My Assessment

[Kilworthfox]

5 home games with no win

12 points clear of 2nd

MK Dons could be 4 points behind “if” they win their games in hand.

We look like we can not be caught, so that means Champions

Our play has become league 1 since Mark Davies left

We are unbeaten in 22 league games

We all know that overall we are top and look like we will be champions come May, which is the news which we wanted at the start of the season. I expected to be 1st however I am always the optimist. However unfortunately our form and play in my opinion is poor in comparison to what we should expect from Leicester City at this level.

There is no way that I could slate anything at Leicester at present, to do so would daft. I am more than a little concerned with our play and our results as we have faced different challenges in recent times and we have not risen above the poor opposition this league has to offer.

Last night we exciting for 10 minutes. We scored a fluke of a goal after a deceiving cross from Gilbert not Dyer! After that we never looked like we could break down a decent Stockport side. Stockport set up to play a patient slow passing game where possession and ball retention was all they were interested in. Their tactics were very interesting to me. The reason being ever since we played Huddersfield we have not looked like we could break down a side. If Stockport had scored 1st, I have serious reservations about our ability to create a goal from open play when chasing the game.

We have players such as, Dyer, Mattock, Gilbert, who are all quick and can run with the ball. How many times this season have we counter attacked at speed to create a goal scoring opportunity? I think very rarely. We never seem to have it in our mind that there is an opportunity if an opposition attack breaks down, and we have to hit them on the counter and quickly. It annoys me more now, as if you can’t counter attack, then you must be able to break down the opposition with creativity, passing skills, vision and timing. Leicester since Davies left doesn’t display any of these attributes. King does not seem to have that pass & move at pace which Davies terrified defences in this division with. We don’t seem to hit our wingers with balls into space, our wingers in particular Dyer can not cross, however we do not play to Dyer’s strength in the 1st place and hit him with a direct ball so he can counter.

I am not a performance annalist, I am just a geezer in the stand who has seen a lot of football. I don’t expect miracles from Leicester, but Stockport last night were organised, they had a game plan and they were well drilled. In this division Leicester can get away with being “less organised” than Stockport were last night, but there are reasons why Stockport are doing so well and why we are underperforming recently.

Also last night our corners in the 1st half hour were very dangerous, and we looked as if we could score from everyone, as the good deliveries caused problems every time. However 2nd half our corners were poor. Why? Corners unlike freekicks never change position. If players can be free kick specialists when freekicks can be from different distances & angles, why can Leicester not be better at deliveries from corners? Surely it is a matter of practice?

This leads me to my biggest fear… Next season. On the positive side we should see more investment in the team and more quality players in to challenge the better sides in the Championship as the team we have now (even with the loan players) would struggle.

Who will score our goals in the championship? Fryatt? Howard? Chambers? Campbell? Dickov?

Fryatt I doubt, Howard is just a foil for a better striker, Chambers for some reason is never given an opportunity in the league, Dickov’s legs have gone, we (Milan) are lumbered for another season, and Campbell from reports is not rated and wants to go.

I am happy we are going up, but I am worried by the team and hope we don’t find ourselves doing a Forest & struggling next season.

[maddog]

5 home games with no win

12 points clear of 2nd

MK Dons could be 4 points behind “if” they win their games in hand.

We look like we can not be caught, so that means Champions

Our play has become league 1 since Mark Davies left

We are unbeaten in 22 league games

We all know that overall we are top and look like we will be champions come May, which is the news which we wanted at the start of the season. I expected to be 1st however I am always the optimist. However unfortunately our form and play in my opinion is poor in comparison to what we should expect from Leicester City at this level.

There is no way that I could slate anything at Leicester at present, to do so would daft. I am more than a little concerned with our play and our results as we have faced different challenges in recent times and we have not risen above the poor opposition this league has to offer.

Last night we exciting for 10 minutes. We scored a fluke of a goal after a deceiving cross from Gilbert not Dyer! After that we never looked like we could break down a decent Stockport side. Stockport set up to play a patient slow passing game where possession and ball retention was all they were interested in. Their tactics were very interesting to me. The reason being ever since we played Huddersfield we have not looked like we could break down a side. If Stockport had scored 1st, I have serious reservations about our ability to create a goal from open play when chasing the game.

We have players such as, Dyer, Mattock, Gilbert, who are all quick and can run with the ball. How many times this season have we counter attacked at speed to create a goal scoring opportunity? I think very rarely. We never seem to have it in our mind that there is an opportunity if an opposition attack breaks down, and we have to hit them on the counter and quickly. It annoys me more now, as if you can’t counter attack, then you must be able to break down the opposition with creativity, passing skills, vision and timing. Leicester since Davies left doesn’t display any of these attributes. King does not seem to have that pass & move at pace which Davies terrified defences in this division with. We don’t seem to hit our wingers with balls into space, our wingers in particular Dyer can not cross, however we do not play to Dyer’s strength in the 1st place and hit him with a direct ball so he can counter.

I am not a performance annalist, I am just a geezer in the stand who has seen a lot of football. I don’t expect miracles from Leicester, but Stockport last night were organised, they had a game plan and they were well drilled. In this division Leicester can get away with being “less organised” than Stockport were last night, but there are reasons why Stockport are doing so well and why we are underperforming recently.

Also last night our corners in the 1st half hour were very dangerous, and we looked as if we could score from everyone, as the good deliveries caused problems every time. However 2nd half our corners were poor. Why? Corners unlike freekicks never change position. If players can be free kick specialists when freekicks can be from different distances & angles, why can Leicester not be better at deliveries from corners? Surely it is a matter of practice?

This leads me to my biggest fear… Next season. On the positive side we should see more investment in the team and more quality players in to challenge the better sides in the Championship as the team we have now (even with the loan players) would struggle.

Who will score our goals in the championship? Fryatt? Howard? Chambers? Campbell? Dickov?

Fryatt I doubt, Howard is just a foil for a better striker, Chambers for some reason is never given an opportunity in the league, Dickov’s legs have gone, we (Milan) are lumbered for another season, and Campbell from reports is not rated and wants to go.

I am happy we are going up, but I am worried by the team and hope we don’t find ourselves doing a Forest & struggling next season.

Barry Hayles is the answer to every problem

IMO if Hayles had been on longer last night or started we would have won, he actually moves.

And WTF was Howard doing when he just kicked the ball 50 yards over the bar straight up in the air, and yet again we put in good crosses, where was Howard heading them in, no where, no fooking where.

[Kilworthfox]

Barry Hayles is the answer to every problem

IMO if Hayles had been on longer last night or started we would have won, he actually moves.

And WTF was Howard doing when he just kicked the ball 50 yards over the bar straight up in the air, and yet again we put in good crosses, where was Howard heading them in, no where, no fooking where.

As I initially said the only decent crosses came from 1st half corners, and you are correct we never got anywhere near them not just big Steve.

[Candidcamera]

This season is all about getting out of this division. We have very capable youngsters both in the team and waiting their chances. Pearson has shown that he knows what he is doing. It seems to me that the division has become more physical as we have gone along. He plays for the game he looks at. I hope that against Cheltenham we go all out to win.

I think that we are much better than the team that went down. Tunchev, Hobbs, Mattock, King, Dyer anf Fryatt are all going to do well. THe loan of Davies was exceptional and we should keep an eye on a similar deal. Wolves were the biggest losers there. Perhaps the coaches could build the running past players he demonstrated into the younger players.

When we last got promotion with an aging team Elliot and Izzet we were very boring. Sit tight for us to get up.

[SMX11]

Our final ball was terrible last night, Dyer and glibert looked sharp but they lack ability when crossing <_<

We did look threatening from corners (1st half) but we seem to hardly ever get goals from them

My main concern is that lack of options up front, Howard + Fryatt may struggle next year if we dont get more competition for them .... pace is a must

[shiv]

the last few games, i haven't been impressed with our corners. but we have obviously worked on this and i was happy to see we tried something different!

also, i know we've drawn 4 home games in a row, but if this is our "bad patch" then i'll take that any day cos we're still not losing!

and i think the booers shouldn't bother turning up... no need for it

[Raj]

Still think we will go up Thomas.

But we will stutter over the line like a drunken Alexipopopops

We will struggle BIG time(worse than we have before!) in the CChip unless we buy a backbone of GOOD QUALITY YOUNG HUNGRY players.

The likes of Oakley etc wont be good enough.

Lets get Promoted before we worry about all that shite....

[Lillehamring]

5 home games with no win

12 points clear of 2nd

MK Dons could be 4 points behind “if” they win their games in hand.

We look like we can not be caught, so that means Champions

Our play has become league 1 since Mark Davies left

We are unbeaten in 22 league games

We all know that overall we are top and look like we will be champions come May, which is the news which we wanted at the start of the season. I expected to be 1st however I am always the optimist. However unfortunately our form and play in my opinion is poor in comparison to what we should expect from Leicester City at this level.

There is no way that I could slate anything at Leicester at present, to do so would daft. I am more than a little concerned with our play and our results as we have faced different challenges in recent times and we have not risen above the poor opposition this league has to offer.

Last night we exciting for 10 minutes. We scored a fluke of a goal after a deceiving cross from Gilbert not Dyer! After that we never looked like we could break down a decent Stockport side. Stockport set up to play a patient slow passing game where possession and ball retention was all they were interested in. Their tactics were very interesting to me. The reason being ever since we played Huddersfield we have not looked like we could break down a side. If Stockport had scored 1st, I have serious reservations about our ability to create a goal from open play when chasing the game.

We have players such as, Dyer, Mattock, Gilbert, who are all quick and can run with the ball. How many times this season have we counter attacked at speed to create a goal scoring opportunity? I think very rarely. We never seem to have it in our mind that there is an opportunity if an opposition attack breaks down, and we have to hit them on the counter and quickly. It annoys me more now, as if you can’t counter attack, then you must be able to break down the opposition with creativity, passing skills, vision and timing. Leicester since Davies left doesn’t display any of these attributes. King does not seem to have that pass & move at pace which Davies terrified defences in this division with. We don’t seem to hit our wingers with balls into space, our wingers in particular Dyer can not cross, however we do not play to Dyer’s strength in the 1st place and hit him with a direct ball so he can counter.

I am not a performance annalist, I am just a geezer in the stand who has seen a lot of football. I don’t expect miracles from Leicester, but Stockport last night were organised, they had a game plan and they were well drilled. In this division Leicester can get away with being “less organised” than Stockport were last night, but there are reasons why Stockport are doing so well and why we are underperforming recently.

Also last night our corners in the 1st half hour were very dangerous, and we looked as if we could score from everyone, as the good deliveries caused problems every time. However 2nd half our corners were poor. Why? Corners unlike freekicks never change position. If players can be free kick specialists when freekicks can be from different distances & angles, why can Leicester not be better at deliveries from corners? Surely it is a matter of practice?

This leads me to my biggest fear… Next season. On the positive side we should see more investment in the team and more quality players in to challenge the better sides in the Championship as the team we have now (even with the loan players) would struggle.

Who will score our goals in the championship? Fryatt? Howard? Chambers? Campbell? Dickov?

Fryatt I doubt, Howard is just a foil for a better striker, Chambers for some reason is never given an opportunity in the league, Dickov’s legs have gone, we (Milan) are lumbered for another season, and Campbell from reports is not rated and wants to go.

I am happy we are going up, but I am worried by the team and hope we don’t find ourselves doing a Forest & struggling next season.

all very well, but spoilt with this nonsense about davies - he only started 5 games! - does this mean were a creative void before he came too? yes he was good, he scored 2 in 5 starts, yes it would have been nice to see him stay, but was he a god every minute he played, probably not, is our league position solely based on the games he played - of course not...

the fact is, we could have easily have been like leeds or forest, through some divine grace it looks like we have escaped a period of hellish L1 misery, and that is solely down to the abilities of nigel pearson and the performances of the team he has largely assembled - anyone who believes that the results at the moment are unacceptable, and suggesting of a lack of quality or desire are deluding themselves...

being favourites to go up and now clear leaders can often be a harder lot to deal with than unexpected pack-chasing (like p'boro, oldham et al), coupled with the high number of young players involved in our squad (current average age, anyone?) to be unbeaten in 22, even if recently that has meant a run of draws is an enviable record, one that any fan in the country would love to have.

with every game there are fewer points available with which to be caught, and every slip from those chasing will make it harder for us to be caught; as one by one teams can no longer catch us, and no doubt as this pressure drops, then i am confident that flair and ease and confidence will return.

well, at least that's my assessment

[chrisfox]

It also doesnt help when you have about 10,000 cretins booing your every move on the pitch

I was embarressed throughout the Stockport game with the amount of negativity coming from the stands.

Maybe, and this is just an idea, if we all get behind the team, make some noise they might actually think playing for us isn't so bad after all.

all this booing crap is going to start making players question their desire to play for us fans, if all their hard work gets them is being booed off!

maybe the performance wasn't good enough, but to boo off a team 12 points clear at the top of the league is just crazy stuff

[Raj]

It also doesnt help when you have about 10,000 cretins booing your every move on the pitch

I was embarressed throughout the Stockport game with the amount of negativity coming from the stands.

Maybe, and this is just an idea, if we all get behind the team, make some noise they might actually think playing for us isn't so bad after all.

all this booing crap is going to start making players question their desire to play for us fans, if all their hard work gets them is being booed off!

maybe the performance wasn't good enough, but to boo off a team 12 points clear at the top of the league is just crazy stuff

Now why didnt we all think of that!!

[Kilworthfox]

Still think we will go up Thomas.

But we will stutter over the line like a drunken Alexipopopops

We will struggle BIG time(worse than we have before!) in the CChip unless we buy a backbone of GOOD QUALITY YOUNG HUNGRY players.

The likes of Oakley etc wont be good enough.

Lets get Promoted before we worry about all that shite....

I know we will go up mate. I think like you we will creep over the line to top spot. We need better players for sure next season, and hopefully get rid of some of the players who sent us here in the first place, Oakley, Fryatt, Howard, Campbell & Hayles. Then Dickov as he can't even get past them in the side.

Basicly the strikeforce less Chambers. & add some quality. The Championship standard is different to League 1 obviously.

[Lovejoy]

We will go up, and imo we will go up as champions as MK will drop points too, the difference is we now look like every other team in League 1. Next season we don't need a squad overhaul, but 2 or 3 class signings are required, not least a Davies (sorry to mention the name again) style midfielder. I still think we'll buck up our ideas and not continue to labour like this for the remaining fixtures,but I guess that still isn't enough for the cvnts boo boys?

[marbelladave]

We will go up, and imo we will go up as champions as MK will drop points too, the difference is we now look like every other team in League 1. Next season we don't need a squad overhaul, but 2 or 3 class signings are required, not least a Davies (sorry to mention the name again) style midfielder. I still think we'll buck up our ideas and not continue to labour like this for the remaining fixtures,but I guess that still isn't enough for the cvnts boo boys?

We're going to lose 10-12 players this summer, 2 or 3 signings, class or not will not be anywhere near enough, we need 4-5 probable starters and the same again to make up the squad!

On the other point, we have been pretty poor for a while now (relative to our resources) and I do not much enjoy watching us play at the moment, but booing? Not on.

Automatic promotion will do this season, we really have to start playing next!

[MC Prussian]

Hmmm... Some valid points.

However, you can't really expect us to thrash every single team in this division. Seriously. With a little bit of reflection, you'd also come to the conclusion that the opposing teams are not so daft after all and (provided they have the means) with a good scouting report on us and looking at the way we've played so far, it's been harder for us to break down defenses because most other teams adapt tactics accordingly (especially when coming to the Walkers) and are super-cautious. Can't blame them for that.

Also, there's been not that much of player rotation so far, Pearson is sticking to a core of players for the starting eleven (as long as they're not out injured). Probably because he knows that they're quality and most times a class above the rest of the league - not wanting to sound too arrogant here.

The unbeaten record is probably a result of both our squad having a slight fitness issue (with a regular starting eleven) and the opponents getting smarter by the game. Also, with the end of the season looming, especially the teams at the bottom will do whatever they can in order to avoid relegation, thus raising their own level of play considerably.

I'd say once we can be sure of automatic promotion, Pearson will give more youngsters a chance to shine. As of right now, the risk is simply too high losing decisive games - don't forget we're still to face Millwall and Peterborough away as well as Leeds and Sc'unthorpe at home. My guess is Pearson does have to gamble a bit, already trying to figure out how to approach those important fixtures.

Patience.

[Tommeh]

all very well, but spoilt with this nonsense about davies - he only started 5 games! - does this mean were a creative void before he came too? yes he was good, he scored 2 in 5 starts, yes it would have been nice to see him stay, but was he a god every minute he played, probably not, is our league position solely based on the games he played - of course not...

the fact is, we could have easily have been like leeds or forest, through some divine grace it looks like we have escaped a period of hellish L1 misery, and that is solely down to the abilities of nigel pearson and the performances of the team he has largely assembled - anyone who believes that the results at the moment are unacceptable, and suggesting of a lack of quality or desire are deluding themselves...

being favourites to go up and now clear leaders can often be a harder lot to deal with than unexpected pack-chasing (like p'boro, oldham et al), coupled with the high number of young players involved in our squad (current average age, anyone?) to be unbeaten in 22, even if recently that has meant a run of draws is an enviable record, one that any fan in the country would love to have.

with every game there are fewer points available with which to be caught, and every slip from those chasing will make it harder for us to be caught; as one by one teams can no longer catch us, and no doubt as this pressure drops, then i am confident that flair and ease and confidence will return.

well, at least that's my assessment

Lines like this really do amaze me.

[Webbo]

Lines like this really do amaze me.

I think he means league one not L1(seating area)

[Kilworthfox]

I think he means league one not L1(seating area)

I think Tom knows that. Tommeh likes the league 1 experience I believe.

[davieG]

I think Tom knows that. Tommeh likes the league 1 experience I believe.

I'm sure he'd find the novelty wearing off after a few years of failure.

[20mj08]

good points made and i have been worried for a while now thinking is this a cchip side? i dont think so. tues we had a poor game and there seemed to be no shape or orginisation and oakley was trying to do 2 or 3 players jobs at one time. milan will need to use the money well this summer with a few new signings and maye a few loans from this season signed up

the summer will show us as for now we need to get back on the winning track too many points have been lost over the past few games and its putting more presure on us than we need. bring on the fancy dress at scunny or crew or both

[Tommeh]

I think he means league one not L1(seating area)

I meant the league yes.

Yes the standard of the championship is better and it's always good to compete at the highest level but League 1 has passed my estimations by a long way and i've thoroughly enjoyed the season.

Branding it "helish misery" is ridiculous.

Been our best and most enjoyable season for many years and yet still some people seem obsessed with success.

[Kilworthfox]

good points made and i have been worried for a while now thinking is this a cchip side? i dont think so. tues we had a poor game and there seemed to be no shape or orginisation and oakley was trying to do 2 or 3 players jobs at one time. milan will need to use the money well this summer with a few new signings and maye a few loans from this season signed up

the summer will show us as for now we need to get back on the winning track too many points have been lost over the past few games and its putting more presure on us than we need. bring on the fancy dress at scunny or crew or both

relegation it is then 09/10

[Webbo]

I meant the league yes.

Yes the standard of the championship is better and it's always good to compete at the highest level but League 1 has passed my estimations by a long way and i've thoroughly enjoyed the season.

Branding it "helish misery" is ridiculous.

Been our best and most enjoyable season for many years and yet still some people seem obsessed with success.

Ok my bad.

Perhaps 'hellish misery' is a bit strong, but I'll be damn glad when we're out of this league.

[Kilworthfox]

Ok my bad.

Perhaps 'hellish misery' is a bit strong, but I'll be damn glad when we're out of this league.

Same I would love to be playing Sheff Wed rather than Cheltenham

[Scow]

he scored 2 in 5 starts

1 in 5 actually. It was Berner who scored at Carlisle, not Davies.

[lefox]

Tomorrow is a telling game. Top vs rock bottom. It will only tell us something if they stick 10 men behind the ball and we can't break them down... Tomorrow should be a walk over victory, we shouldn't concede and we should score freely.

If we don't then I'm worried.

Look at the remaining fixtures, we still have to play scunny, millwall, peterborough, leeds and colchester. Teams who can easily take points away from us.