Barnsley Post Match

[Heart-Shaped Fox]

In case you haven't noticed, we didn't actually lose today, and we are actually unbeaten in 3 games. 4 if you count the League Cup.

Hardly an inspiring run though is it? I'll be surprised if we make it 4/5 games unbeaten.

[dreamboy3000]

Today, Sven had the ideal opportunity to go to a Barnsley team, devoid of points and confidence and to 'present our credentials' in terms of imposing our will and skill on the game. Rather than this, we seemed to play like frightened rabbits, and were lucky to come out with a draw.

Devoid of points and confidence how?

1) If we had won today like we should have we would have been above you.

2) We are three unbeaten.

3) In our previous two games we won at Reading who back in May were 90 mins from the prem and followed it up with a clean sheet at Millwall.

We didn't up our game against you today. No doubt the biased national press tomorrow will all be about "Big Leicester" not playing well instead of credit where it's due to "Little Barnsley" for playing you off the park.

[easilee]

Neither went nor listened to the game, so maybe my suprise at all this negativity is misplaced. An away draw? Hardly the end of the world. And only one goal conceded suggests our defence can't have been that bad.

UGGGHH!!!

( 'THIS' in caveman speak )

[Happy Fox]

I will wager with whoever wants to take it that we're not going to finish in the top 2. I'd also take a bet that 5 out of the end of season top 6 are already in those places.

I'd rather we sorted out our evident problems without having to pay a manager off and probably pay to get another one in, but with that said, anything other than promotion and Sven won't be here next season anyway.

Fact of the matter is that the owners want automatic promotion anything other than that and it is not good enough.

[sdb]

What worries me about Sven is that at his last 4/5 clubs, he's been able to spend his way out of any trouble. I'm beginning to wonder if he's losing the ability to motivate and organise as a result. I was hoping the transfer window closing would allow him to spend more time with the players, sort out a system etc, but he'll just go and throw some money about for a loan deal now. On paper we should be beating 90% of teams in this league. With the players we've got, all we need is a clear game-plan and formation, a decent team talk and the players would usually get the job done. It's not happening, and it's not just poor results, it's poor performances.

[ozleicester]

Neither went nor listened to the game, so maybe my suprise at all this negativity is misplaced. An away draw? Hardly the end of the world. And only one goal conceded suggests our defence can't have been that bad.

dont you get it.. we didnt WIN... we are Leicester, we should win every game.. we iz massif

[dave the caveman]

UGGGHH!!!

( 'THIS' in caveman speak )

Maybe, or maybe you need to start living in the real world. An away draw in the league cannot be considered a bad result in many, if any circumstances. And it certainly isn't for us. Do people seriously expect us to win every single game this season or what?

Edit: question answered above

[Merging Cultures]

Neither went nor listened to the game, so maybe my suprise at all this negativity is misplaced. An away draw? Hardly the end of the world. And only one goal conceded suggests our defence can't have been that bad.

That's too sensible for this forum!!

I agree, a one all draw away from home is alright. And we are unbeaten now in 3 league games. This is good momentum will build slowly as confidence grows. Much better than winning one or two and getting over confident too quickly and crashing.

[Guest Col city fan]

Devoid of points and confidence how?

1) If we had won today like we should have we would have been above you.

2) We are three unbeaten.

3) In our previous two games we won at Reading who back in May were 90 mins from the prem and followed it up with a clean sheet at Millwall.

We didn't up our game against you today. No doubt the biased national press tomorrow will all be about "Big Leicester" not playing well instead of credit where it's due to "Little Barnsley" for playing you off the park.

before today, you were bottom six, negative goal difference, with five points after five games. So hardly Southampton or Brighton?

fair play to you though... it sounds like you played very well and we were pretty shitty.

You'll stay up this season i reckon.. we'll probably be battling for mid-table mediocrity.

[orangecity23]

Hardly an inspiring run though is it? I'll be surprised if we make it 4/5 games unbeaten.

Yeah, we've got no chance of beating Brighton, I mean, they're top of the league, with Southampton, and they stuffed us.

Oh shit, we beat Southampton didn't we? I know you like to jump straight to the doom and gloom option, but I don't see why everything has to be DOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMED or 'We're gonna romp it' every fooking week. Why can't things on this forum ever be 'okay'. Or acceptable, but not brilliant.

[Guest Col city fan]

That's too sensible for this forum!!

I agree, a one all draw away from home is alright. And we are unbeaten now in 3 league games. This is good momentum will build slowly as confidence grows. Much better than winning one or two and getting over confident too quickly and crashing.

utter dross... if Kasper hadnt have been on exceptional form we'd have lost today, and probably quite convincingly.

this good enough for you? not for me

[Karljohn]

I don't get Sven, no striker on the bench and am I right in hearing we chucked Bamba up front yet again?

I'm starting to get quite worried, not by our points tally so far, but by Sven. I don't see any proof that he's learnt from his mistakes last year and I'm increasingly starting to think he isn't the right man, especially not the right man to go to somewhere like Oakwell and get 3 points.

Knowing us we'll destroy Brighton though.

Your right there is no evidence that he's learnt a lesson, he's contructed a defence thats cost around 7m in order to make us more combative away from home, places where we went down 2-0 last season with a feeble performance are supposed to be a thing of the past, would we have been any worse off with Jack Hobbs and 5m to spend on a striker? I doubt it, he knew we were worse off for 4-5 weeks when he lost Nugent, yet he still allowed Waghorn to leave the football club, he has awarded Big Steve a one year contract but I have not seen him since Real Madrid, the same has happened with Bruno Berner, who is a competent defender but nowhere to be seen.

Instead of going about our business quietly, he has chucked money around like its going out of fashion, we now pay for that in the form of £30 tickets for fooking Barnsley, and they raise their game because we become their cup final, its a double whammy because he's spent big to create a team that others want to claim a big scalp from, and the big money is Matt Mills who hasnt won a fooking header since the 15th minute at the Ricoh.

[Charl91]

Devoid of points and confidence how?

1) If we had won today like we should have we would have been above you.

2) We are three unbeaten.

3) In our previous two games we won at Reading who back in May were 90 mins from the prem and followed it up with a clean sheet at Millwall.

We didn't up our game against you today. No doubt the biased national press tomorrow will all be about "Big Leicester" not playing well instead of credit where it's due to "Little Barnsley" for playing you off the park.

No-one cares about you.

Go back and whine on your own forum with your other 9 fans.

[easilee]

Maybe, or maybe you need to start living in the real world. An away draw in the league cannot be considered a bad result in many, if any circumstances. And it certainly isn't for us. Do people seriously expect us to win every single game this season or what?

Edit: question answered above

I'm agreeing with you dude !!

Edit: Saw that you saw the.........?? We agree.

[Charl91]

Maybe, or maybe you need to start living in the real world. An away draw in the league cannot be considered a bad result in many, if any circumstances. And it certainly isn't for us. Do people seriously expect us to win every single game this season or what?

Edit: question answered above

Wouldn't be so bad if our home record was good.....

[easilee]

utter dross... if Kasper hadnt have been on exceptional form we'd have lost today, and probably quite convincingly.

this good enough for you? not for me

Good job we got Kasper then.

Edit: Good Job Sven got Kasper in then.

[funkyrobot]

Your right there is no evidence that he's learnt a lesson, he's contructed a defence thats cost around 7m in order to make us more combative away from home, places where we went down 2-0 last season with a feeble performance are supposed to be a thing of the past, would we have been any worse off with Jack Hobbs and 5m to spend on a striker? I doubt it, he knew we were worse off for 4-5 weeks when he lost Nugent, yet he still allowed Waghorn to leave the football club, he has awarded Big Steve a one year contract but I have not seen him since Real Madrid, the same has happened with Bruno Berner, who is a competent defender but nowhere to be seen.

Instead of going about our business quietly, he has chucked money around like its going out of fashion, we now pay for that in the form of £30 tickets for fooking Barnsley, and they raise their game because we become their cup final, its a double whammy because he's spent big to create a team that others want to claim a big scalp from, and the big money is Matt Mills who hasnt won a fooking header since the 15th minute at the Ricoh.

Agree with this!

[Blue Maniac]

Christ, a draw and all the ****** are in a frenzy. Sven out. 4-4-2 = guaranteed win. Shud of wun dis 900-0. We r goin down. Bring back O'Neill etc.

Get a feckin' grip you divs.

[Guest Col city fan]

Christ, a draw and all the ****** are in a frenzy. Sven out. 4-4-2 = guaranteed win. Shud of wun dis 900-0. We r goin down. Bring back O'Neill etc.

Get a feckin' grip you divs.

super post... very well written and thought provoking. The use of educated terminology is another real plus point.

Of most interest was reading your views on the game....

[Thracian]

The worrying thing for me is this:

Matt Mills - possibly Reading's best player and captain

Neil Danns - possibly Palace's best player

Pantsil - international player who has played for a number of years at a higher level.

What is the common denominator regarding why such players, who excelled at their previous clubs, have suddenly become devoid of all confidence and/or don't know what their role is?

Matt Mills, despite many posts on here, who suggest otherwise, IS NOT a bad defender - how many people on here thought that or claimed that when he signed for us?

Same with Danns, same with Pantsil, same (to a lesser extent) with Konchesky....

I would suggest the answer to their sudden 'demise' is a complex one. Certainly the formation doesn't help but can't be the whole picture.

It would appear there MAY be something fundamentally wrong going on at City and this 'time to gel' thing can only go on for so long.

Its not about points amassed, because, truth be told, we're not in a bad position in the league. Its more about our performances and seemingly frightened way of playing football.

Today, Sven had the ideal opportunity to go to a Barnsley team, devoid of points and confidence and to 'present our credentials' in terms of imposing our will and skill on the game. Rather than this, we seemed to play like frightened rabbits, and were lucky to come out with a draw.

This can't be right and throws out a message to the rest of the league that, actually, we can be got at, physically outmuscled, kicked about and thwarted.

I expected more than this at the start of the season and hope that we can begin to dominate games sooner rather than later.

For me, the jury is still out

You raise some good points. And if your points about confidence or "what job is required" are relevent, which they seem to be, why mess with a new system that has not yet had time to develop properly? It's not as if the system was a disaster. Quite the contrary. In both of our previous games it was the change of tactics and conviction that threatened disaster, not the system itself .

I'm all for tactical change when there's a purpose but a good manager gets a basically effective system of play established first and makes sure all his players are familiar with it before even thinking about changing it. Yes, you might change to something different if the fundamental system is found wanting in a game but there's no way you change that system completely in the short term unless you have serious personnel problems.

As for the players you mention I have my doubts about the overall effect of every one of them from what I've seen so far but take your point about confidence and accept that none of them are playing at their best for whatever reason.

But for all that, and I've mentioned it several times, Pantsil and Konchesky don't look like effective attacking full-backs to me and that to me is a major weakness. When we were a good team we had people like Richie Norman and Peter Rodriques who bit in the tackle but still looked like capable footballers going forward and had endless energy in doing so. Both supported our attacks with relish.

Danns is the one who most seems to unsure of his role. The guy scored roughly once in five games for Palace which is not bad for a midfielder so why is he being used as a makeweight wide man at times?. King scores at an even better rate so surely both should be getting a place at the expense of those who don't score many. Figures can give a false impression short term but not over 103 games Danns played for Palace or the 19 goals in 73 games he got for Colchester. King's had double figures in goals for three successive seasons. Those figures speak for themselves.

The trick for Sven is to get everyone functioning effectively and I don't see any reason it should have been a problem either in the diamond system or if we'd developed another system as our "fundamental" during the close season.

But the key to all the systems is the full-backs because it is they who make any system adjustment so flawless. Indeed, with good attacking full-backs we could even go three at the back sometimes, which might well make us most effective when we're at full strength with Nugent's return.

But those full-backs would have to be fast, versatile and effective footballers. I just don't see we have that, nor anyone in reserve if we don't develop Schlupp in one of those full-back roles.

[Thracian]

In case you haven't noticed, we didn't actually lose today, and we are actually unbeaten in 3 games. 4 if you count the League Cup.

I've heard this argument so many times. Didn't we draw stacks of games the year we got relegated? But in these days of three points for a win drawing is of little value when the pacemakers are clearly going for wins and goals. One day the penny will drop on this issue with our fans and our management.

Yes, there are times when a draw has some merit. But we really must set out to win games and to maintain pressure wehn we get in front. Faint hearts and a conviction-lacking, hedge-your-bets approach will win us nothing.

[wattolcfc]

I've heard this argument so many times. Didn't we draw stacks of games the year we got relegated? But in these days of three points for a win drawing is of little value when the pacemakers are clearly going for wins and goals. One day the penny will drop on this issue with our fans and our management.

Yes, there are times when a draw has some merit. But we really must set out to win games and to maintain pressure wehn we get in front. Faint hearts and a conviction-lacking, hedge-your-bets approach will win us nothing.

Well said Thracian. I'd rather go out for the win and lose than settle for a struggling draw.

[Nick_The_Tyke]

(reds fan in peace)

I don't think the result has been the cause of outrage amongst City fans - more the manner of it.

Let's be honest here - Goalkeepers aside (similar standard IMHO) - there wasn't a player on Leicester's team sheet I wouldn't have gleefully swapped for his opposite number in a Barnsley shirt before kick off. Then for 45 minutes all you did was sit back and defend, mostly questionably, in the hopes of gaining a goal kick. Then Beckford could stand in a position that would otherwise be offside and hope Schmeichel could hoof it beyond our defensive line.

What the hell was that about? If your lot had shown the organisation and tenacity ours did you'd have run rings round us. Watching Championship football is expensive these days and when the wage cap comes in, those clubs who bring in players on top dollar will have to charge their fans a fortune. £20 is a reasonable upper limit for a seat behind the goal to watch second-tier football but £30 will be the norm this year. Fans who pony up to watch overpaid "names" going through the motions will be angry - and rightly so - when (win, lose or draw) they have been comprehensively outfought by a team for whom avoiding relegation is an acceptable outcome for the season.

You played some good football second half in spells but by then the damage should have been done. Two very bad fouls in promising positions (one for each side) and two hilariously bad refereeing decisions could have ruined it but fortunately had no bearing on the outcome. All in all a good game and a good point I think both teams would have taken before kick off.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings. Onwards and upwards.

[smudger63]

Super Sven thinks we are getting better and better.

Now that IS worrying!

[Bert]

(reds fan in peace)

I don't think the result has been the cause of outrage amongst City fans - more the manner of it.

Let's be honest here - Goalkeepers aside (similar standard IMHO) - there wasn't a player on Leicester's team sheet I wouldn't have gleefully swapped for his opposite number in a Barnsley shirt before kick off. Then for 45 minutes all you did was sit back and defend, mostly questionably, in the hopes of gaining a goal kick. Then Beckford could stand in a position that would otherwise be offside and hope Schmeichel could hoof it beyond our defensive line.

What the hell was that about? If your lot had shown the organisation and tenacity ours did you'd have run rings round us. Watching Championship football is expensive these days and when the wage cap comes in, those clubs who bring in players on top dollar will have to charge their fans a fortune. £20 is a reasonable upper limit for a seat behind the goal to watch second-tier football but £30 will be the norm this year. Fans who pony up to watch overpaid "names" going through the motions will be angry - and rightly so - when (win, lose or draw) they have been comprehensively outfought by a team for whom avoiding relegation is an acceptable outcome for the season.

You played some good football second half in spells but by then the damage should have been done. Two very bad fouls in promising positions (one for each side) and two hilariously bad refereeing decisions could have ruined it but fortunately had no bearing on the outcome. All in all a good game and a good point I think both teams would have taken before kick off.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings. Onwards and upwards.

You can't be offside from a goal kick. Credit to you, you were decent today. Without any disrespect, we should be beating you.