Plymouth post match

[caz05]

You negative ****.

When we're going to Wembley in May, Don't bother coming if we're not good enough.

How are we not good enough, The league does not lie. Look how many goals we've conceded. We have a solid defence. As long as you aren't conceding goals, It doesn't really matter if your scoring flurries of goals all season or one goal.

We've infact played 3 games in a week. S****horpe, Bristol, and Plymouth. 3 games in 7 days. I could be payed £5, or £50000 a week, I'd still be knackered playing on a cowfield and playing 3 games in 7 days. I'd love to see you have ago at it. (Actually, Nah)

Fool.

[Anish]

Still on my way back to London.

On balance that was probably a fair result. Pitch was god awful, nearly as bad as Blackpool.

Chris Weale is a hero

Same here. You on the train?

[The Doctor]

well it's only a point but we were fortunate it wasn't none.

Lot of people over-reacting on this forum but you look at our results at home park recently : 0-0 draw, 3-0 defeat, 1-0 defeat, 0-0 draw. 2 points from 12 in a decade and people moan at a point?

They may be doing poor but thats more down to luggy destroying them earlier in the season. They were up and around the play-offs for a couple of seasons while we were battling relegation so it's not like they're peterborough they're a side with championship experience.

Just keep the run going, doesn't matter if it's one point or three if we continue to pick up points we will still survive and get mid-table minimum, which, although a "disappointment" after the season we've had, is still an improvement on recent campaigns.

It's one game, we're still right in the promotion frame, with two games in hand against a distinctly unimpressive doncaster and a cardiff side that seem to have capitulated in recent months.4 points from those two games and today will just be a footnote in our season. less than 3 points from those two and todays poor performance/result could come back to haunt us.

[Aeropars]

Right, I read 2 pages and got so riled that i gave up and needed to post.... and frankly i'm apauled that some of the idiots on this forum call themselfs leicester fans.

I'm as disapointed as the next person we didnt win this today. Had it been on a decent pitch then I beleive we would have had all 3 points. I think nrealy every error I saw today could have been caused by the pitch. It was a disgrace and frankly I cant belive the football league allow it... i have played on better sunday league pitches!

Yes... it was the same for both teams... no... we didnt score a goal ourselfs but thats not the point. Plymouth have adapted to playing on this pitch week in week out and were better on this pitch than leicester were. does it say anything about the performance? No... it says they found it hard to play football in an arena which was more at home to a tug'o'war match.

Simply put.. this was a decent performance for what could have been a 0 pointer. You cannot judge a football team on how good they can swim... or play golf... same goes for playing football on a pitch which doesnt meet the specification.

I'll take th epoint, thank god we didnt lose and be happy we're still looking very stong for a playoff place.

I think people are dillusioned because this is really where leicester 'should' be. In reality we are doing exceptionaly well to be in this position and i think its an outstanding acheivement to even think about playoffs. If we get there and lose i'll be even more proud of the team becuase given how much we've spent i think we are punching well above our weight.

I know someone will pick this apart and call me childish names but this really is an accurate assessment of our team and performance today.

Ps. Cracking support for the game today. Well done the hardcore!

[CKB]

I am disappointed but still glad we didn't lose aswell..

Winning would have been great as there would have been a 3pt gap and more on the others but now it's only 1pt on that pesky orange team!

[AoWW]

Right, I read 2 pages and got so riled that i gave up and needed to post.... and frankly i'm apauled that some of the idiots on this forum call themselfs leicester fans.

I'm as disapointed as the next person we didnt win this today. Had it been on a decent pitch then I beleive we would have had all 3 points. I think nrealy every error I saw today could have been caused by the pitch. It was a disgrace and frankly I cant belive the football league allow it... i have played on better sunday league pitches!

Yes... it was the same for both teams... no... we didnt score a goal ourselfs but thats not the point. Plymouth have adapted to playing on this pitch week in week out and were better on this pitch than leicester were. does it say anything about the performance? No... it says they found it hard to play football in an arena which was more at home to a tug'o'war match.

Simply put.. this was a decent performance for what could have been a 0 pointer. You cannot judge a football team on how good they can swim... or play golf... same goes for playing football on a pitch which doesnt meet the specification.

I'll take th epoint, thank god we didnt lose and be happy we're still looking very stong for a playoff place.

I think people are dillusioned because this is really where leicester 'should' be. In reality we are doing exceptionaly well to be in this position and i think its an outstanding acheivement to even think about playoffs. If we get there and lose i'll be even more proud of the team becuase given how much we've spent i think we are punching well above our weight.

I know someone will pick this apart and call me childish names but this really is an accurate assessment of our team and performance today.

Ps. Cracking support for the game today. Well done the hardcore!

Well said.

[Guest Mee-9]

Right, I read 2 pages and got so riled that i gave up and needed to post.... and frankly i'm apauled that some of the idiots on this forum call themselfs leicester fans.

I'm as disapointed as the next person we didnt win this today. Had it been on a decent pitch then I beleive we would have had all 3 points. I think nrealy every error I saw today could have been caused by the pitch. It was a disgrace and frankly I cant belive the football league allow it... i have played on better sunday league pitches!

Yes... it was the same for both teams... no... we didnt score a goal ourselfs but thats not the point. Plymouth have adapted to playing on this pitch week in week out and were better on this pitch than leicester were. does it say anything about the performance? No... it says they found it hard to play football in an arena which was more at home to a tug'o'war match.

Simply put.. this was a decent performance for what could have been a 0 pointer. You cannot judge a football team on how good they can swim... or play golf... same goes for playing football on a pitch which doesnt meet the specification.

I'll take th epoint, thank god we didnt lose and be happy we're still looking very stong for a playoff place.

I think people are dillusioned because this is really where leicester 'should' be. In reality we are doing exceptionaly well to be in this position and i think its an outstanding acheivement to even think about playoffs. If we get there and lose i'll be even more proud of the team becuase given how much we've spent i think we are punching well above our weight.

I know someone will pick this apart and call me childish names but this really is an accurate assessment of our team and performance today.

Ps. Cracking support for the game today. Well done the hardcore!

Well said mate. Haven't seen you active on here before. You should post more often.

[Ozwin]

Leicester944, I do like your new avatar.

[Trav Le Bleu]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Win at home and draw away. So maybe it's disappointing that it was against the 2nd bottom team, but hey, Cardiff lost at home today. Wonder how many of their fans are wanting Jones head?

Actually, I'm guessing there'll be a few... footie fans are all the same, Welsh or otherwise

[maddog]

We didn't lose again thats the main thing.

10 points from our previous 6 games, against sides like Newcastle, Blackpool and Doncaster.

That would still almost certainly earn you 6th place through a 46 game season.

Shame we couldn't hold on but we are 1 point closer to Cardiff, Swansea still aren't out of reach with our game in hand and if we could somehow manage to win Tuesday and then beat Forest then they aren't out of our reach either.

Still remaining positive, we're still in the playoffs, and the shitty chasing pack of whom one must finish above us to deny us 6th, won't catch us i don't think.

Yes Blackpool won today but they were at home to Reading, we still have to play 5 of the teams near the bottom of the table.

Middlesbrough lost, Cardiff lost at home to Barnsley 2-0 ffs, do you honestly think that Cardiff, Swansea, will both be above us come the end of the season plus a team from Blackpool, M'Boro, Sheffield United with their inconsistent form

We've done the double over Blackpool, taken 4 points from the Blades and beaten Middlesbrough away from home. With M'Boro still to play at home we could beat them again.

With Sheff U not playing our lead over them is increased to 3 points plus one game in hand.

Blackpool play away to West Brom and Barnsley in their next 3, Sheff U do have easier fixtures though.

But the Blades still have to face a Sheffield Derby away from home, Newcastle, Swansea, the rising Coventry, Barnsley, Cardiff away, Doncaster away, Blackpool.

Infact Sheffield United still have to face 7 of the top half sides in their final 14 games. In a few weeks they play Blackpool so one or both of them will drop points.

Of course every game is tough but i would say we certainly don't have a harder run in than M'Boro, Blackpool and Sheff U, on paper.

The M'Boro home game could be crucial but i think it will all be done and dusted by then.

We could easily finish above Cardiff and Swansea and end up 4th, one of the chasing sides would have to have a fantastic finish to the season, with the Welsh sides also remaining consistent for us to end up finishing 7th.

TBH if we do miss out on the playoffs i can't see us finishing lower than 7th.

The more i look at this, the more i see that it's ours to lose, and the more i think we will finish at least 6th.

Roll on Donny.

[Guest Mee-9]

Leicester944, I do like your new avatar.

Good ain't it.

[C-man]

maddog you are absolutely insane.

[MPH]

we have lost 3 out of 15 away games....

why are people panicking?

[Fox You Forest]

Having read through this thread I don't think I'll bother.

[Ozwin]

I swear maddogs post match posts get longer every week.

[argyle_dude]

Loving the attitude of "Plymouth are second from bottom therefore we should be walking all over them if we want to finish in the top 6" Exlcuding the FA cup, the last game we lost by more than 1 goal was Mariner's first game in charge back in December, earlier this week we held Swansea to a 1-1 draw and a couple of weeks ago West Brom admitted they were lucky to leave home park with a 1-0 win. We are slowly making Home Park a hard place to come again. Yes partly due to the pitch but also because Mariner has re-installed some passion and fight into a team that had all but lost any edge under Paul Sturrock and we are fighting for our survival.

Our biggest problem this season has been scoring, as proved today. We hammered you in the second half but couldn't get the ball across the line for love nor money. And listening to your fans on the coach back, they were moaning about your fowards, put yourselves in our shoes for a minute. Perhaps someone else who was at the game today can tell mne something good that Fallon did, because if he had any useful input into the game at some point, I must have blinked and missed it.

[Maybes]

we have lost 4 out of 15 away games....

why are people panicking?

[marbelladave]

I am still totally wired from the drive,so I will keep it short and sweet.

We player pretty well for most of the first hour then it was all Plymouth. should have been up at half time but we failed to construct any really good chances despite our superiority and never, quite, looked like scoring.

Last 30-35 minutes we dropped off (tiredness?) and were battered, did well not to concede but Morrison Brown and Wellens in particular all had a torrid time, though to be fair Plymouth had few even half decent opportunities.

Anyway, given the wretched pitch and resurgent Plymouth, not the worst result.

Where and how we need to improve will have to wait till tomorrow, I'm cream crackered!

BTW......The service men on show were class, seemed to lift the home support... :thumbup:

[lcfc_jme]

at some of the complete plumbs in this thread. Never come across such a bunch of melons in all my life.

We never, ever win at Plymouth. Ever. And after our last trip there, this both sounds and looks like a massive fcking improvement. We're always shit down there so to come away with a point is nice. Any game without defeat at the minute will continue to breed confidence into our side, and as Dr The Singh says, confidence is the key!

I honestly think some people wouldn't be happy with us with an 8th placed finish in the Premier League because we missed out on Europe. What utter floor-chewers you are.

[Plymouth Pete]

1) I was there

2) Must apologise for the state of the pitch, it has done damn all but rain this year and it has been flooded out (ask Barnsley)

3) We gave you a goal start and I was expecting a hiding from you after that, but you never looked like scoring.

4) We know Gallagher from his loan spell last season, and although his goals kept us up, a lot of the time he did not appear interested which I put down to his only being a loan player. However he appeared to be uninterested for you, certainly did not want to dig in and fight, is this always his attitude with you?

[Thracian]

4) We know Gallagher from his loan spell last season, and although his goals kept us up, a lot of the time he did not appear interested which I put down to his only being a loan player. However he appeared to be uninterested for you, certainly did not want to dig in and fight, is this always his attitude with you?

No but it is probably a good part of the reason for his modest goals returns over the years and why he's not really a striker.

So far I'd never accuse the bloke of being disinterested for us. But nor has he ever struck me as being the sort of fighter who's tough enough to survive long in the penalty area.

Even with his recent hat-trick one of the goals was a free-kick and the other he beat the off-side trap to head a clever goal while unchallenged.

He'll remain an attacking midfielder with a bit of class who can be a threat from outside the box rather than a mean, ruthless, in-your-face, natural born striker.

As for yesterday's performance, for once I think the "excuses" are valid and that, in the scheme of things a point down there is to be welcomed.

Three games in seven days plus the travelling drains footballers whatever wages they're on and that cloggy pitch would have drained us some more, dulled our minds and seeped at our will to play football. Yes it was the same for both sides but Plymouth would be far more atuned to it and acclimatised to its draining effect.

Plymouth games always sound dour and dismal. I've never wanted to go to them. I'd have happily accepted a point and an offer not to play the match at all for what it was likely to be worth in entertainment value, and yesterday was, by all accounts, exactly par for the course.

But the single point is no disaster. Indeed, to his credit, Pearson has a handy knack of collecting at least something out of games even if we don't look like anything special. We are still a severely limited team in several ways so for us to constantly put together little and sometimes longer runs of unbeaten matches at least says something for our resilience, hard work and our organisation.

And a good many teams would be mighty glad to be in our position whatever way we've got there.

[Basingstoke Fox]

I was happy with a point in the end. Plymouth showed alot of heart and will be upset they didn't win it. Jack Hobbs' clearance off the line was heroic. Both sides hit the woodwork and both sides had it cleared off the line so I think a point was a fair result. We showed an awful lot of fight and determination too, they had it in our box a couple of times and we made sure we got something on the ball most times no matter what, that said, they did have pretty poor finishing from time to time.

We didn't look like scoring though in my opinion we just couldn't break them down, part of that was down to the pitch but we did often give the ball away stupidly. Richie Wellens was doing my fecking head in, constantly trying to look incredibly skillfull, yet constantly making a twat of himself by fooking it up. There was an attack in the first half where we played it around nicely and he just backheeled it straight to the Plymouth player. He should've just looked up and played a more simple yet much more effective ball. Waghorn always looked a threat imo. Back four was good, at the person behind me who kept shouting BOOOMM everytime Brown got a header in or a clearance. Bruno Berner is god, even when he fooked up, he got back and made a great tackle, I'm a big fan of his.

Atmosphere, in my opinion was pretty poor. Great turnout but other than the group which was a few rows behind me who tried to make an atmosphere, it was generally pretty shit. Well done to everyone who went though, took me 4 hours to get back with a mate (and we weren't overly slow either), so it much have taken ages for all people from Leicester or further parts of the country to go.

Oh and enjoyed the pre match penalties from Chrissy Powell.

[marbelladave]

Morning all, for what it is worth, my views on yesterdays game.

First of all we did not play that badly, first half we were pretty much on top, though, when they arrived, both goals were completely out of nowhere. We had a lot of possession in attacking areas but created just one decent chance that fell to Dyer. Second half Plymouth fought hard and were pretty dominant, but I thought we rather let them take the initiative. Saying that we did not sit back anywhere near as much as we have in the past and we still caused Plymouth some trouble on the break, perhaps I am being unfair…

First half we created chances, just not that many clear cut ones, really should have been ahead at half time though, one of them really should have gone in.

Second half was tough, the pitch was bollox and as the game went on it seemed to take it out of us, we were under pressure and our clearances got longer and longer, giving away possession almost every time.

So what went wrong and what can we do about it?

First half, not that much, though once again we played that ridiculous 'split' midfield with Oakley forward and King and Wellens sitting, nonsense. Also Gallagher and Dyer were just a little too deep, leaving Waghorn isolated much of the time, not enough forward options for our midfield leaving the ball over the top as our main (if rather blunt) weapon.

Second half we were largely on the backfoot, King and Wellens were totally defensive and Gallagher and Dyer virtual wingbacks. Morrison was exposed by Noone, Fallon etc and for once looked like what he is, a decent centre back 'doing a job' at full back. In possession Brown was a liability and this seemed to unsettle Hobbs so with barely an hour gone we were just hoofing the ball pretty much anywhere, giving away possession in the process. We were more solid on the left, where Berner was exceptional, not sure where he was for their goal (have not seen the highlights yet), all I remember was Brown coming across to cover and letting his man lay the ball back for someone to cross. Good cross though!

Despite that we still had a few moments on the counter but the lack of a real cutting edge made a winner pretty unlikely, the introduction of Kermorgant for Waghorn gave us another set up player when a finisher was really what we needed, Solano's introduction was just Pearson settling for a point.

Sorting this out is not easy, but I have my thoughts. We need to get Hobbs and Morrison playing together at the center of our defence, they are clearly our best option and they need to start working out how they are going to play with each other right now. For the rest of this season play Solano at full back, we can recruit a new right back in the summer.

Get our midfield three playing as a a three, none of this 1 up and 2 back bullshit. Get forward together, defend together, make the numbers count!

Work out the best position to play Gallagher, he is not at his best right up front and is no right winger, so give him one of the midfield spots, for me, replacing Oakley or Wellens. Move Waghorn to the right and play N'Guessan down the middle, he's powerful, quick and good in the air, all in all a bigger presence than Waghorn.

As a variation move N'Guessan to the left replacing Dyer and let Kermorgant start in the middle, for some reason I think Yanni will be more effective as a starter than as a sub, don't know why, just seems right to me.

Above all, Pearson has to be less conservative, play 4-3-3 not 4-5-1 and make the opposition respond to us, not the other way round!

With the games coming thick and fast, the poor conditions and the loss of our major goalscorer I fully understand that making the changes I describe will neither be easy or quick but if we are going to move forward with the new system then they need to be made.

[Guest Bilo]

at some of the complete plumbs in this thread. Never come across such a bunch of melons in all my life.

We never, ever win at Plymouth. Ever. And after our last trip there, this both sounds and looks like a massive fcking improvement. We're always shit down there so to come away with a point is nice. Any game without defeat at the minute will continue to breed confidence into our side, and as Dr The Singh says, confidence is the key!

I honestly think some people wouldn't be happy with us with an 8th placed finish in the Premier League because we missed out on Europe. What utter floor-chewers you are.

Insult of the year surely.

We didn't play well but nobody could have played decent football on that pitch. Plymouth were obviously far better acquainted with it and therefore made less mistakes on the ball. I do think it's time Wellens spent some time on the bench, as his idiotic attempts at showboating such as that backheel when a decent cross would most probably have put us 2-0 up and out of sight shows he's tripping over his ego and feels his place is untouchable. I understand why Pearson wanted us to play keep-ball yesterday as we look a much better side when we do, but this was misguided on what he accurately described after the game as a cowfield. Weale's penchant for punching the ball away very nearly cost us dear, but he has been such a rock for us this year and made such important saves yesterday it would be unfair to damn him for that habit. I certainly couldn't listen to the bloke on Coach 1 who wanted him dropped for it so we could play Logan, was upstairs in seconds when I heard that shit at 7.30am.

Having said this however, a draw is far from disastrous. Decent sides have gone to Plymouth and struggled of late, most notably Swansea in the league and Newcastle in the cup. NP was spot on when he called the pitch a leveller. You and Singhy are also right to point out that confidence is key.

Forest's 20 game unbeaten run was built on a number of away draws and they didn't actually score all that many, but the momentum and confidence generated from being tough to beat away made them a near unstoppable force at home. Hence, 9 consecutive home wins. Now that unbeaten run has gone, they've lost 3 consecutive aways at teams unlikely to be challenging for promotion and while the home run is still going, they're squeaking past teams by the odd goal rather than tonking them 5-0 as they were a few weeks ago. Their confidence has been dented, and the results are going awry as a consequence. Confidence is therefore absolutely key and while losing it can bollock up your season, having it can turn it around. We're going into Donny away on Tuesday 6 games unbeaten while they've lost 3 of their last 6. I think it's fair to say we'll be going in the game with more confidence. Win that one and we're facing a Forest side who have lost three away games on the spin in front of around 30,000 when the Twigs wilted in a similar atmosphere at Pride Park. Under those circumstances, the game would look as open as any local derby.

So a point at a place that has become a tough place to go is hardly a disaster because it extended our unbeaten run and therefore added to our confidence. A result at Doncaster on Tuesday and a win on Saturday would surely put us in a very positive position in the play-off race.

[Bluemoon]

Atmosphere, in my opinion was pretty poor. Great turnout but other than the group which was a few rows behind me who tried to make an atmosphere, it was generally pretty shit. Well done to everyone who went though, took me 4 hours to get back with a mate (and we weren't overly slow either), so it much have taken ages for all people from Leicester or further parts of the country to go.

You old softee, it takes me that long to go fetch my Sunday newspaper.

Quite an entertaining game I though considering the pitch.

I didn't think your display was up to Swansea's level and Gallagher showed he is still just as inconsistent as he was when with us on loan.

You should have wrapped the game up first half while we were playing the long ball to the hopeless Fallon that has lost us so many games.

Second half, I thought Mason coming on for us changed the game. He's a great little young prospect in the mould of a Keogh. He and Noone played some good football on that pitch for twenty minutes and thought we were unlucky not to pinch it at the end. I thought your manager made a mistake in also starting the game with the long ball in mind.

A good turn out from your fans, but then you've always been well supported. Not much noise though bar the small bunch at the back. For some reason teams from Yorkshire always seem to make a little more noise than most.

Must go, I've got a long trip to the newsagents ahead of me. Another lovely day down here, almost good enough to blot out our position in the league. Good luck with the rest of the season and say hello to dear ol' babbling Babylon for me if he still frequents this board.