Go on, admit you were wrong

[LVFox]

I think early days, we could all see a progression and a plan. Personally, pre-season really impressed me but felt like we didn't have the profile of player that suited him.

 

That changed a little for me at the start of the season, Casadei, Yunus and Fatawu made sense.

 

January let him down, Casadei going back to Chelsea was a shock, despite him not hitting levels we'd have hoped. Having to go the rest of the season without a deep central midfield talent pool has hit us, especially when we were already having to use Ndidi as a creative 8 and Hamza as an inverted full back.

 

However, that is also on Enzo not adapting to the squad he has, and that's his main issue. I felt like at the start of the season he rotated brilliantly and every international break we saw some sort of improvement on our patterns of play. Since January that has stopped, we appear so stale.

 

I think he's a good coach, but is potentially too stubborn and doesn't learn quick enough to make it as a head coach.

[Guppys Love Child]

After the long overdue sacking of " he who shalt not being named" I would have taken Peter Taylor back just because he wasn't Todgers.

  I've nothing personally against Enzo, he seems a pretty OK guy and he did bring us the much needed change, the breath of fresh air ,and the missing stability we sorely needed. So credit on that score.👏

 

However anyone reading the flavour of my past posts will know from day one I've never been a fan of EnzoBall.

 

I understand the technical aspects and the overall idea, and at first (until the opposition sussed us out and adapted their style of play to try and nullify ours) I was happy with the results, any fan would be, but from 'day one' I truly hated the missing entertainment factor, the excitement of the match, which were IMO all missing as a byproduct of it's implementation. 

 

If I am being critical further,  his perceived lack of flexibility to learn and adapt, added to his stubbornness to shoehorn EnzoBall in regardless of opposition or the actual situation in a match (i.e.  0-1 down with 5 mins to go and we still play the passing snooze fest and trying to implement the idea that hasn't worked for the previous 85 mins of the match) does frustrate me enormously.

 

Good managers tweak to accommodate the oppositions strengths (our recent poor form is a proof of this happening to us IMO) 

 

Will we get promoted, I hope so, but not because of any brilliance from Enzo, as he won't change a thing. But the fact that Leeds and Ipswich will hopefully cock up and aid our cause 

 

Would I be sad to see him go?..

Nope, not at all, but unfortunately Top loves the possession based football style, so I fear he'd just be replaced with another Puel-Todgers-Enzo clone.

[Guest leatherhead32]

4 hours ago, Footballwipe said:

I kept quiet for most of this season cos every time I came on this forum and someone mooted the style of football they were pounced upon. 

 

I found the football really dull and matches dreary from quite early on, but this place made me feel like a dinosaur tbh. However, there was also some realisation from me that I would saddle up and get on board - after all we were making a mockery of the league.

 

That being said, the point of my post is that it was understandable for people to be fully fledged Enzo-ites. We swept the first portion of the season and ultimately results matter. We were well clear and sauntering back up. We'd be promoted already and on course for record totals if we'd kept that early form up. How can people not get swept up in that?

its odd aint it,  i feel the same , i am getting fickle as i get older  but never show my angst at matches as not animated nowadays, i got jumped on (nowt bad 2bf ) on ere a while ago and kept it sivell but even tho  were in box seat i now get the points the replyer was making . confused aint te word. imagine for a mo this was 2016 and our one chance to do the impossible was slipping away  now remember it didnt  hope that helps 

[Guppys Love Child]

3 hours ago, Leicester_Loyal said:

Our football has been boring for years now, I'm genuinely bored of watching us week after week.

 

This football is terrible, 77% possession but 1 shot on target 80 mins into a game, what's the point?

I agree totally. 

 

But Top likes Possession based football. 

 

Hence the appointments of Puel, the odious shiny toothed clapping leprechaun and then Enzo.

Edited 10 April by Guppys Love Child

[Leicester_Loyal]

8 minutes ago, Guppys Love Child said:

I agree totally. 

 

But Top likes Possession based football. 

 

Hence the appointments of Puel, the odious shiny toothed clapping leprechaun and then Enzo.

Doesn't bode well for me in the future, fed up of it now, had spurts of exciting football which last a few months, nothing ever anymore, it's just pass pass pass.

[trugerkem]

2 hours ago, jonthefox said:

Still rate him and feel with better players he could do a decent job for us. I understand I’m in the minority here.

Well surely that’s the same for every manager 

[Lcfc82]

13 minutes ago, Guppys Love Child said:

I agree totally. 

 

But Top likes Possession based football. 

 

Hence the appointments of Puel, the odious shiny toothed clapping leprechaun and then Enzo.

I don’t get how Top, Rudkin or whoever can sit and watch what we’ve been producing for the last few years and think it’s entertaining or exciting.

 

absolutely baffling 

[MPH]

I’ll admit I was wrong at the end of the season

 

 

 

No seriously though. Enzo has his way of playing and the club knew that when bringing him in. They also knew he would need his own players and pulled that rug from under him in January. It’s a turgid at times but that’s partly because we are trying to put square legs in round holes, like playing Ndidi as an attacking Mid! 

[TrentFox]

5 hours ago, Otis said:

Hated this style of play from day one.

 

I too wonder if those who called others too thick to appreciate Enzoball still feel the same way.

Spot on. But I was late to the party and didn’t get there until early autumn. Nobody can deny he stopped us from going into free-fall, (and I genuinely worried that could happen preseason), and if he gets us up he’ll always have my total respect for doing so. But the football is horrendous and has sapped all the joy out of watching. 

[Raj]

I was loathing after the Middlesborough  game and got dogs abuse for my posts.

I hope those respond on here!

That game summed up our carefree style, lack of endeavour, lack of prowess in the final third, lack of any other plans and negative approach at home.

Making Hamza captain summed it up for me.

A league 1 player at best, who had just been done for drink driving!

Posters were saying " It will be fine, dont worry etc" really started to p1ss me off too.

Same ones who didnt see relegation coming last season.

I dont mind losing, but I want 20 attempts on goal, players running like madmen, the manager losing his temper going berserk and a few good fouls thrown in.

All we do now is tip, tap, tip pretending to be Man City when we look more like Cambridge City.

 

Who still " We will be fine, dont worry?"

 

[Dusty]

A quick glance at the league table and we are still top, so I don’t think the bloke can be that bad can he?
 

Personally I think he’s done an extremely good job. He walked into a club that was in a very bad way with lots of unhappy players, out of form players and players who want to leave or are on the verge of contracts expiring. Most of us expected that it would be a slow start and we would struggle to begin with, but we set a record of the most points/wins after 15 games. Most of the players have bought into his idea and it seems like they have a really good connection with him, especially when you see that video of the celebrations the other week. 
 

He’s clearly not been perfect and parts of our football this season haven’t been good enough, last night being the worst of the worst. I think he’s still got a way to go and from an untrained eye he seems to make some weird decisions with subs, and the swapping of KDH and Ndidi. But on the whole I would say he’s been pretty tactically sound and done a good job. I also think the squad is very unbalanced and not many of them are really capable of playing his style of football which is why people are complaining and I get those complaints too and the suggestions to switch to a style of play that more of them are comfortable with. But I think it’s important to have an identity and way of playing as it gives the players more confidence and rhythm. United are a good example of when a coach abandons his principles to try and fit the players, and it’s complete chaos, none of them know what to do and everyone watching is asking what kind of team they are. 
 

Our recent form is concerning and isn’t acceptable - he has to should his share of the blame, but I’d argue the tactics weren’t the issue in most of the losses and it was more to do with woeful finishing. I think the reality is he’s somewhere in the middle, he looks like a good up and coming coach who needs some fine tuning. If we go up I think he’d be a good coach for us and not sure we’d get better.

[Nod.E]

I just don't think we can fully judge Enzo ball when we have 8s that are not 8s and we come up against low blocks most weeks. Our 8s are a mile off in terms of the technical ability required to function in that role. Such a huge part of what makes the system work. It's why we often miss them out and refuse passes and why we often look hesitant. Enzo won't be against first time balls around the corner, our midfielders just really struggle with that type of football.

 

Maybe, then, he shouldn't play this system. Fair enough, maybe we'd have more points if he mixed up the formation a little. But then in all honesty I think any team with a total lack of creativity in the middle is going to hit issues one way or another, regardless of the system. 

 

Liverpool famously made it work, but they had Salah on the wing and Trent pulling the strings. Who's pulling the strings for us? Where's our 30 goal wide player?

 

He is making mistakes though, I'll say that much. Some of the subs and in-game management is concerning. Faes being allowed to continually play and lose positional discipline every game is crazy to me, for instance.

 

I just feel that the combined impact of the huge likelihood neither N'didi or KDH will be with us next season, and the fact that basically no side is going to sit deep and defend against us next season if we go up, means you simply cannot transpose much from this season onto next. 

 

I genuinely believe that the football will feel more entertaining when we're playing better sides, hopefully with more technical midfielders. It's wrong to assume this profile of player is automatically more expensive and out of reach. It'd be nice to have De Bruyne, but Sensi is a start.

 

Worth noting our competitors are experiencing similar issues with scoring goals of late. It's an obscenely competitive league and a tiring battle of a season. 

 

Hopefully we have enough to get over the line (I think we will - I think games against WBA and Southampton at home will work in our favour.)

 

Take stock and go again next year. If by November/December we look like this season's Burnley, then look to make a change.

 

Enzo has the squad playing for him even when half of them won't be here next season. That's a positive sign and I'm willing to back him.

[Dahnsouff]

49 minutes ago, Raj said:

…

 

Who still " We will be fine, dont worry?"

Mr Table?

[Vazman]

5 hours ago, bmt said:

I still think he's decent but agree on the point about having a back up plan. Yesterday was truly atrocious and we had no variation at all except a few longer balls that were easily dealt with.

 

I think one of the key problems is your players need to be near perfect to pull off this chess-like strategy. We give away a goal every game and misplaced passes mean we don't slowly build up pressure with increasing overloads in midfield that gradually break a team down. 

 

Still don't think when it works that it's boring, but that's a different argument.

 

Weirdly I do think his style would work better in the prem where teams won't just defend against us and try and nick a goal.

 

I don't agree at all that it's Rodgers-ball but do think we are seeing significant weaknesses to this different style.

It's not in the Championship, but will, against quality teams in the Prem.

[Matt]

I'm just glad (Well i'm not glad, wish the style was abolished. It's nonsense) people have finally caught up with the criticisms of possession based football, seeing and calling it for what it is, nonsense. 

 

Welcome! But where have you all been?!

 

The irony being I think what we're currently seeing is actually better than the previous 7 years (That doesn't mean i'm advocating it) where only the minority seemed fed up and annoyed with it, it's currently not great and not good enough, far from it, but I can get behind it more than the rest of the nonsense we've seen in recent years.

[cropstonfox]

Bring back Shakey ball.

He was berated,on here yet every game was front foot attacking !!

[FoxOnWheels]

Think he’s a good manager and will have more success than us in the coming years, he definitely has A LOT to learn but for as annoying as some of the performances have been it’s players ****ing a lot of things up too like I say has his faults and things to learn but some of the football we’ve played at times has been phenomenal 

[5waller5]

Oh no! The wife’s now on FoxesTalk 

[Skidmark]

I won't admit it. 

 

I said it at the start of the season and have said it throughout, got chastised and vitriol directed towards me. Deleted my account because of it. (15 yrs of FT down the swanny) 

 

We had flattered to deceive all season, and those who had Enzo tinted glasses could not see it. He is an unproven coach, who is all in on a philosophy and is inept to come up with a plan B. The most effective we've played all season we deployed more counter attacking styles, such as Blackburn away. 

 

Watching home games all season has been like watching dyslexics play scrabble. Time consuming, incredibly frustrating and completely turgid. 

[LFEFox23]

I’m so torn when it comes to Enzo.

 

His style of football, No plan B and stubbornness rage me at times but then I sit back and question myself because we’re top of the league!? He’s doing what we all asked for at the start of the season!

[winteriscoming]

Never felt the football we’ve played this season has been brilliant to watch even when we’ve beaten sides by 4+ goals. 
I’ve been bored majority of the season watching us. With the exception of the Leeds away game which we should of won comfortably and I did think we played really well in. Imo we’ve been predictable most of the season and it was inevitable side’s we’re going to get used to how we play. 

[Sly]

6 hours ago, Wasyls Pec Deck said:

I was a fan boy, less of a fan boy now though. Still think he has time to sort it out, but I’m not holding my breath.

 

For some reason I can’t help but draw comparisons to Peter Taylor - which may sound ridiculous (and probably is). But we had an unbelievable start with both, but then a sharp decline. Taylor was clearly out of his depth, and I hope Enzo drags us over the line - but if he doesn’t you could argue he’s out of his depth given our lead a few months ago.

I said this after last night.

 

It is very much like Peter Taylor. 

[Mickyblueeyes]

I’ve got no problem with Plan A. It’s a philosophy which I think any club outside the top 6 that sets about creating an identity should be commended. All levels playing the same way and creating a culture of this is “our way”. When we play it well it’s as exhilirating and effective as any style we’ve played before. 
 

Where I think Enzo deserves criticism and what worries me about him is that I think we are far too big a job for him. We’ve hit a rough patch. We’ve lost 5 in 9. 5 in ****ing 9. A manager for me is someone who does set the philosophy and plan A. However, if like in any season, there are chinks in the armour due to injuries, suspensions etc. you’ve got to adapt for the players you have - we didn’t and haven’t. You’ve got recognise pro-actively or at least re-actively when the style fails you. It happens to the best teams. He doesn’t have in him. 
 

Leeds are currently going through a bad patch and I think they’ve been going through for at least 3/4 games before their loss to Cov. They’ve lost 1. Ipswich have perhaps recovered from theirs but have adapted from the team/set up at the start of the season. 
 

Sticking to principles is one thing. Continually failing due to an inability to see risk is incompetence. 
 

He’s been educated by too many managers at this level.

[Guppys Love Child]

2 hours ago, Lcfc82 said:

I don’t get how Top, Rudkin or whoever can sit and watch what we’ve been producing for the last few years and think it’s entertaining or exciting.

 

absolutely baffling 

I whole heartedly agree..

 

 

[Big Blue Maff]

2 hours ago, Raj said:

I was loathing after the Middlesborough  game and got dogs abuse for my posts.

I hope those respond on here!

That game summed up our carefree style, lack of endeavour, lack of prowess in the final third, lack of any other plans and negative approach at home.

Making Hamza captain summed it up for me.

A league 1 player at best, who had just been done for drink driving!

Posters were saying " It will be fine, dont worry etc" really started to p1ss me off too.

Same ones who didnt see relegation coming last season.

I dont mind losing, but I want 20 attempts on goal, players running like madmen, the manager losing his temper going berserk and a few good fouls thrown in.

All we do now is tip, tap, tip pretending to be Man City when we look more like Cambridge City.

 

Who still " We will be fine, dont worry?"

 

Well said my friend well said 🦊