickers]

Said it on numerous occasions, that if you gave, for example, Mark Robins the players that Enzo don't like (or has limited game time), he'd get us very close to going up

 

Stolarcyk, Hamza, JJ, Souttar, Coady, VK, Kels, Praet, Cannon and Yunus (who I both don't rate)....all would make his Cov team. 

[winteriscoming]

I’m waiting for his Rodgers type assessment  - the beauty is that it’s in our own hands. 
Worryingly I just think his approach tactically will continue in the same vain. 

[HighPeakFox]

2 hours ago, Kopic said:

Yeah well I called Brendan out when we hired him, beat that.

I called Brendan out when he was born.

 

I used to dream of living in a corridor....

[weller54]

1 hour ago, HighPeakFox said:

I called Brendan out when he was born.

 

I used to dream of living in a corridor....

I called Brendan out when Mr Rodgers said to Mrs Rodgers 'do you want to come upstairs '? ..

 

[HighPeakFox]

19 minutes ago, weller54 said:

I called Brendan out when Mr Rodgers said to Mrs Rodgers 'do you want to come upstairs '? ..

 

You tried to veto their Rodgering. 

[Jimmy]

6 hours ago, Corky said:

I think whatever he did would be futile as they had an extra man and potentially another 30 minutes with extra subs available if required. We cannot afford more injuries too.

 

I would have gone for it but chucking attackers on leaves more space for them. Damned either way, really.

maybe so but he needs to come up with another plan for this situation, it will come up again and going to a back 5 doesn't work

[Royston.]

I feel Maresca would demand blind faith from players and fans but will he stick around for another season of championship football with reduced quality of players to play his system?

 

Not a criticism  ok guys (or Enzo, if you're reading)

 

 

[5waller5]

7 hours ago, Kopic said:

Yeah well I called Brendan out when we hired him, beat that.

I called it when we were interviewing him

 

I’ve just got to the end of the thread and now realise I wasn’t early enough.
 

Hats off to those that called it when Mr Rodgers took Mrs Rodgers out for a nice meal.

Edited 17 March by 5waller5

[Tom12345]

9 hours ago, dylanlegend said:

The way he set us up for this game ( and others against decent teams) is pretty much suicidal. 
 

I’ll give him the benefit of doubt but he needs to learn this and come up with a Plan B. I was actually quite happy to see Vesty up front at the end as it showed we wasn’t just trying to do the same old like every other game 

Unfortunately he didn’t have Souttar. He could play Crouch for us.

[Dan LCFC]

You can't even use defensive solidity as an argument for it now. We look pretty awful at the back - almost last season bad.

[Tom12345]

At this stage of the season it may be too risky to change tactics or formation, although it would have been good if Enzo has a plan B which does not involve passing backwards and defending.

 

It is noticeably a big issue now for us to create chances and carve teams open. I would hope Enzo can let his team play freely a bit in the final third.  Too often we get into good positions on the counter, catching the opposition out of shape and then we pass backwards. The biggest culprits these days are: Hamza (he often does not even look forward), and Mavididi (he was always going for it before but he must have got told too many times to “make better choices” and as a result he has become too hesitant). Unfortunately, their positions mean that they often ruin play.  KDH tries to be the creative outlet but he really needs to learn how to pick the perfect weight and angle of his final pass (just like how Maddison struggled in his first 2 or so seasons here but he came through in the end). So at this stage, unfortunately given the way Enzo has focussed only on one tactic, we have to work on these “smaller” things but things that affect the mentality massively. Just stop telling them to worry about making mistakes and pass forward. Better lose the ball trying then passing backwards and then lose the ball anyway which we do very often these days.

 

Also, Enzo needs to pick the right players. Hamza is not a good IRB. He is too negative when going forward and is just not good enough like Ricardo is. I rather he uses Albrighton. At least he can make those long range passes - at the moment, only Faes and Vesty are doing that but they are bloody centre backs! Why not send our best long range passer on the pitch to make those passes! By the way, Albrighton can’t be much worst than Vesty when it comes to defending.

 

Also, Yunas is obviously ineffective in this formation as a RW. If he comes on, why not slot him in instead of Winks or KDH.

 

Also, why not try something different player wise and move Mavididi to the right and play Albrighton on the left some times? I don’t think Fatawu plays well on the left. We are now too predictable for the opposition so even though we don’t know another formation try using different players then?

Edited 18 March by Tom12345

[Number 6]

10 hours ago, Dan LCFC said:

You can't even use defensive solidity as an argument for it now. We look pretty awful at the back - almost last season bad.

This is the major issue I think. The whole keeping the ball, and not overcommitting to counter attacks is in theory to protect us at the back. Without that solid foundation I think it falls apart a bit. Might as well be a bit more gung ho in attack.

[winteriscoming]

He’s even sounding more like Rodgers. Going on about identity being more important than winning. Fvck identity. What does that even mean?? Start winning again. 

[Sol thewall Bamba]

I still think he's great but he needs to deliver now. Probably on an absolute wedge so time to earn it.

 

Up against a manager who's won this league the last two times he's managed in it too. 

[inckley fox]

If you accept that there is such a thing as a side becoming predictable, then you have to imagine that playing roughly the same eleven in exactly the same shape and with exactly the same build-up play throughout a season would leave you vulnerable to it.

 

This was always my concern with Enzo, but on the other hand you could say that he was tasked with doing just that. It's possible that the board felt too many compromises on their preferred approach had been made over time, with us turning back to Pearson, then Shakespeare in 2017. Or Ranieri/Rodgers initially being tasked to play 'hybrid' systems which evolved towards more possession-based approaches, as opposed to an abrupt introduction, and frequently adding players, even later on, (Daka, Souttar etc.) who fitted our old, not our preferred new identity. Then you have us lurching back for Shakespeare all over again at the death. Perhaps they felt that we needed to be unflinching in our approach this time round, if we were ever to convincingly rebrand ourselves. In that case, you have to say that Enzo has shown he can do pretty well with that remit, even if the logic behind it is questionable.

 

But it just seems too easy to set up against. If you lob the ball down one flank there won't be a RB. Down the other, you have a slow LB. Down the middle, you'll have a high line with two slow CBs and not too much pace from the DCM either.

 

I accept fully that there a whole load of other things going on. Poor decisions. Poor defending as a team; not closing down quickly enough or, perhaps, not winning enough of our 50-50s. Missed chances. Injuries. Background noise at the club and so on. I also accept that you can have the sort of build-up play that Enzo favours and be successful, even in trying to come up from this level. However, would it really hurt to at least address the aspects of our shape which sides are exploiting game-in-out? Do you always need the inverted RB? Couldn't you try rejigging things, given that we have a disproportionate number of our best options at CB and CF? I mean, we play four wide players, and only really have 5-6 options in those roles that Enzo is willing to explore. We play two 8s, and there are only two credible options. On the other hand we play two CBs despite six very credible options, and one CF with four. Is there a chance that our insistence on one set-up is depriving us of the options to keep things fresh? Or are these guys warming the bench just overrated and crap?

 

I also understand that there are a whole load of nuances in Enzo's plan A which are inventive and interesting. Yet a master tactician, for me, isn't someone who does precisely the same thing come what may. He's done a fine job up to now within those limits, but I just don't see much of a future for it. If Enzo becomes a great manager - and he may well - he'll have more strings to his bow by that point than he does currently.

[Richmondfox]

19 hours ago, JimmyC74 said:

I also think 343 could work for us but, Enzo has shown little sign he is willing to change. Hopefully Ricky P will be back after the break.

While Enzo has done an amazing job, other managers have changed tactics to improve but we’ve gone backwards.
 

I hope he is back as we have missed his drive starting attacks. He won’t change the system to fit the players available and thinking Hamza can play like Riccy has worked against us.

 

The same with tactics, he won’t adapt to the situation which has cost us. There’s no point constantly play walking football to the halfway line, letting the opposition park the bus and then blast balls into the forward to try and flick to KDH who is crowded out with his back to goal. 
 

We need Justin, KDH & Stephy attacking quickly. The same with Abdul.  

[Clever Fox]

I've every faith in Enzo, Though to play his defensive system with continued success you need players who are quick runners to cover the spaces. That sadly is something we dont have.

 

Putting extra numbers back there usually ends in getting in each others way as well as reducing out attacking threat.  

 

There's nothing wrong with going long at times especially if defenders leave space in behind. But you also need someone who can hold the ball up top too.

 

That's been our problem for a few seasons now and why Rodgers also failed by not signing a proper CF. ( old style CF )

 

If I were Enzo I'd be trying out Coady and Vesty up top in training and see who offers more and the other plays CB. Then I'd play one up top just to win the Ball and create for others.

Vardy or Kelechi or Cannon. seem the most suited to playing the support role.

 

That to me is about the only thing different we haven't tried which I understand, but we're at the business end of the league now where results are cructial to have success.

I don't care how crude it might look if it works. it's all about points now. Then revert back to the plan in the Summer with more suitable personnel signed who have pace as well as ability.

[m4DD0gg]

If he isnt willing to change it or at least implement a plan B then we wont get promoted.

 

That in itself should be grounds for gross misconduct.

[BertFill]

2 hours ago, Clever Fox said:

If I were Enzo I'd be trying out Coady and Vesty up top in training and see who offers more and the other plays CB. Then I'd play one up top just to win the Ball and create for others.

I get what you're saying, but I will be beyond amazed if Maresca suddenly abandons everything he believes in and starts lumping it forward to a big man up front.

[Mendi]

[filbertway]

3 hours ago, Clever Fox said:

I've every faith in Enzo, Though to play his defensive system with continued success you need players who are quick runners to cover the spaces. That sadly is something we dont have.

 

Putting extra numbers back there usually ends in getting in each others way as well as reducing out attacking threat.  

 

There's nothing wrong with going long at times especially if defenders leave space in behind. But you also need someone who can hold the ball up top too.

 

That's been our problem for a few seasons now and why Rodgers also failed by not signing a proper CF. ( old style CF )

 

If I were Enzo I'd be trying out Coady and Vesty up top in training and see who offers more and the other plays CB. Then I'd play one up top just to win the Ball and create for others.

Vardy or Kelechi or Cannon. seem the most suited to playing the support role.

 

That to me is about the only thing different we haven't tried which I understand, but we're at the business end of the league now where results are cructial to have success.

I don't care how crude it might look if it works. it's all about points now. Then revert back to the plan in the Summer with more suitable personnel signed who have pace as well as ability.

Vesty and Coady's duel/aerial stats are fairly poor for centre backs, especially Coady. May as well be pinging balls up to a scarecrow.