Best Defence in the league?

[Matt]

Is that fact still true?

I'm still hearing it banded about, I don't believe it though, Not for 1 second, Infact since Megson (The Megson thread inspired and reminded me to make this thread) went I think our defence has been awful, but yet months after he's gone apparently we're still able to state that fact, not that it fecking matters best defence or not the fact that counts is we're in the relegation zone.

[Ryanside]

it is true, check the stats:

http://stats.football365.com/dom/ENG/teams/LeicesterCty.html

Season Stats

Scoring & Conceding No. Rank

Goals For 34 24

Average Goals For 0.89 24

Goals Against 35 1

Average Goals Against 0.92 1

hmmmm, lowest goals conceded and lowest goals scored, you would have thought it was easy to work out what our problem is......

[Ryanside]

also interesting, we havent lost if we score first

[DB11]

also interesting, we havent lost if we score first

But how often do we even score let alone score first?

[davieG]

Megson was here for 7 league games during which we conceded 5 goals + 2 more in a cup game over all we've played 38 league games and conceded 35 goals.

So this Megson gave us a tight defence is a myth, yes we had a tight defence during his time but we had a similar record before him and a similar one since he left and since we've played 31 games without him can we please desist from giving him the credit because he doesn't deserve it.

His games were tight and boring, you might just as well blame him for our fantastic goals for record which was abysmal under him and has been ever since.

[Matt]

Megson was here for 7 league games during which we conceded 5 goals + 2 more in a cup game over all we've played 38 league games and conceded 35 goals.

So this Megson gave us a tight defence is a myth, yes we had a tight defence during his time but we had a similar record before him and a similar one since he left and since we've played 31 games without him can we please desist from giving him the credit because he doesn't deserve it.

His games were tight and boring, you might just as well blame him for our fantastic goals for record which was abysmal under him and has been ever since.

I'm not for 1 second saying I wanted him or praising him, e.t.c, I didn't want him in the first place and was glad to see him go, However I noticed while he was here that the defence did seem better, Whether the facts and stats tell a different story IMO it did seem better, and I still don't see, notice, or understand how we have the best defence in the league.We should and are blaming our strikeforce more which is only right that is our problem no doubts about it, but our defence does seem and look awful. Ah fuk it lets just state whats true our whole football team is awful!

[davieG]

I'm not for 1 second saying I wanted him or praising him, e.t.c, I didn't want him in the first place and was glad to see him go, However I noticed while he was here that the defence did seem better, Whether the facts and stats tell a different story IMO it did seem better, and I still don't see, notice, or understand how we have the best defence in the league.We should and are blaming our strikeforce more which is only right that is our problem no doubts about it, but our defence does seem and look awful. Ah fuk it lets just state whats true our whole football team is awful!

Our defence is good because we rarely if every let in more that 1 or 2 goals but we regularly let in 1 goal and lose 1-0/2-0.

I wasn't suggested you were 'for' Megson I just get a bit miffed re this tight defence myth.

[Fat Ron]

Football is such a simple game, If we score more than our opposition then we will win the game.

thats not happened too much this season

It doesnt matter if we dont concede many, if we dont score then we wont pick up the points needed

[Thracian]

For my money the key is in midfield. Essentially we play a defensive midfield whoever gets the job so, in fact, we are committing 6 players to defensive duties for a start.

Furthermore we've played Hume as a right winger and Mattock as a left-winger on occasions because both supplement considerably as extra defenders, making 7/8 players contributing seriously to our defending.

Little wonder therefore that we concede so few but the downside is that, of the midfielders I've mentioned, none but Hume ever score and Hume doesn't much when played out wide.

In other words, while we defend as a team we certainly don't attack as one.

At least three of our five regular midfielders, if you count Weso, rarely get in the box and we don't even get Kisnorbo/McAuley involved together much at free-kicks anymore.

With Clapham being another who, though competent, never gets far enough forward to shoot we are left with only two strikers, Stearman and, occasionally Clemence/Hume posing any sort of threat.

It's nowhere near enough and explains in stark simplicity, why our defensive focus has cost us so dearly in goals.

Unless you have an "each man for his specific job" approach which is not popular today you have to have an entire team which defends when we've lost the ball but which attacks when we've got it. It's been clear for so long that we don't have that.

The best fairly recent illustrations I can think of are Gudjohnsson and Shush!. Think back to how many times Joey had shots compared, for instance, to Matt Oakley. Or Shush! compared to Clapham/Mattock.

The more shots a team has the more chance they've got of scoring.

We're not talking massive margins here. City have very rarely got hammered by anyone and all perfectly capable of taking on the best in our division. But we have to get more people in the box and more shots in. It's such a simple thing to sort yet we steadfastly refuse to do it.

[Chrysalis]

Thracian yeah I noticed kisnorbo stopped scoreing is that because he no longer goes forward on free kicks?

[Joe.]

It certainly is an impressive record but it again highlights our disgraceful goalscoring record.

[Asha]

We have the best defensive record, with the worst goalscoring record.

[Ian]

Our record according to Football365 against teams who are in teh bottom half of the table is the worst in the league......only 17 points from 17 games.

[Simon]

For my money the key is in midfield. Essentially we play a defensive midfield whoever gets the job so, in fact, we are committing 6 players to defensive duties for a start.

Furthermore we've played Hume as a right winger and Mattock as a left-winger on occasions because both supplement considerably as extra defenders, making 7/8 players contributing seriously to our defending.

Little wonder therefore that we concede so few but the downside is that, of the midfielders I've mentioned, none but Hume ever score and Hume doesn't much when played out wide.

In other words, while we defend as a team we certainly don't attack as one.

At least three of our five regular midfielders, if you count Weso, rarely get in the box and we don't even get Kisnorbo/McAuley involved together much at free-kicks anymore.

With Clapham being another who, though competent, never gets far enough forward to shoot we are left with only two strikers, Stearman and, occasionally Clemence/Hume posing any sort of threat.

It's nowhere near enough and explains in stark simplicity, why our defensive focus has cost us so dearly in goals.

Unless you have an "each man for his specific job" approach which is not popular today you have to have an entire team which defends when we've lost the ball but which attacks when we've got it. It's been clear for so long that we don't have that.

The best fairly recent illustrations I can think of are Gudjohnsson and Shush!. Think back to how many times Joey had shots compared, for instance, to Matt Oakley. Or Shush! compared to Clapham/Mattock.

The more shots a team has the more chance they've got of scoring.

We're not talking massive margins here. City have very rarely got hammered by anyone and all perfectly capable of taking on the best in our division. But we have to get more people in the box and more shots in. It's such a simple thing to sort yet we steadfastly refuse to do it.

You're wrong about our midfield now I think. In the last three home games we seem to create chances for fun- how many real clear cut chances have we created? I've lost count!!! Our strikers ARE the problem- they need to start putting these chances away.

[Thracian]

You're wrong about our midfield now I think. In the last three home games we seem to create chances for fun- how many real clear cut chances have we created? I've lost count!!! Our strikers ARE the problem- they need to start putting these chances away.

I don't disagree that we're creating more chances. But not many are coming directly from central midfield where Oakley/Clemence don't really drive into the box. Hendrie will probably feature more on the left but he no longer poses a significant shooting threat, neither do the two I've mentioned and I doubt Etuhu will either.

There's plenty of general know-how represented but I really don't see many goals. Of course the strikers need to score but the more the midfielders join them in that box the more time and space the strikers will get and that's not to excuse Fryatt who had time and space to hold an auction with his chance.

[Thracian]

Thracian yeah I noticed kisnorbo stopped scoreing is that because he no longer goes forward on free kicks?

The two seemed to work in tandem last year and became very dangerous. Even this season they've scored five but all inn the first half of the season and all in games where Shush! played. Even if Shush! wasn't taking the free-kick he'd be the man filling in at centre-back to allow both to go forward.

[FilboFox]

Yeah, we have a good solid defense... if we could just score then we would be soaring up the table... we just don't.

Once up front is sorted, we could really be a threat in this league.

[davieG]

Yeah, we have a good solid defense... if we could just score then we would be soaring up the table... we just don't.

Once up front is sorted, we could really be a threat in this league.

Assuming we're still in it!

[shen]

We have the best defensive record, with the worst goalscoring record.

Something tells me we've been a bit unlucky though, looking at the goal difference. Actually our goal difference is good enough to be in the top half! Norwich have only scored a single goal more than us, and have conceded 11 (!) more goals, yet find themselves 5 points above us. Likewise we're only an unbelievable 4 goals worse off than Bristol City. Our away record is better than or equal to many clubs in the middle of the table, so it really is our goals for and our home record that stands out as being among the worst...

[Legend_in_blue]

I don't disagree that we're creating more chances. But not many are coming directly from central midfield where Oakley/Clemence don't really drive into the box. Hendrie will probably feature more on the left but he no longer poses a significant shooting threat, neither do the two I've mentioned and I doubt Etuhu will either.

There's plenty of general know-how represented but I really don't see many goals. Of course the strikers need to score but the more the midfielders join them in that box the more time and space the strikers will get and that's not to excuse Fryatt who had time and space to hold an auction with his chance.

I felt our midfield was far more adventurous without Clemence in it against Bristol. I'd stick with Hendrie and Oakley in there. We can ill afford defensive midfield players right now.

Left side is still a problem though. I take it the hungarians will be going back home at the end of the season? The gamble looks like it hasn't paid off.

[davieG]

Something tells me we've been a bit unlucky though, looking at the goal difference. Actually our goal difference is good enough to be in the top half! Norwich have only scored a single goal more than us, and have conceded 11 (!) more goals, yet find themselves 5 points above us. Likewise we're only an unbelievable 4 goals worse off than Bristol City. Our away record is better than or equal to many clubs in the middle of the table, so it really is our goals for and our home record that stands out as being among the worst...

Goal difference is really of no importance if you're not winning games, you could draw every game 0-0 have a goal difference of nil and you'd be bottom of the league most likely. As you say what you need is goals to actually win games.

[Thracian]

I felt our midfield was far more adventurous without Clemence in it against Bristol. I'd stick with Hendrie and Oakley in there. We can ill afford defensive midfield players right now.

Left side is still a problem though. I take it the hungarians will be going back home at the end of the season? The gamble looks like it hasn't paid off.

I tend to agree with that but Hendrie getting too old to maintain the necessary pace for 90 minutes and needs King in there so he can move out wide but cover for Kingy when he drives forward.

But Ollie just doesn't see it. All the buildup and possession means nothing without shots and not all of them from the strikers. King is one of the most prolific shooters given licence yet Holloway lets him twiddle his thumbs and blindly carries on with his old time middle men and old time strikers. Whatever!

I really don't understand it. For all but one sixth of the Southampton game our tempo seemed cagey rather than dynamic and despite having a good share of the game we only really created two or three significant chances.

Sitting good young attackers on a bench watching and goalless apologies for attacking commitment while they become more and more frustrated at wanting to do something about it is a form of cruelty and no use at all for their development.

All Holloway's done the last two games is taken the edge off his fitness. Really constructive that.

[tartanowl]

That's a remarkable stat. In the bottom 3 and you have the best defence in the CCC.

[Thracian]

That's a remarkable stat. In the bottom 3 and you have the best defence in the CCC.

Ironic isn't it?

Defending really hasn't been our problem for ages.

All the changes were supposed to fix the other bit.

[tartanowl]

Ironic isn't it?

Defending really hasn't been our problem for ages.

All the changes were supposed to fix the other bit.

You must have a fairly similar record to ours then. Losing games but not by much. We've lost 18 games this season but you are the last team to beat us by more than one goal in a league match. The match at Hillsborough way back in October.