Walsall Post Match Thread

[Thracian]

When you have two one paced centre midfielders playing together, this limits the chances of that.

Nows that IS a good point. King has more good qualities than Oakley but if there's one snag to his game it's that he's one-paced and I would love to see him try to hit the overdrive button on occasions.

When we got home after the Walsall game I jokingly asked my lad to see if he could spot any similarities between the Leicester and Manchester United players.

The differences in the passing and moving were dramatic but the thing that stood out first was the way the United players drove themselves forward. Ambling didn't come into it when an attack was on but that's what we do, almost all of us. It's got to stop. The whole side needs to support with attitude.

It's also a bloody waste using King simply as a holding player. It's something I've criticised in the past.

[Corky]

Nows that IS a good point. King has more good qualities than Oakley but if there's one snag to his game it's that he's one-paced and I would love to see him try to hit the overdrive button on occasions.

It's also a bloody waste using King simply as a holding player. It's something I've criticised in the past.

The problem is King and Oakley are both attacking midfielders, and I feel that both are wary of attacking together for fear of leaving us exposed. King, in my opinion, is a better attacking option, so let him push on while Oakley stays deeper. Oakley does make good runs into the box, and has a decent hit on him though.

[davieG]

I can't argue with King passing sideways and backwards comment because I moaned about it during the match but it's worth looking at what contributed to it and made it worse than normal.

Well for start when he received the ball from our CBs and that's mostly where they came from he had at least 10 of the oppo in front of him and more often 11. Compounding that was that he rarely had more than 2 City players actually in front of him.

He had the 4 defenders behind him and Oakley as well on many occasions, the 2 wingers tended to be level with him or only marginally further forward.

On top of all this Leicester, when in possession must still be the most static team I've ever seen, there is virtually no movement, everyone seems to wait for a ball to be played before they move this is why too often the ball is played directly to feet rather than into space for the receiver to run onto.

On a related point we've still got too many players under hitting their passes, last night there must have been 10 passes that barely if ever reached their intended receiver which immediately puts the player under pressure by allowing the oppo to get at him and also slowing down the whole passage of play.

The ball should be hit firmly and if anything over hit because a decent footballer will control it and use the pace to their advantage.

[JakeShingler]

Where was Nicky Adams anyway, not even in the 16. Injured?

I thought that hes on better form than Gradel.

Hope hes there on Saturday.

[GloverFox]

I thought that hes on better form than Gradel.

Hope hes there on Saturday.

........ finally simmered down .... lacking drive and pace and that all important passion of 'I want the ball ... yes, me and now' .... two points dropped ... not good enough and yet we looked and played far better than Walsall ..... Saturday is make amends and three points .... C'Mon City

[Lovejoy]

Nows that IS a good point. King has more good qualities than Oakley but if there's one snag to his game it's that he's one-paced and I would love to see him try to hit the overdrive button on occasions.

When we got home after the Walsall game I jokingly asked my lad to see if he could spot any similarities between the Leicester and Manchester United players.

The differences in the passing and moving were dramatic but the thing that stood out first was the way the United players drove themselves forward. Ambling didn't come into it when an attack was on but that's what we do, almost all of us. It's got to stop. The whole side needs to support with attitude.

It's also a bloody waste using King simply as a holding player. It's something I've criticised in the past.

I agree with a lot of this. Oakley and King don't complement each other. In defence of King, who's passing has been questioned by a few, let's not forget the way Clemence passes. He seems to think he's playing to rugby rules, no forward pass and all that, and I think King has a better range than Clem. At times I struggle to see what sets Oakley apart, and he doesn't appear a particularly inspirational skipper either.

Also, in regard to the similarities between Leicester and Champions League standard players, cast your mind back to our visit to Stamford Bridge last season. The one player I'd single out is Lampard. His movement is fantastic, and that level of give-and-go football is very effective. I know we're miles away from that level, but it is one key difference, and a reason players like Lamps are so hard to pick up and score so many. The foober got a hat-trick that night, and his first two were as a result of him gambling and arriving late in the box. Our central midfielders don't do that. Just a thought .

[Father Ted]

Nows that IS a good point. King has more good qualities than Oakley but if there's one snag to his game it's that he's one-paced and I would love to see him try to hit the overdrive button on occasions.

When we got home after the Walsall game I jokingly asked my lad to see if he could spot any similarities between the Leicester and Manchester United players.

The differences in the passing and moving were dramatic but the thing that stood out first was the way the United players drove themselves forward. Ambling didn't come into it when an attack was on but that's what we do, almost all of us. It's got to stop. The whole side needs to support with attitude.

It's also a bloody waste using King simply as a holding player. It's something I've criticised in the past.

I agree that they are both one-paced but I wouldn't say that King has better qualities than Oakley. In my eyes, Oakley has better ball retention than King but King is more likely to pop up for a goal.

[Thracian]

I agree that they are both one-paced but I wouldn't say that King has better qualities than Oakley. In my eyes, Oakley has better ball retention than King but King is more likely to pop up for a goal.

We'll have to agree to disagree.

[davieG]

Highlights now on Virgin

I wasn't able to grab the highlights this time other than Tunchev's goal in my sig.

[Simi]

I agree that they are both one-paced but I wouldn't say that King has better qualities than Oakley. In my eyes, Oakley has better ball retention than King but King is more likely to pop up for a goal.

I think at key points in the game both of them seem to seize up and cause us a hell of a lot of problems.

When we conceded against Oldham and when Walsall took the lead, both of them seemed to lose the ability to put their foot on the ball and control the tempo. Oakley was forever just knocking it on with his first touch towards and Howard which got us nowhwere. Then King would try and play silly balls to Fryatt.

Neither of them really possess the ability to dominate a midfield. Both of them seem to bottle the big tackles which cost us against Walsall.

[Thracian]

I think at key points in the game both of them seem to seize up and cause us a hell of a lot of problems.

When we conceded against Oldham and when Walsall took the lead, both of them seemed to lose the ability to put their foot on the ball and control the tempo. Oakley was forever just knocking it on with his first touch towards and Howard which got us nowhwere. Then King would try and play silly balls to Fryatt.

Neither of them really possess the ability to dominate a midfield. Both of them seem to bottle the big tackles which cost us against Walsall.

I thought King did much to control midfield against Walsall. We had lots of possession and he retained the ball well in general. He lost possession for their first goal and defenders seemed so surprised that there was slackness everywhere in the events that followed.

Fryatt offered him and Oakley next to nothing to aim at all night - he was neutered almost throughout - and I didn't think the full-backs offered much in the way of alternatives either, other than the safety ball.

To me the midfielders need to be given far more options. And King far more freedom. I don't know for sure that King has been ordered to be the midfield anchor but is it his fault if he has? I'd like to see him get forward more and ghost into the box as he did for the first equaliser.

I've seen him score countless goals like that but he rarely gets into the box these days and I'm sure that's not out of choice.

[Bert]

I thought King did much to control midfield against Walsall. We had lots of possession and he retained the ball well in general. He lost possession for their first goal and defenders seemed so surprised that there was slackness everywhere in the events that followed.

Fryatt offered him and Oakley next to nothing to aim at all night - he was neutered almost throughout - and I didn't think the full-backs offered much in the way of alternatives either, other than the safety ball.

To me the midfielders need to be given far more options. And King far more freedom. I don't know for sure that King has been ordered to be the midfield anchor but is it his fault if he has? I'd like to see him get forward more and ghost into the box as he did for the first equaliser.

I've seen him score countless goals like that but he rarely gets into the box these days and I'm sure that's not out of choice.

He didn't ghost into the box. He was already in there. Anything to raise your chosen one's profiles eh.

[Thracian]

He didn't ghost into the box. He was already in there. Anything to raise your chosen one's profiles eh.

He found an unusual amount of space on the far post for a fixture and I don't need to raise his profile. Third top scorer and third most prolific shot taker in a side that would be top of the table if it one a game in hand seems to be advertisement enough for a fulcrum midfielder.

[Koke]

King - Too many sideways and backward passes. He's a poor mans Jermaine Jenas. When things get tough, he goes AWOL. I like King a lot, but he needs to express himself a lot more, take that extra bit of initiative, and believe in himself more. I know he can. At one point Tuesday night I was disappointed in him that he rather went for the safe 5 yard pass to Gilbert, when he could have gone for a sharp cross field ball to Dyer who was in acres of space. And it's not the first time he does that.

[Fez of Mahrez]

Right you lot. 100 lines.

Andy King must not be criticised.

Andy King must not be criticised.

Andy King must not be criticised.

Andy King must not be criticised.

[Koke]

I won't do it again. I promise.

[Thracian]

Right you lot. 100 lines.

Andy King must not be criticised.

Andy King must not be criticised.

Andy King must not be criticised.

Andy King must not be criticised.

It's no problem. He'll be used to it.

From my memory, apart from once with Fryatt, I think King is the only City player I've known to get hammered and get ratings of four from some despite scoring a goal and contributing to our considerable 55%-45% domination of possession.

Of course some of the same folk who hammer him now didn't want him in the team last year either. Good decision that in retrospect.

King is a useful attacker but has clearly been given a distributive role. Is it his fault if he does what's asked and gets the ball wide towards our pacey wingers given that they're our main point of attack we don't often have anyone else making themselves obviously available up front?

I've tried to support Fryatt for his goals but without them the guy does little to make himself available and progress a move.

If King tried to find him he'd be pilloried because, mostly, Fryatt doesn't have the raw pace to get away from a tight marker. And, being a dribbler, he doesn't naturally play fast one-two's with a defender on his back so King's pass would be a risk.

King's not encouaged to take risks in a holding role and with good reason considering what happens when he does and when he loses possession even as far out as the halfway line.

[Fez of Mahrez]

It's no problem. He'll be used to it.

From my memory, apart from once with Fryatt, I think King is the only City player I've known to get hammered and get ratings of four from some despite scoring a goal and contributing to our considerable 55%-45% domination of possession.

Of course some of the same folk who hammer him now didn't want him in the team last year either. Good decision that in retrospect.

King is a useful attacker but has clearly been given a distributive role. Is it his fault if he does what's asked and gets the ball wide towards our pacey wingers given that they're our main point of attack we don't often have anyone else making themselves obviously available up front?

I've tried to support Fryatt for his goals but without them the guy does little to make himself available and progress a move.

If King tried to find him he'd be pilloried because, mostly, Fryatt doesn't have the raw pace to get away from a tight marker. And, being a dribbler, he doesn't naturally play fast one-two's with a defender on his back so King's pass would be a risk.

King's not encouaged to take risks in a holding role and with good reason considering what happens when he does and when he loses possession even as far out as the halfway line.

I think he's been better than Oakley this season - I just wonder whether you'll ever criticise him for anything.

[Raj]

It's no problem. He'll be used to it.

From my memory, apart from once with Fryatt, I think King is the only City player I've known to get hammered and get ratings of four from some despite scoring a goal and contributing to our considerable 55%-45% domination of possession.

Of course some of the same folk who hammer him now didn't want him in the team last year either. Good decision that in retrospect.

King is a useful attacker but has clearly been given a distributive role. Is it his fault if he does what's asked and gets the ball wide towards our pacey wingers given that they're our main point of attack we don't often have anyone else making themselves obviously available up front?

I've tried to support Fryatt for his goals but without them the guy does little to make himself available and progress a move.

If King tried to find him he'd be pilloried because, mostly, Fryatt doesn't have the raw pace to get away from a tight marker. And, being a dribbler, he doesn't naturally play fast one-two's with a defender on his back so King's pass would be a risk.

King's not encouaged to take risks in a holding role and with good reason considering what happens when he does and when he loses possession even as far out as the halfway line.

Ay Up Thrac.

Never mind King.

Do you thing Howard's a fat tosser?

[Thracian]

I think he's been better than Oakley this season - I just wonder whether you'll ever criticise him for anything.

I've not been very critical of anyone this season. In fact I quite like the position we're in!

But to please you:

a) I think he's one paced and needs to work on his urgency and running strength (he will never be especially quick).

b) He paces himself rather than pushing himself at times and that's a pity cos I think he's a threat around the box both in the air and on the floor.

He needs to study someone like Lampard or Scholes to see how, and how often, they pick their moments to drive into the box and how Scholes makes space to pass the ball forward so often. King is well capable of such things as he has already shown on occasions already this season.

However rather think King may be restrained either by instructions or the fear of letting the side down that a still young team member might naturally feel.

On Tuesday however, I felt he showed signs of quietly taking command in midfield because so much went through him. As his stature within the team grows I feel sure that his infuence will increase in various ways.

Ay Up Thrac.

Never mind King.

Do you thing Howard's a fat tosser?

:D If he is I'll let you tell him!

[davieG]

Ay Up Thrac.

Never mind King.

Do you thing Howard's a fat tosser?

Raj I've made a sig especially for you.

[Daggers]

Raj I've made a sig especially for you.

...but it doesn't say 'Twat' once...

[lildave3]

Raj I've made a sig especially for you.

I'd thieve that if it didn't mean getting rid of The Dream.

[Tilley]

I'd thieve that if it didn't mean getting rid of The Dream.

Howard's goal > 'The Dream'

[Joe.]

The day Thracian criticises Andy King is the day I begin to adore Matty Fryatt.