Leicester's Defence - What will we do?

[Les-TA-Jon]

This season the one really good thing about LCFC has been the defence of the team. LCFC conceded 45 goals all season. Only Crystal Palace conceded less (42). Our back four generally consisted of:

Stearman - McAuley - Kisnorbo - Mattock

The table doesn't lie and this was a brilliant backline. Considering the sorry state of the rest of the squad and the new financial problems of relegation to L1, this would have acted as a great foundation to work around and would have allowed the club to recruit players for other areas of the squad.

However now what with relegation we are surely going to see most (if not all) of that back four disappear. Kisnorbo will stay due to his injury though.

We had an offer for McAuley in January, and teams will have renewed attempts now that we got relegated. He himself will want to preserve his own club and international career - being in L1 won't do that

LCFC received offers for both Stearman and Mattock in January. The same as for McAuley applies really. The only small hope is that they are both local academy products and they may still have a level of loyalty that overrides any offers that come in for them. However put yourself in their position. Your playing in League 1. You also play for England. You have the choice between staying with your "childhood club" and playing in League 1 for at least one season, and also missing out on becoming an england player. Or go to a premiership club, earn loads more, just the thrill of playing there and also continue for England.

I hate to be this pessimistic but really just what are we going to do when our back four walk out of the club this summer?

[sam_lcfc]

This season the one really good thing about LCFC has been the defence of the team. LCFC conceded 45 goals all season. Only Crystal Palace conceded less (42). Our back four generally consisted of:

Stearman - McAuley - Kisnorbo - Mattock

The table doesn't lie and this was a brilliant backline. Considering the sorry state of the rest of the squad and the new financial problems of relegation to L1, this would have acted as a great foundation to work around and would have allowed the club to recruit players for other areas of the squad.

However now what with relegation we are surely going to see most (if not all) of that back four disappear. Kisnorbo will stay due to his injury though.

We had an offer for McAuley in January, and teams will have renewed attempts now that we got relegated. He himself will want to preserve his own club and international career - being in L1 won't do that

LCFC received offers for both Stearman and Mattock in January. The same as for McAuley applies really. The only small hope is that they are both local academy products and they may still have a level of loyalty that overrides any offers that come in for them. However put yourself in their position. Your playing in League 1. You also play for England. You have the choice between staying with your "childhood club" and playing in League 1 for at least one season, and also missing out on becoming an england player. Or go to a premiership club, earn loads more, just the thrill of playing there and also continue for England.

I hate to be this pessimistic but really just what are we going to do when our back four walk out of the club this summer?

McAuley will probably go, but he was already in the Northern Ireland squad whilst he was at Lincoln in league 2 was he not?

[smokey]

This season the one really good thing about LCFC has been the defence of the team. LCFC conceded 45 goals all season. Only Crystal Palace conceded less (42). Our back four generally consisted of:

Stearman - McAuley - Kisnorbo - Mattock

The table doesn't lie and this was a brilliant backline. Considering the sorry state of the rest of the squad and the new financial problems of relegation to L1, this would have acted as a great foundation to work around and would have allowed the club to recruit players for other areas of the squad.

However now what with relegation we are surely going to see most (if not all) of that back four disappear. Kisnorbo will stay due to his injury though.

We had an offer for McAuley in January, and teams will have renewed attempts now that we got relegated. He himself will want to preserve his own club and international career - being in L1 won't do that

LCFC received offers for both Stearman and Mattock in January. The same as for McAuley applies really. The only small hope is that they are both local academy products and they may still have a level of loyalty that overrides any offers that come in for them. However put yourself in their position. Your playing in League 1. You also play for England. You have the choice between staying with your "childhood club" and playing in League 1 for at least one season, and also missing out on becoming an england player. Or go to a premiership club, earn loads more, just the thrill of playing there and also continue for England.

I hate to be this pessimistic but really just what are we going to do when our back four walk out of the club this summer?

Good point but i think they will stay! Unless the offers are silly!

Think McAuley might end up the new club captain and will form a great partneship with Worley until Kisnorbo returns!

[filbertway]

Speroni and Fulop, two best keepers in the league. Coincidence?

[Super Arj]

Speroni and Fulop, two best keepers in the league. Coincidence?

to be honest Henderson has impressed me mokre than Fulop

all those penalty saves

all those one-on-ones

and most importantly, his hair

[filbertway]

to be honest Henderson has impressed me mokre than Fulop

all those penalty saves

all those one-on-ones

and most importantly, his hair

Who needs a confident defence when you've got a penalty stopper eh

[sam_lcfc]

to be honest Henderson has impressed me mokre than Fulop

all those penalty saves

all those one-on-ones

and most importantly, his hair

What....sorry but no!!!

Fulop was amazing, Henderson is a good shot stopper but a liability. Whenever Fulop came out to catch a cross I felt safe, when Henderson does I shut my eyes and hope.

[smokey]

What....sorry but no!!!

Fulop was amazing, Henderson is a good shot stopper but a liability. Whenever Fulop came out to catch a cross I felt safe, when Henderson does I shut my eyes and hope.

To be Fair, Fulop is rated at 3 million, Henderson 3 pence!

[Dom_Harborough Fox]

to be honest Henderson has impressed me mokre than Fulop

all those penalty saves

all those one-on-ones

and most importantly, his hair

Fulop is definitely a better keeper but Henderson has improved a lot & was well-worth his place in the 11 by the end of the season.

I also agree, you just can't beat that hair

[Geordie]

Four of the back 5 of Henderson, Stearman, McAuley and Kisnorbo have been at the forefront of our relegation battles and we have just been relegated, how can they be considered for retention?

Shocking to a man.

[Corky]

What will we do? Drink usually, dance usually, bubble, drink usually, dance usually, bubble

[Les-TA-Jon]

Four of the back 5 of Henderson, Stearman, McAuley and Kisnorbo have been at the forefront of our relegation battles and we have just been relegated, how can they be considered for retention?

Shocking to a man.

Well then you don't understand football then. LCFC got relegated because we didn't SCORE enough goals. Not becasue we lost too many games. The priorities with any football team are as follows, in this order of importance:

1. An effective Defence

2. An effective Offence

3. Quality/nice looking football

LCFC's defence or the defenders had nothing to do with the relegation at all

[Geordie]

Well then you don't understand football then. LCFC got relegated because we didn't SCORE enough goals. Not becasue we lost too many games. The priorities with any football team are as follows, in this order of importance:

1. An effective Defence

2. An effective Offence

3. Quality/nice looking football

LCFC's defence or the defenders had nothing to do with the relegation at all

And you say I know nothing about football.

You couldn't make it up.

[Les-TA-Jon]

I don't what you mean.

[Brainy]

He does - just no so much on spelling.

[Les-TA-Jon]

I meant: "I dont get what you mean" whats wrong with the word "Offence"?

[Corky]

And you say I know nothing about football.

You couldn't make it up.

Why? He was pointing out where we need to strengthen. The defence is not the problem, its the attack. We have gone down with the second best defence, so its hardly their fault we went down is it?

[Les-TA-Jon]

Exactly. I wasn't saying LCFC had a good offence. I was saying that we had a good defence. And that the fact that Geordie had failed to recognise the success of the defence this season and the importance of that, showed that he didnt get that before you do anything in football you need a good defence

[James.]

And you say I know nothing about football.

That's what I say too.

[marbelladave]

Interesting but I think geordie has a point.

True we let in fewer goals than most but this was mainly due to;

Playing a 5 man back 4 in quite a few games.

Playing 2 defensive central midfielders in virtually all games.

Requiring our attacking players to track back more than is necessary, Hume being the prime example.

Add to this the fact that our slow central defenders played very deep (to compensate for their lack of pace?) which dragged our midfield way too deep as well. This left us with 6, 7 and sometimes 8 players defending the 18yd box, not just at set pieces but in open play!

So when we did win the ball in defence, we had no one in midfield to play out to which left the long ball to the striker(s) as our only option. Needless to say this is just giving the ball away, so it keeps coming back time and time again!

So despite some last ditch heroics in the box, I would argue that McAuley and Kisnorbo were instrumental in the awful way we played and our subsequent relegation!

[Brainy]

Geordie highlighted that Lesta used the word 'offence' in his quote.

[Legend_in_blue]

Well then you don't understand football then. LCFC got relegated because we didn't SCORE enough goals. Not becasue we lost too many games. The priorities with any football team are as follows, in this order of importance:

1. An effective Defence

2. An effective Offence

3. Quality/nice looking football

LCFC's defence or the defenders had nothing to do with the relegation at all

I disagree. Whatever happened to the 'a good attack starts with a solid defence' argument?

Our back four, and in particular Kisnorbo and McAuley, were constantly guilty of hoofing aimless balls up front, with no direction, no creativity and no vision which in turn offered limited attacking options. I would put forward that they are slow, predictable and in terms of footballing ability (i.e. on the ball) no better than satisfactory at best.

[Legend_in_blue]

Interesting but I think geordie has a point.

True we let in fewer goals than most but this was mainly due to;

Playing a 5 man back 4 in quite a few games.

Playing 2 defensive central midfielders in virtually all games.

Requiring our attacking players to track back more than is necessary, Hume being the prime example.

Add to this the fact that our slow central defenders played very deep (to compensate for their lack of pace?) which dragged our midfield way too deep as well. This left us with 6, 7 and sometimes 8 players defending the 18yd box, not just at set pieces but in open play!

So when we did win the ball in defence, we had no one in midfield to play out to which left the long ball to the striker(s) as our only option. Needless to say this is just giving the ball away, so it keeps coming back time and time again!

So despite some last ditch heroics in the box, I would argue that McAuley and Kisnorbo were instrumental in the awful way we played and our subsequent relegation!

I completely agree.

[MikeyT]

Four of the back 5 of Henderson, Stearman, McAuley and Kisnorbo have been at the forefront of our relegation battles and we have just been relegated, how can they be considered for retention?

Shocking to a man.

Hmmm second best defensive record outside the Premiership!!! Hello!!!!

[Legend_in_blue]

Hmmm second best defensive record outside the Premiership!!! Hello!!!!

We have the second best defensive record outside the Premiership for precisely this reason...

Hendo, Stearman, Kisnorbo, McAuley and Mattock were only part of our defence. For most teams they would constitute the defence - but with ours, and our defensive minded attitude, they made up roughly 50% of our overall defence.

You're forgetting the fact that in midfield we played defensive minded players for the majority of games and under Megson constantly played an 8-1-1 formation.

Consider this along with the fact that any of our attacking outlets played balls sideways or backwards all of 5 yards, and it's no wonder that we had the 2nd best defensive record.

We constantly played with a defensive mindset in games at home - after roughly the first 10 minutes or so - and did little more than that away from home too.

If you set out to defend and do nothing else, it's no wonder!

And there was me thinking football was an attacking game. It needs to be next season.