Evolution of Leicester

[deep blue]

1 hour ago, murphy said:

I'm not sure how it can be considered long ball when we had one of the best midfields outside of the top six in Lennon and Izzet.

 

 

Not forgetting Savage 

[worth_the_wait]

What amuses me with some of our fans, is that no matter how many times you try and tell them, they think that if you're not playing a "possession based game" ... then it's somehow "long-ball" or "hoof-ball".

 

There's a whole spectrum ranging from the less direct (slowly roll the ball around the back of your defence, until you lose it) to a more direct (close your eyes, and hoof it aimlessly down the pitch).   Football constantly evolves with a 101 different styles and nuances, often re-trying the same basic things after a period of time.

 

I remember the very successful Bayern Munich team of the mid 1970's had a much slower possession-based game.  I'm pretty sure the tactic was basically the same as today, but they just used different terms to "breaking the press", or "inverted fullbacks" or whatever.   Then as time went on, teams worked out how to beat this possession-based game, so it changes again.  And so on.

 

FWIW - in the last 50 years, the only teams that really adopted a long-ball/hoof-ball game (mixed in with a lot of physicality) were Wimbledon and Cambridge Utd, in the last 80's to mid 90's.

 

[Foxaholic ME]

5 hours ago, worth_the_wait said:

What amuses me with some of our fans, is that no matter how many times you try and tell them, they think that if you're not playing a "possession based game" ... then it's somehow "long-ball" or "hoof-ball".

 

There's a whole spectrum ranging from the less direct (slowly roll the ball around the back of your defence, until you lose it) to a more direct (close your eyes, and hoof it aimlessly down the pitch).   Football constantly evolves with a 101 different styles and nuances, often re-trying the same basic things after a period of time.

 

I remember the very successful Bayern Munich team of the mid 1970's had a much slower possession-based game.  I'm pretty sure the tactic was basically the same as today, but they just used different terms to "breaking the press", or "inverted fullbacks" or whatever.   Then as time went on, teams worked out how to beat this possession-based game, so it changes again.  And so on.

 

FWIW - in the last 50 years, the only teams that really adopted a long-ball/hoof-ball game (mixed in with a lot of physicality) were Wimbledon and Cambridge Utd, in the last 80's to mid 90's.

 

Surely Watford did  under T

[Foxaholic ME]

1 minute ago, Foxaholic ME said:

Surely Watford did  under Taylor

 

[OnlyOneCity]

English teams were a long way from playing the total football of the 70s that Ajax played. Bill Shankley once said that English fans wouldn’t want to watch the slow build up of play which the European teams played. It has taken managers like Wenger and  Guardiola to make this revolution. The playing out from the back between.the keeper and defenders, who takes some perfecting. I don’t think the idea is to keep passing amongst themselves until the keeper comes under pressure and boots it upfield. It took  Man City a few years to get it right. City’s team of the 90s won us trophies. A team with Izzett, Parker and Guppy, would not need to resort to “hoofball”.

[worth_the_wait]

32 minutes ago, Foxaholic ME said:

Surely Watford did  under T

A fairly direct style, yeah.   Although they had some good talent like John Barnes, and Nigel Callaghan (other winger) ... so i don't think they were quite in the Wimbledon/Cambridge league.

[fuchsntf]

On 27/02/2024 at 21:38, Sly said:

I know not everyone likes this style of football.
 

They would rather watch a basket ball game that is end to end. That’s great to watch, however it doesn’t give consistent results.  
 

As a system, how Enzo has sets us up, will lead to far more consistent results in the longer term, as we can dictate the play more with this style. 

 

To all the people stating “why don’t we smash it long”, typically speaking, if you do that, it’ll be coming straight back at us and we just conceded possession. Lose control of the ball, drop deeper as we are pressed  and lose games. 

 

The other team can’t score, if we have the ball. This style wears out teams, We are evolving to what ever Rodger’s was trying to do. 
 

Enzo has had less that 40 games with this team. Squads take time to develop and that will take several transfer windows to get the quality of players we’d ideally like. As the squad develops, we’ll get better squad players that are more comfortable and better with this style. 

 

The players are learning not just how to technically play this game but tactically as well. Some will be able to play this system, some won’t. The ones that won’t, will either be sold or allowed to leave. We will replace with people who can play this system.

Enzo is learning on the job as well. In game management, players he can trust, who he can’t etc

 

Trust the process and give Enzo time to develop this team. He’s special and Rome wasn’t built in a day. He’s learning, we’re learning and the players are as well. We’ve done a remarkable job picking up the pieces from the mess that Rodger’s left. 
 

We will be fine long term, we just need the rebuild in the summer with what hopefully helps us transition back into the Premier League. 

 

Let’s get behind Enzo.

 

Let’s get behind this team. 

Let’s be the 12th man at the King Power. 

 

Let’s give them the support they deserve and get us over the bloody line in the next 12 games. 
 

Enjoy the Enzo evolution!  

So simple,but so diiicult to get this top post..

into everyone’s mindset..I am 70 next Saturday,

from day one I enjoyed & welcomed the idea,

though I needed @StriderHiryu and the Enzos

tactical video to put the rubber stamp on convincing me.

Even consistent “hospital pass” retry situations,backpass to

move oppo players out of position,slow or fast transitions,

planned and not just goofball or hoofball.I have become

not slowly but quickly a fan. This in turn gives you from life’s experience

a massive trust in patience and allow the ball ( system) roll a long way.

Each week in detail,against the Fanstrom & consistent questions …

Enzo picked up the guantlet and solved 99%

of that gameday selection and tactic…Even games lost,or pts dropped,

We created better chances & movement,without me even  trying to be bias…

but like us  the oppo deserve credit for thwarting our chances..

Enzo gives us the right thought process,,,

Its football it happens…We go again.

 

I said from the beginning,I don’t know why,but he gives me confidence,

that this new approach & system will achieve its goals.

Another thing, this is not a Pep Gardiola system,but Enzo version with

his ideas.What he is doing is of his own nature & charcter,obviously

he will be thankful for his apprenticeship with PeP.

But  LCFC is Enzos’s case and baby…

System, Enzo ideas needs patience & encouragement

,it’s still in its infant stage, it will be evolving & developing

while rolling along.Errors mistakes will happen,

sofar they are few & far between…

There is movement,situations & routines he will repeat to try and improve

the squads dynamic…occasional disaster,but he see the value.

 

 

 

[Foxmeister]

It's interesting that those who despise this pragmatic style saying they want more exciting games are also those who do their pieces after a game like Leeds which could barely have been more entertaining.

[Dahnsouff]

On 27/02/2024 at 20:38, Sly said:
 

….

Enjoy the Enzo evolution!   Enzolution

It was right there, it was looking right at you, wanting you to type it, you let it slip. Heartbroken.

[fuchsntf]

17 hours ago, worth_the_wait said:

What amuses me with some of our fans, is that no matter how many times you try and tell them, they think that if you're not playing a "possession based game" ... then it's somehow "long-ball" or "hoof-ball".

 

There's a whole spectrum ranging from the less direct (slowly roll the ball around the back of your defence, until you lose it) to a more direct (close your eyes, and hoof it aimlessly down the pitch).   Football constantly evolves with a 101 different styles and nuances, often re-trying the same basic things after a period of time.

 

I remember the very successful Bayern Munich team of the mid 1970's had a much slower possession-based game.  I'm pretty sure the tactic was basically the same as today, but they just used different terms to "breaking the press", or "inverted fullbacks" or whatever.   Then as time went on, teams worked out how to beat this possession-based game, so it changes again.  And so on.

 

FWIW - in the last 50 years, the only teams that really adopted a long-ball/hoof-ball game (mixed in with a lot of physicality) were Wimbledon and Cambridge Utd, in the last 80's to mid 90's.

 

I wouldn’t disagree,and fair points,Dortmund/Bayern with Hitzfeld,but years before

dutch teams plus a few others played various versions of “pure football” which it never was. Top English clubs before PEP most didn’t play hoofball,a mixture of

possesion, or fast transition ,it suited some & not others..With another group of players Rodgers might of been successful

 

Enzo has just given us a new system and platform,with his new ideas to change

our clubs style. What’s made it succeed is that every squad player left on our steps

after loans wanted & took to our system.Even Souttar,suprises me he hasn’t been given more gametime because of his willingness to stay…

Anyway Enzo immediately had effect,his results vibrated through the corridors of the club & quickly got the squad on his side,

and earlier on, some players had their hands slapped,

then returned with more fervour

 

Just that Faes/Vesty Coady/Nelson seemed to have Enzo’s main eye & trust..

Ditto to other positions,and they have all payed back,

not one selection choice has failed.

From the old gunnies to bringing in young guns from Academy or out of the market

Fatawu/Cannon/Akgun plus loanees. Despite impatient OTT moans from fans

on 19-22 yr olds finding their feet with new teammates & system.

Though we are/were gobsmacked on the incredible turn around of our onfield

achievements,because of 3 other teams also turning out long consistent positive runs, though earlier 98% of fans would of been happy with play-off

(maybe even Enzo’s thoughts & idea) we have now reached that EOS run time,that will decide  2 teams bragging rights..Enzo has given & put us to be fair in a position

club and fans were not expecting,his system has already proved it’s worth,but it’s fate will be measured and held high if or when players performing within the system

b rings the championship title cake home,

by twist of cynicism some fans & pundits will be now dissapointed with 2nd..

 

Whatever the outcome Enzoball ,system & ideology hasn’t failed,it pulled this club out of the gutter and stopped immediately fans fears of slipping into twighlight-zone of years of struggles. A new version of possession football with method

has given LCFC meaning,the future hurdles will test to see how long our new era lasts,and can this Enzo version of system with tweaks achieve the phases,the fans will be begging for…like one the antique shows,fans by nature..always want more.

[tinpot_fox]

49 minutes ago, fuchsntf said:

 

 

Enzo has just given us a new system and platform,with his new ideas to change

our clubs style. What’s made it succeed is that every squad player left on our steps

after loans wanted & took to our system.Even Souttar,suprises me he hasn’t been given more gametime because of his willingness to stay…

Anyway Enzo immediately had effect,his results vibrated through the corridors of the club & quickly got the squad on his side,

and earlier on, some players had their hands slapped,

then returned with more fervour

 

 

The academy players won us the early matches and the system tired out the opposition to win us games. Just so many players took the gauntlet and ran with it, superb.

Now the system is evolving with Faes and Vesty making runs when a pass isn’t on but space has opened up, Coady finding players at a distance.

 

On 28/02/2024 at 11:13, Spudulike said:

I don't think they'll be many contracted players moving elsewhere (unless free's or loans) in the summer as clubs seem to be frit about getting docked points. The next transfer window is likely to be very quiet. 

 

Won’t clubs being frit about being docked points mean they want to sell players and get their own books balanced?
 

On 28/02/2024 at 12:01, davieG said:

I'd have thought there'd be quite a few changes, this team needs some improvement if we go up. Surely selling players under contract who are not in Enso's plans will only help with FFP.

 

Yes, I agree and FFP fears for other clubs may actually see a lot players being attempted to offloaded all round.
 

On 28/02/2024 at 17:48, worth_the_wait said:

Out of curiosity ...

 

Which of the 90's seasons did you think the style of football was turgid?

 

Most people seem to remember the 4 playoff finals, 2 promotions, 3 League Cup Finals and 2 League Cup wins ... along with a passion that we can only dream of now ... with great affection.   

 

Not quite sure the fans would've got so worked up, if the football was "turgid".

 

 

I love Martin O’Neill and all the success, great to watch football. But from what I’ve heard it was more of an uplifting team talk that brought results when things were going badly than tactical twinges. “We’re losing, get more stuck in lads!”. Last fifteen minutes of the match spent in opponents third of pitch was always a joy to watch, I didn’t see it as turgid at the time but I can see that other might.

[fuchsntf]

30 minutes ago, tinpot_fox said:

The academy players won us the early matches and the system tired out the opposition to win us games. Just so many players took the gauntlet and ran with it, superb.

Now the system is evolving with Faes and Vesty making runs when a pass isn’t on but space has opened up, Coady finding players at a distance.

 

 

Won’t clubs being frit about being docked points mean they want to sell players and get their own books balanced?
 

 

Yes, I agree and FFP fears for other clubs may actually see a lot players being attempted to offloaded all round.
 

 

I love Martin O’Neill and all the success, great to watch football. But from what I’ve heard it was more of an uplifting team talk that brought results when things were going badly than tactical twinges. “We’re losing, get more stuck in lads!”. Last fifteen minutes of the match spent in opponents third of pitch was always a joy to watch, I didn’t see it as turgid at the time but I can see that other might.

O’Neill didn’t just pump up his team.. He tweaked and changed tactics,

used & moved Parker,savage,Izzet slightly around,within games,Lennon tended to be the solid mainstay. And who can forget 2 of the great moves of his era,

moving /using both Walsh on occasions and Mat Elliot top defenders to strikers.

 

I suppose we loved first his touchline emotions and the pumping up of the side,that in football after 100+years still works,but Martin would tactically set up teams,also changes & tweaks  them in midflow…I mean those 4 midfielders mentioned were quite a force. 

[Gamble92]

Hands up who read the title and expected a gammon to be moaning about how no one on his Mountsorrel bus has a Leicestershire accent

[Sunbury Fox]

On 01/03/2024 at 10:29, worth_the_wait said:

FWIW - in the last 50 years, the only teams that really adopted a long-ball/hoof-ball game (mixed in with a lot of physicality) were Wimbledon and Cambridge Utd, in the last 80's to mid 90's.

I think Dyche teams are the closest to this kind of football these days. I'm amazed how many times Pickford wellies it down the pitch to the big man up top so that Everton can pick up second balls. In the home game against them last season Pickford was launching balls into our penalty area from free kicks just inside the Everton half! And he was doing this in the first half, not in desperation at the end of the game.

[Sly]

 No right or wrong way to play football.

 

We just adopt a style that:

 

* Wears opponents down.

 

* Retains the ball, you can’t concede if you have it.

 

* Takes calculated risks.

 

It’s that simple. 
 

We will only get better as we get add in players that are comfortable with this style.