Crystal Palace 3-2 Leicester City

[Tommeh]

First of all, great game to watch, well worth the enterance fee and give me that defeat over a 0-0 or 1-1 anyday. 1st Half we really wern't that bad, a little disjointed in midfield with 2 highly attacking wingers 2 up top and with neither Oakley or King holding we were stretched and I think we do need the 3 in there. Despite that we wern't that troubled and 3-0 was an insult to the game, 3 pretty horrible goals all out of nothing and against a back 4 I'm happy with and will do much better.

2nd Half we were brilliant, Steve as ever changed the game, Wellens provided more bite and a sense of urgency to the midfield and Lloyd, King, Oakley, DJ and most of all Robbie Neilson all doing well going forward.

We'll be absolutely fine this season on that showing and a Hell of alot better to watch than under Pearson, Biggest concern for me was seeing Paulo sticking the Burrda overcoat on 2nd half, cramped his style an awful lot and not a tactic I want to see him persue with

Also Our end was top notch if those 2,500 could turn up to every away and do that till the end of the season then please do, fantastic support.... I'm still hammered and bck off to bed. Night.

[Ford Super Sunday]

I'm surprised there hasn't been more priase of the away end yesterday. I was completely expecting to have to sit for the whole game and it be completely dead, but everyone just seemed to carry on where they left off against Cardiff.

There are comments by Palace fans saying that our support was crap, they couldn't hear us, it was only two chants and it was 'poor for the amount we took' but honestly dunno what they were smoking, it was cracking. To be 3-0 down and to have the crowd that behind them was a shock.

[demon_dog]

Paulo Sousa says price must be right for any Chris Weale sale

Monday, July 26, 2010, 09:30

Paulo Sousa says he would consider selling goalkeeper Chris Weale, but only at the right price.

West Ham United have reportedly expressed an interest in Weale but City manager Sousa said he had received no approach from the Hammers.

However, he said he would not rule out selling him if the right offer was made, and added that any of his players could go if they expressed a desire to leave.

Let's face it if you were a player and the Manager said he would sell you if the price was right, how would you feel?

IMO that is a completely negative public comment from the manager.

Far better to have said "I have every confidence in the player and would do all I can to keep him".

This would have made the player feel as if he is wanted.

Personally I feel that Weale is a good keeper. Other people may think on the contrary.

It would seem however that Sousa would sell him on and to make this fairly obvious in pre season was a big mistake.

I was not at the game yesterday so cannot comment on his performance, some people however seem to be casting some of the blame for the defeat on him.

If he was in anyway at fault maybe it's negative comments such as above that affect performance.

Sousa should learn to be more tactful when making comments such as this.

[Aeropars]

Im absolutley dumbfounded by a lof of regulars and a lot of people, who I would say generally have a good opinion. All this talk of 'we looked great going forward and in a few games, after the defence has been sorted, we'll be steamrollering teams.'

This type of work is what pre-season is for. There was no excuse for 'sunday league' defending which was exactly what was at fault for the first 2 goals. Fit or not, you do not lose your sense of anticipation.

No knee jerk reaction here however I think Sousa may well have dropped a clanger in getting the training balls out on the first day. Its all well and good making the ball do the work however when you havent got it you need raw fitness to keep chasing down, hassling and breaking from defence. Thats what i think we may lack however i'll reserve full judgement until i see first hand our performances. As good football as we have shown we can play in the second half, its no good when we are under the cosh. Theres better footballing tems in this division who coudl easily play us at our own game. We simply have to be ready to grind out a result when needed and I'm not sure how well we will fare with the continental approach.

On the flip side, i though we were missing a few players who would normally start. Maybe this will make the difference! The bench was a very bare and unproven sight which will need some more strngth in depth.

Time will tell and I look forward to seeing how all this unfolds!

[body102]

No point getting down , last season against Sansea we were shocking but sound like we played quite well against Palace . Its a long season and nothing can be judged after one game . Even Cov won and we will be at least 25 points above them come May .

[marbelladave]

Im absolutley dumbfounded by a lof of regulars and a lot of people, who I would say generally have a good opinion. All this talk of 'we looked great going forward and in a few games, after the defence has been sorted, we'll be steamrollering teams.'

This type of work is what pre-season is for. There was no excuse for 'sunday league' defending which was exactly what was at fault for the first 2 goals. Fit or not, you do not lose your sense of anticipation.

No knee jerk reaction here however I think Sousa may well have dropped a clanger in getting the training balls out on the first day. Its all well and good making the ball do the work however when you havent got it you need raw fitness to keep chasing down, hassling and breaking from defence. Thats what i think we may lack however i'll reserve full judgement until i see first hand our performances. As good football as we have shown we can play in the second half, its no good when we are under the cosh. Theres better footballing tems in this division who coudl easily play us at our own game. We simply have to be ready to grind out a result when needed and I'm not sure how well we will fare with the continental approach.

On the flip side, i though we were missing a few players who would normally start. Maybe this will make the difference! The bench was a very bare and unproven sight which will need some more strngth in depth.

Time will tell and I look forward to seeing how all this unfolds!

The 'Sunday League' defending was only really apparent for the first goal, the big mistake on the day was Sousa's.

Setting up 4-4-2 with two men up and two men wide was always going to be an issue, it took Pearson a season and a half to work that out, hopefully it will not take Sousa that long.

What is really annoying is that I told him all this on the morning of the game (Team for Palace, post 29, 9.36am), what is the matter with the man, does he not read our forum?

[Lillehamring]

Neilson sounded like he did ok, but I agree he should only be back up, same for Oakley.

We sounded very good going forward, hit the bar, had one cleared off the line, should/could have had a penalty.

Would like to see Howard start from now on, it has got to the point (like it did in League 1) that we are better when he plays and he is so important to the team, he seems to just get everyone playing.

Bemused why Wellens didnt start, must do if we are to play this passing style.

yes he had a good game, but that is nonsense, there were many other factors (433 switch for example, i'm guessing a very decent half time talk from sousa as well) that influenced our improvement - and we had got one back before he came on...

the trouble with howard starting is that he rarely has the same influence as when he comes off the bench.

[andy_croydz]

I hope we start playing a 4-3-3 with Howard, Fryatt and DJ up front. The 3 I would play in midfield are Dyer, Wellens and N Guessan/Gally. Dyer and N Guessan drifting out wide when we are on the attack. Could work well but it's a tough one because our team is better suited to a 4-4-2. The reason I would like to see a 4-3-3 though is because Howard, Fryatt and DJ being up front just screams out GOALS.

[davieG]

I hope we start playing a 4-3-3 with Howard, Fryatt and DJ up front. The 3 I would play in midfield are Dyer, Wellens and N Guessan/Gally. Dyer and N Guessan drifting out wide when we are on the attack. Could work well but it's a tough one because our team is better suited to a 4-4-2. The reason I would like to see a 4-3-3 though is because Howard, Fryatt and DJ being up front just screams out GOALS.

!

And the way you've selected / described your midfield screams goals - for the opposition!

[andy_croydz]

!

And the way you've selected / described your midfield screams goals - for the opposition!

True But Dyer can play more central I think, he is quite versatile but I agree it's a bit of a dodgy line up defensively. Maybe play a 4-3-3 with Wellens, Oakley and Moreno in Midfield with Dyer, Howard/Fryatt depending on form and DJ up front.

[IOWFOX]

Why on earth would you drop king?

[andy_croydz]

Why on earth would you drop king?

I wouldn't, sorry I dunno why I forgot to put Kingy in there

[davieG]

Borrowed from fleckneymike off Bentley's

Some historical perspective.

Taken from king of the stats Foxblogger:

It's now 15 years since Leicester won an opening day match on the road. At half time in yesterday's match I struggled to remember City overturning big deficits to win points away from home. The last time the Foxes recovered from 2-0 down on the road was a 2-2 draw at Watford in 2005. I think I'm right in saying the last time City took a point after being 3 goals behind was the 4-4 draw at Aston Villa in the 1994/95 season, Leicester having been 4-1 behind with around 12 minutes to go.

So great comebacks on the road have been few and far between. But hope is at hand. Losing on the opening day hasn't stopped City promotion campaigns in the past.

Between the wars the Foxes managed this twice. In the 1924/25 season City lost 1-0 at Manchester United and were beaten four times in their opening seven matches. Despite the dismal start, Leicester went on to take the Division Two title by two points from the Red Devils after losing just one game from the beginning of December to the end of the season.

The opening day of the 1936/37 season saw City go down to a 2-1 defeat at home to Blackpool. The Foxes started the season with six defeats in their first ten matches but still went on to take the title.

More recently Leicester lost 1-0 at home to Cardiff City to begin the 1970/71 campaign. However, it proved to be one of only two home defeats all season. The Foxes went unbeaten for the rest of the season following their only other home loss on the 16th January 1971 to secure promotion.

Perhaps City's best recovery came in the 1982/83 season. Charlton were the visitors to Filbert Street on the opening day and took all three points courtesy of a 2-1 win. Leicester lost four of their opening seven games that year and by the end of November found themselves in 15th position with just 20 points.

On the 19th February 1983 the Foxes suffered their 12th defeat if the season. It was a result that left them in 6th place, 12 points adrift of 3rd placed Fulham. But that defeat would prove to be City's last of the season and on the final day a goalless draw at home to relegated Burnley was enough to secure promotion after Fulham went down to a 1-0 defeat at Derby.

Of Leicester's 12 successful promotion campaigns, four came after opening day defeats. After yesterday's second half performance, there's still hope that this season can be a positive one too.

POSTED BY FOXBLOGGER AT SUNDAY, AUGUST 08, 2010

[Karljohn]

I recall us losing 6-1 to Ipswich about 3rd or 4th match of the promotion season under Micky Adams!

[h1210]

I think I'm right in saying the last time City took a point after being 3 goals behind was the 4-4 draw at Aston Villa in the 1994/95 season, Leicester having been 4-1 behind with around 12 minutes to go.

Epic match, I can't remember ever being so cold at a football match. We were in the corner where the North Stand meets the Mainstand without so much as a wall behind us!

[Liamlcfc1]

I must say even though we lost my first Away game had a good time and the Leicester fans did our team proud and being stuck for 5 hours on the M25 had a laugh on the way back will try get to as many away games as i can now

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Just like the friendly against Oxford United, Hobbs had a horror game. He is well out of sorts, and should not be playing. Pitiful show from him, and Weale just is not consistent. D.J had a good game, but Fryatt's miss was a disgrace. That's not fact, it's just my opinion.

[Fox92]

Decision to leave Wellens on the bench was wrong, but I suppose Sousa was going on the pre-season perfomances as a manager would.

First half was horrible. However, I was very encouraged by the second half.

Howard seemed to be a threat again. DJ was very lively. N'Guessan rubbish as always.

Passing was great, but we need to get stuck in more.

Dissapointed with Weale (again), to be beaten from range.

[Milans Foxes]

First of all, great game to watch, well worth the enterance fee and give me that defeat over a 0-0 or 1-1 anyday. 1st Half we really wern't that bad, a little disjointed in midfield with 2 highly attacking wingers 2 up top and with neither Oakley or King holding we were stretched and I think we do need the 3 in there. Despite that we wern't that troubled and 3-0 was an insult to the game, 3 pretty horrible goals all out of nothing and against a back 4 I'm happy with and will do much better.

2nd Half we were brilliant, Steve as ever changed the game, Wellens provided more bite and a sense of urgency to the midfield and Lloyd, King, Oakley, DJ and most of all Robbie Neilson all doing well going forward.

We'll be absolutely fine this season on that showing and a Hell of alot better to watch than under Pearson, Biggest concern for me was seeing Paulo sticking the Burrda overcoat on 2nd half, cramped his style an awful lot and not a tactic I want to see him persue with

Also Our end was top notch if those 2,500 could turn up to every away and do that till the end of the season then please do, fantastic support.... I'm still hammered and bck off to bed. Night.

Finally someone I totally agree with!! Funniest thing was, Sousa didn't move from under the dugout when it started raining as we started to concede goals! He didn't want to get his nice suit wet, the guy oozes style!

[lildave3]

First half was full of awful defending and silly mistakes. They weren't a very good team at all, but somehow we gifted them 3 goals and put ourselves in the shitter. Second half (with the introduction of Wellens and Steve) was much better, but even then we looked shaky at the back. Robbie Neilson drifted from woeful to brilliant throughout, his cross was stunning, put it on a plate for King. Lloyd looked very good on the right, very direct and was unlucky not to score on a couple of occasions. As i've said, Howard made a huge difference when he came on. Putting himself about and even getting the crowd worked up. Absolute hero. And the perfectly weighted, goalkeeper teasing ball to DJ for the 2nd was orgasmic. As was DJ's burst of pace to get in that position tbf. That looked more of a strikeforce than Fryatt and Campbell ever will. Mainly because Steve actually passes the ball.

Basically though, I love seeing teams organised defensively, and we're the exact opposite at the minute.

[lcfcjim]

First of all, great game to watch, well worth the enterance fee and give me that defeat over a 0-0 or 1-1 anyday. 1st Half we really wern't that bad, a little disjointed in midfield with 2 highly attacking wingers 2 up top and with neither Oakley or King holding we were stretched and I think we do need the 3 in there. Despite that we wern't that troubled and 3-0 was an insult to the game, 3 pretty horrible goals all out of nothing and against a back 4 I'm happy with and will do much better.

2nd Half we were brilliant, Steve as ever changed the game, Wellens provided more bite and a sense of urgency to the midfield and Lloyd, King, Oakley, DJ and most of all Robbie Neilson all doing well going forward.

We'll be absolutely fine this season on that showing and a Hell of alot better to watch than under Pearson, Biggest concern for me was seeing Paulo sticking the Burrda overcoat on 2nd half, cramped his style an awful lot and not a tactic I want to see him persue with

Also Our end was top notch if those 2,500 could turn up to every away and do that till the end of the season then please do, fantastic support.... I'm still hammered and bck off to bed. Night.

I have to say, I agree with every word of this summary. Thoroughly enjoyable day, except for the journey home

[Narborough_fox]

What do people who went to the game think. Dyer on the right or left?

[Arkie Bennett]

I recall us losing 6-1 to Ipswich about 3rd or 4th match of the promotion season under Micky Adams!

I wasn't there as I was in the West Midlands, but I arrived at the roundabout at the end of the M69 just as the City team coach was coming off the M1. The long faces of the players was a sight!

[Wymsey]

Scowcroft sent off in third minute

[lcfcjim]

What do people who went to the game think. Dyer on the right or left?

I personally feel that he is at his best out on the left, but he did make some good runs down the right yesterday, and cut inside alot. Was our biggest threat on the pitch imo, had their full back all day.