Leicester 1-0 Sunderland Post Match Thread.

[fuchsntf]

13 hours ago, Noahfence said:

Wow that was bad. I really thought we were going to batter them after 10 minutes. 

Well we were looking good for 10 minutes,

then decided to go in training mode..

Defence against attack….it worked , great coach in black,kept giving attack the best

options,then suddenly gave defence the last descision,just to see how the attack

would react…..then said “time for showers lads”..

[Chelmofox]

11 minutes ago, The whole world smiles said:

Funny because I was following the Ipswich game on the BBC's live text whilst watching our game and when it was 2 all, at about 80 minutes, they were saying that Ipswich had been poor and Bristol are unlucky to be drawing, they should be winning.

 

So I guess Ipswich won their game with a good spell in the last 15 minutes and we won our with a good spell in the first 15 minutes. Not sure whats so drastically different between the 2 sides?

I also watched the end of the Leeds game and Stoke were all over them and had a cracking chance to equalise right at the end. Ipswich supporting mate said they were terrible for most of the game and ground their way back into it. That 3rd goal sums everything up with them. 

 

I think all teams are feeling it - you just feel it more as a fan.

[Thequickbrownfox]

On a slightly off topic note Jamie Vardy reached 300 career club goals last night.

Stocksbridge Park Steels - 55

Halifax - 28

Fleetwood - 34

Leicester - 183

[OnlyOneCity]

9 minutes ago, Chelmofox said:

I also watched the end of the Leeds game and Stoke were all over them and had a cracking chance to equalise right at the end. Ipswich supporting mate said they were terrible for most of the game and ground their way back into it. That 3rd goal sums everything up with them. 

 

I think all teams are feeling it - you just feel it more as a fan.

Good thing we won as negativity would have been off the scale. For the vast majority of the season we have dominated teams and until yesterday were top goal scorers. Yes we look to be struggling to keep getting the points and last night ‘s win , no matter how unconvincing, was crucial. Let’s worry about next season in the PL, when we get there. The ref. last night was poor but what a relief to know that when he said no penalty, we knew there wouldn’t be a check. Another tough match on Saturday, but right now, I’ll settle for another scrappy win. Up the City

[Tom12345]

14 hours ago, Muzzy_no7 said:

We’ve stopped the rot.

 

Good win but my God that was absolutely awful.

 

Substitutions and in game management once again terrible. 

If we don’t want to be “terrible” then please do not do “game management”. It is the exact reason why we are terrible and develop a loser mentality.

[LCFCJohn]

Obviously results are the main thing now so big positive to get back on the board with a win and get over the 80 point mark.

 

Also after a string of defeats, it is probably unrealistic that we had come back with a Stoke away like dominant performance and hammering of a scoreline.

 

However, we need confidence back and the performance was so poor it won’t really have helped in that regard. It’s fair to say only a handful of sides including Sunderland we’d have got away with that based on either those teams being awful or in shocking form themselves. Against most teams in the league we’d have likely been punished and folded again. 
 

We are very much in a position of putting our hopes on this international break and Ricardo and Ndidi being back properly. 
 

It’s just a shame after how good we have looked earlier in the season, to be looking like if we do get over the line, we’ll have staggered not swaggered over it and the momentum that we would have took into next season. 

[fuchsntf]

13 hours ago, Guppys Love Child said:

I echo that my friend.

 

I've never liked EnzoBall from day one due to its boring nature when implemented. We are treated to for 97% of any match, a laborious pass fest. (Yes, yes I know why we do it, but it's still BORING AS FU*K to watch..)

 

I think it's also safe to say unlike Man City who's style Enzo borrows heavily from, we are not anywhere near master's of EnzoBall yet ( it would be interesting if a journalist in the next press conference asked him for a revised evaluation of how close to his idea of 90 to 100% compatencey we actually are?)

 

Enzo's stubborn inflexibility in wanting passing and control regardless of situation or match time is why we are inviting pressure in the final 10mins (especially when the opposition is loosing and chasing for a draw). 

 

He's slowly falling in to the '"doing the same thing over and over again and hoping for a different result" trap and it will be his downfall.

 

For an EnzoBall type of system to truly work it needs a better calibre of player than what we have at our disposal or in truth ever being able to obtain, and even with promotion and realistic investment within the means of our club we won't survive in the Premiership and succumb to the same fate as Burnley if we continue to play the same way.  (Our current performances against inferior championship opponents is testimony to that)

 

Enzo has to adapt, adjust, and re-evaluate his / the  current playing style, as we have slowly been found out by our opposition. At the moment it's not working, and hasn't been working for the last few matches...

As the league table now shows this and also the videos of the matches we can all rewatch prove this to be the case as well..   

it’s not working,because again major injuries have hit in..

in 2 major positions…B.line and No8, because also has you mentioned

the quality ( in cover) is not there…but 

No8 position and inverted FB which, Ndidi,Ricardo,Praet,Akgun,Justin,Mcateer

( Choudhury can’t rotate..heavy games in his legs)

Then potential backup have not even got off the starting block..Alves ,Braybrooke..

plus a Vestergaard 2 game suspension,exactly between hardest games..

Enzo is finding it hard for Enzobal to develope…it was starting to look good against Leeds..But 1,2,3 In a short time over a short period,covers of covers ( taking in 2 positions) have suffered heavily.

 

plus I believe Akgun & KdH, have knocks but are being forced to play,simply because there is no one left…

 

look at it this way…

Enzo first seaso..He knew it would take time to grow,He made sure the whole squad was brought upto date,by being selected and asked to take on the challenge,he overseen that youngsters were brought upto scratch..Man-managed sensible moments..

what he couldn’t envisage,the 2 builiding block positions,plus trying cover in covers

with a 5 player circle,including emergency calls all have injuries at the same time.

The cupboard is bare..!! This is also in games asking attacking players to do too much…OTT defending  even against moderate teams.Fatawu in defence from the attacking wing was our MOM in defence and all round player yesterday…

Ok for single games but not through run of playing against form or top 6 teams ,within a short period. We start with some sting,but can’t keep it going when attack 6 are defending…Beacause exactly those 2 Keystone are the foundation of Enzobal

growth and giving games the team tact.

Add in my years playing 2 team games,for awhile & 1 intensely  then supporting teams and analysing what’s & wherefores ( not always right)…

But injured ( slight or carrying heavy knocks)players  overcook or loose accuracy in intent within passes.

This is exactly what’s been happening in last 4 games.

Last night KDH ,Winks & Akgun , had defence cutting passes they were hitting

9/10 times in the past, missed out several importantant times last night.

Plus 2-3 times where normally Mavididi would have shot,he passed into empty space.

Dont blame in this case so easy manager & system…First season with major tweaks

needed in all round issues…

 

[Bluetintedspecs]

Scanned through comments , here's my take and opinions on some of the key points raised a few times: 

Agree should have been more ruthless in 1st half where we looked v threatening.

Is this Ipswich, quite a few are spaffing over, the same Ipswich that only won 1 in 9 a while back? 

Never a penalty,  he took a heavy touch started to stumble and flopped down trying to buy it!

Whereas 2nd half, especially last 15 minutes, was a v painful watch the return of Wilf and Vesty being back will make a massive difference, as will the confidence of securing an ugly win and getting 3 points.

UTC 👊🦊

[filbertway]

5 hours ago, Pliskin said:

I think the one thing that can be said is that it was a gritty performance, which is how you need to win games at this stage of the season. 

It wasn't gritty though, we let a weakened team in poor form come onto us and handed them the initiative. 

 

We should have been looking to kill that game by half time, instead we beckoned them onto us and thankfully a combo of Mads and poor finishing left the game at 1-0 to us.

[Matt]

Whilst it was an uneasy, nervy and concerning performance I’ll take the positives that it’s about time we won ugly.

[Daggers]

18 hours ago, lcfcell said:

If I woke up tomorrow and he wasn’t our manager anymore I’d genuinely be happy 

I remember the first time I got drunk; sick as a dog on vodka.

 

*Don't give vodka to dogs.

[Pliskin]

4 hours ago, filbertway said:

It wasn't gritty though, we let a weakened team in poor form come onto us and handed them the initiative. 

 

We should have been looking to kill that game by half time, instead we beckoned them onto us and thankfully a combo of Mads and poor finishing left the game at 1-0 to us.

I do agree with this. 

[Dahnsouff]

So we are tired, my question is why? Do not imagine we are running or sprinting more than others, so must assume we are mentally tired. Does Enzo really make the poor buggers use their brains that much more?

Edited 6 March by Dahnsouff

[leatherhead32]

21 hours ago, Muzzy_no7 said:

We’ve stopped the rot.

 

Good win but my God that was absolutely awful.

 

Substitutions and in game management once again terrible. 

yeah bang on but enzo has said about win ugly etc so lets enjoy the 3pts 

[scarthin]

1 hour ago, Dahnsouff said:

So we are tired, my question is why? Do not imagine we are running or sprinting more than others, so must assume we are mentally tired. Does Enzo really make the poor buggers use their brains that much more?

The press often seems excessive and must exhaust many of the front players

[Chelmofox]

1 hour ago, Dahnsouff said:

So we are tired, my question is why? Do not imagine we are running or sprinting more than others, so must assume we are mentally tired. Does Enzo really make the poor buggers use their brains that much more?

We looked far less tired than Bournemouth when we played them. Pressure was off that day. I think the situation is getting to the players. Seeing this out is stressful. I think a few of them (like KDH and Winks) have their careers riding on this. 

[Dahnsouff]

Just now, Chelmofox said:

We looked far less tired than Bournemouth when we played them. Pressure was off that day. I think the situation is getting to the players. Seeing this out is stressful. I think a few of them (like KDH and Winks) have their careers riding on this. 

This is a good point, stress seems likely then.Would say get some head doctors in, but maybe best not right now……cut your cloth etc…

[Tom12345]

8 hours ago, LCFCJohn said:

Obviously results are the main thing now so big positive to get back on the board with a win and get over the 80 point mark.

 

Also after a string of defeats, it is probably unrealistic that we had come back with a Stoke away like dominant performance and hammering of a scoreline.

 

However, we need confidence back and the performance was so poor it won’t really have helped in that regard. It’s fair to say only a handful of sides including Sunderland we’d have got away with that based on either those teams being awful or in shocking form themselves. Against most teams in the league we’d have likely been punished and folded again. 
 

We are very much in a position of putting our hopes on this international break and Ricardo and Ndidi being back properly. 
 

It’s just a shame after how good we have looked earlier in the season, to be looking like if we do get over the line, we’ll have staggered not swaggered over it and the momentum that we would have took into next season. 

To be honest we have never really looked like we have a second gear. “Earlier in the season” we were hardly smashing teams. We always seem to be reliant on other teams making their own mistakes or not being able to take advantage of ours, while we slowly walk towards the finishing line. But at least in the first half of the season, we had more variety to our play. Now the players have been over coached to pass backwards instead of attempting a shot or taking risks. Not quite Rodgers but we are starting to do similar things as Rodgers did with mentality - making us fear and weak. I mentioned this months ago and no one paid attention. Mentality is long term and you see this develops over time. This is now a test for Enzo as a young coach. Hope he can overcome fear himself.

Edited 6 March by Tom12345

[Spudulike]

Were we time wasting in that second half? Don't really notice it so much on the telly and thought perhaps I was seeing it through a different lens. However, I don't remember anything as shamelessly obvious as what we've endured from the opposition in the last two home games. Not sure that we've ever been very good at it, which is alright. 

[Clever Fox]

On 06/03/2024 at 19:21, Dahnsouff said:

This is a good point, stress seems likely then.Would say get some head doctors in, but maybe best not right now……cut your cloth etc…

We had one as a member of Staff and Claudio got rid of him. It was a very short sighted decision by the Club and should'nt have been allowed happen. 

Edited 7 March by Clever Fox
Typo

[Clever Fox]

We're at the Business end of the League now. Winning games is easy Winning must win games not quite so easy and they're all virtually must win games for us now.

 

The free flowing football demonstrated early in the league has been replaced with hesitancy and fear of doing something wrong.

 

So attacking or risky passes are replaced by safer options usually backwards or sideways, Allowing the opposition to get back and regroup causing many attacks to falter.

 

The Bournemouth game was a perfect example. It was a game many thought we'd relinguish easily because of us prioritising the league promotion.

 

I'm delighted we didn't do so, As it gave us as Fans and the Players a chance to demonstrate how good a team we can be when everyone performs close to their best.

 

Enzo knows the squad isn't perfect but it's all he has to work with. The system isn't the problem either, As demonstrated by our league position and the Bournemouth performance.

 

What we need is for the players to get back to playing through the lines with free flowing football, While supporting each other with and without the Ball.

 

Yes, This entails running more mostly without the Ball providing outlets for players in possession But also chasing down the oppossition when we dont have the Ball.

 

Do this and our technical superiority will generally win out as we grind down the opposition.

 

[trooky]

5 hours ago, Clever Fox said:

We're at the Business end of the League now. Winning games is easy Winning must win games not quite so easy and they're all virtually must win games for us now.

 

The free flowing football demonstrated early in the league has been replaced with hesitancy and fear of doing something wrong.

 

So attacking or risky passes are replaced by safer options usually backwards or sideways, Allowing the opposition to get back and regroup causing many attacks to falter.

 

The Bournemouth game was a perfect example. It was a game many thought we'd relinguish easily because of us prioritising the league promotion.

 

I'm delighted we didn't do so, As it gave us as Fans and the Players a chance to demonstrate how good a team we can be when everyone performs close to their best.

 

Enzo knows the squad isn't perfect but it's all he has to work with. The system isn't the problem either, As demonstrated by our league position and the Bournemouth performance.

 

What we need is for the players to get back to playing through the lines with free flowing football, While supporting each other with and without the Ball.

 

Yes, This entails running more mostly without the Ball providing outlets for players in possession But also chasing down the oppossition when we dont have the Ball.

 

Do this and our technical superiority will generally win out as we grind down the opposition.

 

We also need to factor in, it's a long season, starters are getting injured and the replacements aren't as good.

[Tom12345]

9 hours ago, Clever Fox said:

We're at the Business end of the League now. Winning games is easy Winning must win games not quite so easy and they're all virtually must win games for us now.

 

The free flowing football demonstrated early in the league has been replaced with hesitancy and fear of doing something wrong.

 

So attacking or risky passes are replaced by safer options usually backwards or sideways, Allowing the opposition to get back and regroup causing many attacks to falter.

 

The Bournemouth game was a perfect example. It was a game many thought we'd relinguish easily because of us prioritising the league promotion.

 

I'm delighted we didn't do so, As it gave us as Fans and the Players a chance to demonstrate how good a team we can be when everyone performs close to their best.

 

Enzo knows the squad isn't perfect but it's all he has to work with. The system isn't the problem either, As demonstrated by our league position and the Bournemouth performance.

 

What we need is for the players to get back to playing through the lines with free flowing football, While supporting each other with and without the Ball.

 

Yes, This entails running more mostly without the Ball providing outlets for players in possession But also chasing down the oppossition when we dont have the Ball.

 

Do this and our technical superiority will generally win out as we grind down the opposition.

 

Exactly what I have been saying. But this on Enzo. He is the one who instilled the hesitancy and fear into the players. For the players to go back to the free flowing football you are talking about, they need Enzo to tell them “don't worry just play your football and have fun” and not Enzo to tell scold them when they take a shot or make a 50/50 forward pass.

[Clever Fox]

2 hours ago, Tom12345 said:

Exactly what I have been saying. But this on Enzo. He is the one who instilled the hesitancy and fear into the players. For the players to go back to the free flowing football you are talking about, they need Enzo to tell them “don't worry just play your football and have fun” and not Enzo to tell scold them when they take a shot or make a 50/50 forward pass.

I don't think it's on Enzo, Yes it's part of his job to get the best from the players. But dealing with the pressures the Players are felling is difficult for any Manager.

The best we had in this department was probably Claudio and O Neill I'd say. Pressure affects everyone differently. Some trive on it others wilt or hide.

Someone else on here suggested maybe it's time to bring in a Sports Psycologist, He's probably right and now is the time to do it.

You can't hide anyone from pressure it's a natural occurance in humans, But you can change how they deal with it.

Recent losses have planted doubt in the Players heads. Players don't want to be making mistakes especially now, but of course the opposite happens.

That's when they subconciously hesitate and it can be difficult to get that out of their Heads as they know the result is important.

The more we win the pressure lifts and players perform as we know they can.

Lets hope we can keep this new streak going by winning again tomorrow and maintain our lead over the other teams.

[Tom12345]

17 hours ago, trooky said:

We also need to factor in, it's a long season, starters are getting injured and the replacements aren't as good.

Same as every other team while we have the biggest budget and arguably the best squad in the Championship. We really don’t have any excuse in this regard.

Edited 8 March by Tom12345