Andy King

[Christoph]

Move bamba up in midfield and give abe or wellens a more advanced role perhaps.

[potter3]

Agree entirely.. Very accurate post.. He was signed on the back of having a great shot.. Has he scored a single goal yet with this great shot?

If he was don't you think he'd be at least involved in dead ball situations from the beginning of the reason?

[Al-aLondon-Foxile]

For me all the movement has gone out of the side and King is suffering most as a result, Yakubu barely moves at all. He doesn't close down so we mostly defend now by sitting back and waiting rather than pressing and dispossessing. And, because of that, our central four of Bamba, whoever, Wellens and Abe/Oakley don't really support the attack any more, or at least not quickly and

consistently, meaning the passing and moving options have diminished.

Even when he does get the ball, Yakubu isn't a predictable pass and move option. He's a predator who can lay a ball or two off on a good day but his strength is his ability to

turn tightly and to find shots from somewhere with his close control. He's not one to continue moves beyond a single pass. Vassell is suffering the same as King to some extent because both are now so easily isolated.

The solution is simple. Put the pace and passing back. in a 4-5-1 with Vassell in the middle. I'm not normally a 4-5-1 person but we really don't have the personnel to play any other system well. With a 4-5-1 we can utilise Dyer properly again and he will get the space to be dangerous.

Defensively we still have problems, in goal, at left-back, with the eccentricity of Bamba and with our need to establish a consistent line-up that understands one another

But I don't suppose Sven will listen!

Great points, and totally agree.

[Al-aLondon-Foxile]

We can't defend from the front because yak isn't working hard to close down, which then puts the onus on midfield to step up and do it, which in turn can leave space behind midfield to attack. It's not rocket science, but Sven loves his own and I don't see yak being dropped anytime soon.

Massively starting to have doubts 

[Fox92]

I've said it for ages now, I don't understand all the raving about him. I don't think he'll make a good Premiership player.

Initially, I always thought he was a holding man, but he doesn't tackle and isn't physical enough.

Then, I thought he was an attacking midfielder but he has no pace and isn't creative enough.

Don't get me wrong I like him, he's a good finisher, but he needs to get stuck in more.

[vim23]

The rest of the league are paying more attention now. Mullins was very rarely too far away from him all game yeterday. As he doesn't get too much involved in build up play he's too easy to keep quiet.

On a separate note there is not one player in our side i would class as a leader at the moment. That's what sven needs to address in the summer. As much as Kingy is promising and improving he is not a captain and you look around the rest of the team there's not many i would want in the trenches with me. Possibly Wellens and that's it.

[Guest Col city fan]

The rest of the league are paying more attention now. Mullins was very rarely too far away from him all game yeterday. As he doesn't get too much involved in build up play he's too easy to keep quiet.

On a separate note there is not one player in our side i would class as a leader at the moment. That's what sven needs to address in the summer. As much as Kingy is promising and improving he is not a captain and you look around the rest of the team there's not many i would want in the trenches with me. Possibly Wellens and that's it.

Absolutely 100% agree with this - a leader is needed on the pitch - Fazackerly may do this off the pitch, but I rarely see somebody taking a game by the scruff of its neck and controlling it on the pitch - I'm not sure that Wellens would be that man though - it needs a Shaun Derry type... gets stuck in, gives people a bollocking when they are underperfoming etc... this, for me, is the main reason QPR are doing so well this year - leaders both on and off the pitch - this is NOT king, Abe, etc... Sol Bamba may be able to do this if moved up to centre mid?

[Thracian]

Move bamba up in midfield and give abe or wellens a more advanced role perhaps.

Moving Bamba into central midfield might be an interesting experiment if he'd release the ball quicker, but why you would you move Wellens or Abe forward and waste King's double-figure goals return per season is bizarre, given that neither Abe or Wellens is any sort of genuine goal threat even when not tightly marked.

People are right when they mention the closer attention King is getting and, again, the answer is alignned with what I mentioned earlier - the need to get the people passing and moving around him.

King can feed a ball even when he's closely marked but not if there are no runners to be seen. People should look at a video of Leicester yesterday, or against Norwich or Cardiff and at all the other times in recent years when they've done badly and they will see the same common denominator - too many players standing still and not enough players giving close support.

If Sven cannot formulate a team that attacks and defends as one and which supports one another in every phase then we've no chance of success whatever money he's given to spend. The bottom line is to pass the ball quickly and accurately from every department and to have sufficient pace to get behind defences. As the meercats might say: Simple!

[Bob Weasel Fox]

Moving Bamba into central midfield might be an interesting experiment if he'd release the ball quicker, but why you would you move Wellens or Abe forward and waste King's double-figure goals return per season is bizarre, given that neither Abe or Wellens is any sort of genuine goal threat even when not tightly marked.

People are right when they mention the closer attention King is getting and, again, the answer is alignned with what I mentioned earlier - the need to get the people passing and moving around him.

King can feed a ball even when he's closely marked but not if there are no runners to be seen. People should look at a video of Leicester yesterday, or against Norwich or Cardiff and at all the other times in recent years when they've done badly and they will see the same common denominator - too many players standing still and not enough players giving close support.

If Sven cannot formulate a team that attacks and defends as one and which supports one another in every phase then we've no chance of success whatever money he's given to spend. The bottom line is to pass the ball quickly and accurately from every department and to have sufficient pace to get behind defences. As the meercats might say: Simple!

that actually makes sense - good post, Thracian for manager?

[The Doctor]

that actually makes sense - good post, Thracian for manager?

and while we're at it lets resign alan sheehan and louis dodds.

[Wymsey]

King is probably saving up for when he trains with Wales next week, so that he'll perform well on Saturday and hopefully get Premiership teams to offer Leicester a good deal for both the club and himself. Probably.

[The Doctor]

King is probably saving up for when he trains with Wales next week, so that he'll perform well and hopefully get Premiership teams to offer Leicester a good deal for both the club and himself. Probably.

or maybe he's absolutely shattered, having played pretty much every game due to a lack of options, and needs a rest rather than being with the wales squad for the next week and a bit.

[Guest Col city fan]

Moving Bamba into central midfield might be an interesting experiment if he'd release the ball quicker, but why you would you move Wellens or Abe forward and waste King's double-figure goals return per season is bizarre, given that neither Abe or Wellens is any sort of genuine goal threat even when not tightly marked.

People are right when they mention the closer attention King is getting and, again, the answer is alignned with what I mentioned earlier - the need to get the people passing and moving around him.

King can feed a ball even when he's closely marked but not if there are no runners to be seen. People should look at a video of Leicester yesterday, or against Norwich or Cardiff and at all the other times in recent years when they've done badly and they will see the same common denominator - too many players standing still and not enough players giving close support.

If Sven cannot formulate a team that attacks and defends as one and which supports one another in every phase then we've no chance of success whatever money he's given to spend. The bottom line is to pass the ball quickly and accurately from every department and to have sufficient pace to get behind defences. As the meercats might say: Simple!

Again, a great post - what was clear yesterday was that we were so slow in our build-up play. The difference in class between Naughton on the right side (quickly passing forward, rarely giving the ball away, passing to feet and moving) and Mee (giving the ball away so frequently in the first half and being static) was massively apparent.

[bluebatt]

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH been say he is lost for weeks thank god somebody has noticed , lets drop him for a game or two as he has realised that even if he plays crap he will be picked , but if you play a blinder and score 2 goals you get dropped(vittor)

[Corky]

He's actually been more involved in the middle of the pitch in recent games, but it's coincided with a goal "drought".

He probably needs a rest.

[Stig the Lawnmower]

King is probably saving up for when he trains with Wales next week, so that he'll perform well on Saturday and hopefully get Premiership teams to offer Leicester a good deal for both the club and himself. Probably.

yes, you're right. been saving himself for the Wales game so that he can beat the crap out of us. fortunately he's been so shite he probably won't get picked

[The Doctor]

yes, you're right. been saving himself for the Wales game so that he can beat the crap out of us. fortunately he's been so shite he probably won't get picked

even if he hadn't been poor recently he probably wouldn't have played, wales' midfield is actually pretty good.

[Christoph]

wales' pretty good.

You get one or the other

[Jimmy]

he'll probably get a rest away with Wales now Ramsay is fit again

[breadandcheese]

He's either carrying a knock or needs a rest.

I've never seen him looking so jaded as he did on Saturday. It was noticeable that he couldn't chase a throughball like he usually does.

[Houdini Logic]

For me all the movement has gone out of the side and King is suffering most as a result, Yakubu barely moves at all. He doesn't close down so we mostly defend now by sitting back and waiting rather than pressing and dispossessing. And, because of that, our central four of Bamba, whoever, Wellens and Abe/Oakley don't really support the attack any more, or at least not quickly and consistently, meaning the passing and moving options have diminished.

Even when he does get the ball, Yakubu isn't a predictable pass and move option. He's a predator who can lay a ball or two off on a good day but his strength is his ability to turn tightly and to find shots from somewhere with his close control. He's not one to continue moves beyond a single pass. Vassell is suffering the same as King to some extent because both are now so easily isolated.

The solution is simple. Put the pace and passing back. in a 4-5-1 with Vassell in the middle. I'm not normally a 4-5-1 person but we really don't have the personnel to play any other system well. With a 4-5-1 we can utilise Dyer properly again and he will get the space to be dangerous.

Defensively we still have problems, in goal, at left-back, with the eccentricity of Bamba and with our need to establish a consistent line-up that understands one another

But I don't suppose Sven will listen!

Clearly it wouldn't be King's fault for King playing crap.

How you can blame anyone other than our midfield against Portsmouth is beyond me - didn't look interested, didn't get stuck in, playing all over the place. The Yak contributed more to the game than King and Wellens (and trust me that's coming from someone who isn't exactly a fan of his).

Woods.Trees.

[artursteppe]

Our problem is the mid-field. All are lightweight. King has been poor for quite a long time. Wellens is a fair weather player, who becomes the fans favourite when we are winning games, but when we have to fight and scrap he is no stronger than King. Abe can intercept balls and read the game in a similar way to Neil Lennon, but he is also not strong enough in the tackle. Defensively Gallagher and Dyer are pussies.

King must be rested. Also we must play five of our defenders in whatever formation, either all in a back five, or one ( probably Bruma ) in a midfield role.

We should never ever play King, Wellens and Gallagher/Dyer in the same team together, with two strikers - it puts too much pressure on Abe and the back four.

What worries me a little is that this has been obvious for a few weeks now.

[Bert]

Leicester City captain Andy King wants to sign a new contract but says that nothing will be sorted until he returns from international duty with Wales.

King, 22, who only signed a four-year deal last summer, has now been offered a new contract at the Walkers Stadium.

But he is preparing to face England in Saturday's Euro 2012 qualifier.

"I'm away and that's where my concentration will be focused but I'm happy here and I'd like to stay," the midfielder told BBC Radio Leicester.

"I enjoy my football here. I've been here so long and I feel at home."

Foxes youth team product King has become a key player since becoming a regular in the side during Nigel Pearson's tenure.

He has played a total of 158 games since making his debut against Wolves in October 2007.