Mill Post Match

[seenitall]

Bring back Powell for manager.... and Kermorgant as our goalscorer.

But then you would have had to sack Powell when he lost the other week - damn it, we won't be able to keep any manager after he loses a game - that means we could be looking at sackings for Ferguson (Champs league) Mancini (Champs league) and all the other Prem league managers - wait, there's no one left on earth who has never lost a game , we're Leicester City, we deserve such a human - jeez, we lost a couple of games - move on, its 46 games not 12 so shut up

[Father Ted]

But then you would have had to sack Powell when he lost the other week - damn it, we won't be able to keep any manager after he loses a game - that means we could be looking at sackings for Ferguson (Champs league) Mancini (Champs league) and all the other Prem league managers - wait, there's no one left on earth who has never lost a game , we're Leicester City, we deserve such a human - jeez, we lost a couple of games - move on, its 46 games not 12 so shut up

Have you been to any games this season?

You can look at results and then look at performances and to be brutally honest, apart from the first half against Forest and the Derby match we have been average. We lack desire and an urge to score. We go away and instantly set up for a 0-0 draw. How much longer can this continue?

[dannythefox]

Probably the worst performance of the season its getting silly now we've had 5 good chances to get into the play-off spots and we've not done it! And i've made my mind up about Vassell hes shit why he plays EVERY game or comes on as sub is beyond me get him out the team! Dyer comes on puts 3 great balls in within 5-6 mins and hes taken beckford off and where did the ball land? where beckfords been most of the game in the box! Sven needs to start earning his money.

[Cropwellfox]

Have you been to any games this season?

You can look at results and then look at performances and to be brutally honest, apart from the first half against Forest and the Derby match we have been average. We lack desire and an urge to score. We go away and instantly set up for a 0-0 draw. How much longer can this continue?

Hopefully not too much longer - not a chance of more than a point out of the next two games, which will leave us on 20pts after 15 games, and probably 5 or 6 points off the playoffs. There's going to have to be a change - the current level of achievement compared to the money invested is disgraceful, and it's Sven, his one-dimensional approach and his frankly substandard assistants who must carry the can for this.

[Dylan]

But then you would have had to sack Powell when he lost the other week - damn it, we won't be able to keep any manager after he loses a game - that means we could be looking at sackings for Ferguson (Champs league) Mancini (Champs league) and all the other Prem league managers - wait, there's no one left on earth who has never lost a game , we're Leicester City, we deserve such a human - jeez, we lost a couple of games - move on, its 46 games not 12 so shut up

I'm guess you couldn't tell it was a joke. I'd have assumed the 'Kermorgant' bit would've hinted it to you- idiot.

And Sven is on his last few chances to get the team going. He now has no excuses at all, its HIS squad, his players, and his buys. If the next month doesn't bring positive results, he could be on his way.

[wurmer]

We were useless today - lacked any creativity and pace around their box, tried to walk the ball into their goal without success again and again and again.

King and Wellens were totally anonymous.

Not good enough.

Need to come up with a new plan Sven, or go away...

[Karljohn]

The old "one step forward two steps back" again Svennis.

Baffles me that a man of so called international management calibre cannot pick a team to beat a shit Millwall side languishing in the bottom 3, Howard should have been at least on the bench today, where is Schlupp because Beckford isnt firing, the guys workrate is appalling and his attitude looks worse.

Wellens struts around like Ray Wilkins, short square pass, long wayward pass, short square pass, absolute garbage, anyone can do that, the guy offers us nothing only pulls any shape we have to pieces.

I dont understand why in the 2nd half as we defend a corner that ultimately leads to their third goal, that we didnt leave Vass or Dyer up and take two defenders out? I dont understand why Konchesky has dropped down a division yet still cannot cross the ball or beat a man and why Bamba had to do the work of 2 men because SSL isnt up to it whilst we watch Palace rise up the league with Tunch.

SGE is a clown, our owners may have cash but they have no footballing know how, we've been taken apart by an awful Millwall side and our energy and commitment to the cause today was abysmal.

[leicesterseddon]

Right. Listen.

Those who want Sven gone. Look at what happened to Holloway when you hounded him out. He got Blackpool promoted and they had a cracking season. Those that were happy to see Gradel go. Look at how well he is doing.

The point is, invest your faith in the players and management for the season. Or at least half of it. Beckford shit? Yes, he's not playing well but he is as good as any other championship striker. Look at the goals he has scored, give him a chance. Sven? Look at his record. Back him.

We've wasted money? Who **** hasn't? Chelsea have blown hundreds of millions in pursuit of the Champions League and it hasn't happened. Were you expecting us to actually buy the league? And in any case, it is not your money going to waste, it is the owners. Your job is to support the team and you can't even do that properly because of the constant moaning, self loathing attitude. The King Power is a dead stadium. Nobody makes any noise unless it is to have a go at the players or referee.

Really? He's been trading off his time at Lazio for far too long now - his only really successful spell as a club manager.

As far as I can see, he doesn't have the nous to get a team out of this league and I'd love him to prove me wrong.

[Karljohn]

I'll tell ya what, we pay money to watch that lot of shit right, they get paid more in a week than most of us get in a year. How much motivation do they need. Football is fvcked, cus there's too much money. Those players, in the main, don't give a fvck about playing for city. Yes, when it's good they all love the crowd and kiss the badge etc, but it's all so much shit. Im really starting to turn away, I've lost the faith and losing my love for it all.

Your right, just imagine you had been paid £20,000 for 90 minutes work, its in your bank account on Friday morning, would you really give a shit about playing the following day or happy to warm the bench knowing there's another juicy 20k on the way within 7 days...I got a refund on my shirt that's falling to bits today, and from what I have seen this season and when I watch MOTD and cnuts like Balotelli, im falling out of love.

[Guest ttfn]

I'm really puzzled now as to what to think of this Leicester side.

After the Derby game we really looked as though we were going somewhere. We'd just crushed 3rd in the league 4-0 and were 7 unbeaten in the league. And now we've just lost to Millwall, a side who had gone 10 games without a win.

For me, there are a few significant issues:

1) Ponderous in possession

Wellens and Johnson do not move the ball fast enough. If we are going to play a diamond, with 4 men in the centre of the park, the ball has to be moved quickly between those players to pull the opposition out of position. Players who take their time on the ball are fine when we have wide men, as the recipients of the pass (when it eventually arrives) tend to be in more space than those in the centre of the park.

I thought Johnson was very poor today, and looked to be playing at a pace that was neither appropriate nor reasonable for the way in which the game was going.

2) The formation

As alluded to above, the diamond, in its present implementation, is not working. We don't move it fast enough, and King is too high up the pitch to make an impact. We've signed some of the best central midfielders available at this level, so they ought to be able to hack it in a central "2" and control the game against most sides, allowing us to play 4-4-2. I don't think 4-4-2 is perfect but we look devoid of ideas without any width. Dyer was once again a credit to the shirt when he came on, showing up far "better" players with his boundless enthusiasm and blistering pace.

3) The bench

Sven should be making the bench his plan B. As it is (although this sense has been lessened by the recent addition of Dyer to the bench) the bench is being used in case of an injury to the players already on the pitch, so they can slot straight into a diamond. The likes of Howard, Danns and Dyer should be on the bench every week, as they all offer something different to what we have on the pitch at the start of the game. We had 3 players who could play the holding role (arguably four if you include King) on the pitch at the start of the game, and a fifth on the bench in Fernandes. For a home game. Against a team who had not won in 10. Baffling.

The bench should be being used as our joker. We have spent a ton of money to have the best squad in the league: the squad with the widest array of attacking and defensive options in the division. But we don't use our options. Instead we have like-for-like replacements. It's unimaginative, and frankly a waste of the obvious talents of the likes of Danns and the often useful talents of the likes of Howard and Dyer.

4) Failure to take responsibility

For 90 minutes today, I saw 11 men refuse to take responsibility. I'm talking about the following:

a) Responsibility to shoot

b) Responsibility to lift the team and crowd

c) Responsibility to move the ball faster (see point 1).

We had, in central midfield, the following:

A man with over 300 football league games.

A man with over 100 games for Leicester

A Swiss international, who has played in a World Cup

A man who has run Premier League games from midfield

A Japanese international, who has played in a World Cup.

All of those players ought to have the experience and courage to grab the game by the scruff of the neck. At least try something. Anything. A shot from range. An inventive pass, a flick, something, ANYTHING to try to unlock what was a stubborn, but hardly Championship-winning, defence.

TIme and time again, I watched on frustrated as Johnson and Wellens especially received the ball in semi-dangerous areas and slowly delivered a five-yard square pass to a worse positioned team-mate, as it was the easy option.

The only player who took the responsibility to shoot repeatedly was Nugent, and he should be praised for that.

The first 3 are Sven's fault, and he needs to address the issues soon or we'll be out of touch. The final one is due to the cowardice of men paid upwards of £10,000 a week to show bravery in their decision-making and execution, and hid behind their team-mates.

They should all be ashamed of themselves.

[harpendenfox]

Thank you ttfn for expressing my feelings pretty much to the word. You have summmed up the current dichotomy of LCFC perfectly

[Corky]

Spot on ttfn.

We look a very up-and-down side. Which ususally leaves you in mid-table.

[Freeman's Wharfer]

I feel that Johnson would comfortably slot in and would be the ONLY one good enough to start in our midfield should we go up.

What?! Really? After today

ttfn got it spot on with this

Wellens and Johnson do not move the ball fast enough. If we are going to play a diamond, with 4 men in the centre of the park, the ball has to be moved quickly between those players to pull the opposition out of position. Players who take their time on the ball are fine when we have wide men, as the recipients of the pass (when it eventually arrives) tend to be in more space than those in the centre of the park.

I thought Johnson was very poor today, and looked to be playing at a pace that was neither appropriate nor reasonable for the way in which the game was going.

Yes he's got quality on the ball but he was so slow and cumbersome when actually using it. Needs to get fitter, slimmer and sharper for me before he can be playing in our first eleven let alone a Premiership team. The thing is, we haven't really got time to have him in our side in order for him to do this.

**** it I'm just going to say it Pearson’s championship season was not a true reflection of the quality in the side, and winning L1 with the side we had isn’t much of an achievement. They where on a huge high after winning league 1, just as most other teams who get promoted into the champ finish top 6.

Pearson's Championship season was testament to his management skills. He squeezed every ounce out of our team, pretty much every player in the squad played their part and he used the loan market at the right time to help us get over the line to the play-offs. The one thing you could be sure of was that it were once in a blue moon that you'd leave a game feeling that Leicester hadn't competed or given it their best shot.

Winning League One was a fantastic achievement too. He came in, cleared out the crap, bought wisely and turned a losing mentality into a winning one, almost instantly. It's no mean feat to in one season take a club that's been on the slide for six or seven years, with overpaid and underperforming players and a squad alienated from the club's support, with a volatile and interfering chairman, and to unite that club with consistently good results and ultimately success.

Bamba had his worst game for us.

Not sure about that. In the first half there were a few times I was left standing, applauding more outrageously impressive things he had done. When he was called on to defend and tackle he did so too. Not sure anyone can look at Bamba today, or this season in fact. The guy's been head and shoulders above the rest of them.

Beckford needs to take a ****ing look at himself. Showing no effort, not attempting to win anything in the air, and not chasing anything down at all. Take a leaf out of Nugent's ****ing book.

I think we're going to be eternally frustrated with the guy. His touch is poor, his attitude seems questionable but I still believe he'll score goals.

His failure to challenge properly for a simple header in the middle of the centre circle lead to the penalty. Hopefully this will be evident in the highlights

[Bryn]

I see no advantage to his sacking. They're his players, only he can master them. If we bring in a new boss, there is no way we'll go up. As such, we let Sven have the season. If he fails, we give a new man the preseason

[Narborough Bod]

Well, at least some players came out of today in a positive light...

Mills - looks like we need his authority alongside Bamba

Gallagher - regardless of whether he is lightweight, he'll SHOOT!!

Howard - good god, we need a plan B. If Bamba isn't even going to bother going up for free kicks when we're 2-0 down, then we have to have a big CF on the pitch.

[blueredswed]

The old "one step forward two steps back" again Svennis.

Baffles me that a man of so called international management calibre cannot pick a team to beat a shit Millwall side languishing in the bottom 3, Howard should have been at least on the bench today, where is Schlupp because Beckford isnt firing, the guys workrate is appalling and his attitude looks worse.

Wellens struts around like Ray Wilkins, short square pass, long wayward pass, short square pass, absolute garbage, anyone can do that, the guy offers us nothing only pulls any shape we have to pieces.

I dont understand why in the 2nd half as we defend a corner that ultimately leads to their third goal, that we didnt leave Vass or Dyer up and take two defenders out? I dont understand why Konchesky has dropped down a division yet still cannot cross the ball or beat a man and why Bamba had to do the work of 2 men because SSL isnt up to it whilst we watch Palace rise up the league with Tunch.

SGE is a clown, our owners may have cash but they have no footballing know how, we've been taken apart by an awful Millwall side and our energy and commitment to the cause today was abysmal.

Lets replace him! :scarf:

With who

[iancognito]

I see no advantage to his sacking. They're his players, only he can master them. If we bring in a new boss, there is no way we'll go up. As such, we let Sven have the season. If he fails, we give a new man the preseason

Possibly. But half the managers in the league would jump at the chance of taking this squad on and the out of work Championship-experienced managers like Davies, Jones and Burley would too. The players all know each other well enough after 4 months together, it just needs someone to come in and play them all in a formation and style to get the best out of them.

If it gets to Christmas and we're still mid-table, Top needs to make the call whether to stick or twist because a year after Sven took over, we're still inconsistent, still leaking goals and only about 5 or 6 places better off. The whole thing feels like the Emperors New Clothes to me.

[Bryn]

It's certainly not time yet, with the league so congested.

[BlueSi13]

Lets replace him! :scarf:

With who

I made the point earlier in the day that though it would be wrong to get rid of Sven right now (Give it 5 or 6 more games) Lee Clark would be my pick to take the reins, unlucky last season with Huddersfield in the play-offs, had to re-build this summer after losing most of his best players, they are now second in League 1 with 38 league games unbeaten, and they play some cracking attacking football. Im sure he will be a top manager one day.

But others have also made the point that the Thai's will prefer a "marketable" name, hence the insistence that Pearson be removed and replaced with Sousa etc...but how in gods name you can market a mid-table English second division side in the first place i don't know.

[Freeman's Wharfer]

Frustrating. And it's all to do with consistency. I'm yet to see us put in a consistently good performance for 90 minutes by us this season. And before you say Derby I don't class that as a 90 minute performance, more of a 45 + the last 10/15 minutes.

But consistency is hard to find when people are so hard to please. When people were calling for 4-4-2 at Barnsley I wouldn't have changed, because I don't think it suits the personnel we have. We have people who can play wide in a 4-3-3 but not out and out wide midfielders for a 4-4-2. Yes we have Dyer but for me he's not good enough to start with the players we have available to us. I'm a big fan of his because he can change a game with a burst of pace, and I think he did well today, but he's not got the overall quality to warrant a starting place. Impact player.

We have six good central midfielders and this is why Sven finds it hard to play without the diamond in a 4-4-2, he doesn't want to drop any of them. With the 4-3-3 there is room for three of them; one can sit in front of the back four (Abe/Fernandes), one can be box-to-box (Wellens/Johnson) and the other can play further forward in 'the hole' (King/Danns).

Now people have their 4-4-2 they're not happy with it. Now that Sven hasn't changed the team they're not happy with it. Now that we've signed an out and out striker they're not happy with it. I don't know what people want and I think Sven is maybe guilty of pandering to what people want a little too much and not being strong enough to stick with a plan and a formation that will give us some consistency.

People are now calling for Gallagher and Howard to come back. Well Gallagher has done nothing (positive) this year, and you want him to walk back into the side now he's fit?!

And Howard, the guy's so far past it at Championship level that it's embarassing. Yes, we're struggling for goals a little but is he really the option? A guy who needs fifteen games to get a goal, a guy who fouls more than he assists, a guy for whom there were no takers besides League One outfits when he was so obviously available. Oh but he shouts and pumps his fists. When did a team ever get promoted out of this league with a guy as slow and ineffective as Steve Howard? The guy's had his day and 10 minutes running around and being pumped against Derby doesn't change that.

The problem with the 4-4-2 that we're playing is that it's too narrow. There is no-one for the full backs to play it to ahead of them and the middle of the park is so congested that players such as Wellens and King, who thrive on exploiting space, are being suffocated. The amount of times Peltier received the ball with nothing ahead of him today was ridiculous. It was similar for Konchesky on the other side but I thought that he actually did fairly well. On the right, Nugent was pulling out of the middle to fill into where a wide player would/should be, leaving Vassell alone in the middle. Had they actually worked a cross who was going to be there to get on the end of it?! With four defenders and one blue shirt the odds should tell you.

So where do we go from here? I don't see the point in sacking Sven yet, but things have to get better. He needs to settle on a formation that suits our squad and then be big and brave enough to stick with it, and a line-up, for a while, so that we can get some momentum. With time I think we can find a consistent eleven that will start to pick up points and with the way this league has been this year it'll be a while yet before it's too late to make a push.

[Tielemans63]

I see no advantage to his sacking. They're his players, only he can master them. If we bring in a new boss, there is no way we'll go up. As such, we let Sven have the season. If he fails, we give a new man the preseason

I'm not calling for Sven's head just yet but how do you reckon 'only he can master them' (the players)? Just becuase he bought them that doesn't mean he's the only one who can manage them! Also, how can you say if we bring a new man then 'there is no way we'll go up' - a change of management might be exactly what is needed to change the course of the season!

[Kitchandro]

What?! Really? After today

ttfn got it spot on with this

Yes he's got quality on the ball but he was so slow and cumbersome when actually using it. Needs to get fitter, slimmer and sharper for me before he can be playing in our first eleven let alone a Premiership team. The thing is, we haven't really got time to have him in our side in order for him to do this.

Pearson's Championship season was testament to his management skills. He squeezed every ounce out of our team, pretty much every player in the squad played their part and he used the loan market at the right time to help us get over the line to the play-offs. The one thing you could be sure of was that it were once in a blue moon that you'd leave a game feeling that Leicester hadn't competed or given it their best shot.

Winning League One was a fantastic achievement too. He came in, cleared out the crap, bought wisely and turned a losing mentality into a winning one, almost instantly. It's no mean feat to in one season take a club that's been on the slide for six or seven years, with overpaid and underperforming players and a squad alienated from the club's support, with a volatile and interfering chairman, and to unite that club with consistently good results and ultimately success.

Not sure about that. In the first half there were a few times I was left standing, applauding more outrageously impressive things he had done. When he was called on to defend and tackle he did so too. Not sure anyone can look at Bamba today, or this season in fact. The guy's been head and shoulders above the rest of them.

I think we're going to be eternally frustrated with the guy. His touch is poor, his attitude seems questionable but I still believe he'll score goals.

His failure to challenge properly for a simple header in the middle of the centre circle lead to the penalty. Hopefully this will be evident in the highlights

[RyanB89]

There are no guarantees in football and upsets happen

Im not convinced on the way we are playing at the minute, for all the possession and chances created we get nothing and then we concede on the break time and time again.

But i still believe sven is the man for the job

[accessory]

Frustrating. And it's all to do with consistency. I'm yet to see us put in a consistently good performance for 90 minutes by us this season. And before you say Derby I don't class that as a 90 minute performance, more of a 45 + the last 10/15 minutes.

Agreed.

But consistency is hard to find when people are so hard to please. When people were calling for 4-4-2 at Barnsley I wouldn't have changed, because I don't think it suits the personnel we have. We have people who can play wide in a 4-3-3 but not out and out wide midfielders for a 4-4-2. Yes we have Dyer but for me he's not good enough to start with the players we have available to us. I'm a big fan of his because he can change a game with a burst of pace, and I think he did well today, but he's not got the overall quality to warrant a starting place. Impact player.

Agreed again.

We have six good central midfielders

Not today we didn't - in fact after Johnson went off, we didn't even have one...

and this is why Sven finds it hard to play without the diamond in a 4-4-2, he doesn't want to drop any of them. With the 4-3-3 there is room for three of them; one can sit in front of the back four (Abe/Fernandes), one can be box-to-box (Wellens/Johnson) and the other can play further forward in 'the hole' (King/Danns).

The problem is none of them have performed with any level of consistency, except maybe for King who's yet to have a signficant game this seen and has been consistently weak.

Now people have their 4-4-2 they're not happy with it. Now that Sven hasn't changed the team they're not happy with it. Now that we've signed an out and out striker they're not happy with it. I don't know what people want and I think Sven is maybe guilty of pandering to what people want a little too much and not being strong enough to stick with a plan and a formation that will give us some consistency.

Even more worrying may be the possibility that Sven may not even know of a formation that could get the best out of this bunch of players.

People are now calling for Gallagher and Howard to come back. Well Gallagher has done nothing (positive) this year, and you want him to walk back into the side now he's fit?!

And Howard, the guy's so far past it at Championship level that it's embarassing. Yes, we're struggling for goals a little but is he really the option? A guy who needs fifteen games to get a goal, a guy who fouls more than he assists, a guy for whom there were no takers besides League One outfits when he was so obviously available. Oh but he shouts and pumps his fists. When did a team ever get promoted out of this league with a guy as slow and ineffective as Steve Howard? The guy's had his day and 10 minutes running around and being pumped against Derby doesn't change that.

There are certain games where we need a greater physical presence in attack. Today's was one of them. We could have done with Howard on the bench - he could scarcely have had any less impac than Beckford.

The problem with the 4-4-2 that we're playing is that it's too narrow. There is no-one for the full backs to play it to ahead of them and the middle of the park is so congested that players such as Wellens and King, who thrive on exploiting space, are being suffocated. The amount of times Peltier received the ball with nothing ahead of him today was ridiculous. It was similar for Konchesky on the other side but I thought that he actually did fairly well. On the right, Nugent was pulling out of the middle to fill into where a wide player would/should be, leaving Vassell alone in the middle. Had they actually worked a cross who was going to be there to get on the end of it?! With four defenders and one blue shirt the odds should tell you.

Nugent wandered around too much today. Too often in the second half Dyer would beat his man and put a decent cross over - only to see NO strikers in the middle,

So where do we go from here? I don't see the point in sacking Sven yet, but things have to get better. He needs to settle on a formation that suits our squad and then be big and brave enough to stick with it, and a line-up, for a while, so that we can get some momentum. With time I think we can find a consistent eleven that will start to pick up points and with the way this league has been this year it'll be a while yet before it's too late to make a push.

If there was a settled game plan, don't you think it should have emerged by now? How much longer do we have to wait for it - next March or April perhaps? The problems go far deeper - a lack of leadershi[, inspiration, even character in the squad. No amount of tinkering will be able to cope with these basic deficiencies. And even with the so-called "deadwood" cleared, why are the expensive replacements failing to deliver?

These are all questions we should not be having to ask at this stage of the season.

[marbelladave]

Got home a couple of hours ago..... Couple of beers, a very nice curry, so I thought I would log on and give my impressions of the game.

But you know what, I'm not going to bother, I'm simple not going to waste my time on such dross.....

In fact I think I've pretty much had enough, 200+ mile roundtrip to watch a performance so inept the entire club should be ashamed, from Top to Sven, to the players they should be apologising to the fans for serving up such rubish.

So today was my last game, I shall not waste my time with this anymore. Until there is change, real change I am simply not going to bother going to any more games.....