Blackburn Post Match Thread 2-1

[Happy Fox]

If we are trying to argue of NP away tenure of playing for a 1-0 Win that wasn't the right way to go it was risky and exemplified to much caution, this philosophy we are adopting is so much better in the long run we will win more than lose imo.

[Col city fan]

I'm seriously going to have to give this place a miss from now on if the result isn't perfect, It's really not very good for my health. I finish watching the stream feeling annoyed and a bit angry but positive about our future. I come on here and read post match and want to hang myself from the bloody rafters. Either that if beat the living hell out of something, and it's usually the Mrs in the firing line.

It's a football forum, we all want City to do well. Some of us want to suggest where we feel things look like they need improving. Don't get so wound up by people analysing goals, for instance, because such analysis may not fit with your own view.

Vardy's goal should have stood. Unfortunately it didn't, and we lost the game. Look at why and move on to the next one.

[Captain...]

Just watched the goals on the Football League show.

Their second goal exemplified everything I've been saying.

DeLaet jumped with Gamst Pedersen and was off balance, so was effectively out of the game.

However, the time that we then gave Pedersen to compose himself, size up his shot and calmly slot it home was criminal. There was nobody else near him. The only other player that came into view 'ambling back' was Marshall.

Very similar to the time given to Wright-Phillips on Tuesday. These are good players and will punish you if you don't make any sort of challenge before they pull the trigger. Again, the gap between the defence and the midfield was simply too great, giving the player all the time he needed to pick his spot. Two different goals, two different games, but the same problem.

I'm surprised at Pearson. In his first tenure, even away from home, I'm sure we used to go and grind out one-nil wins based on a stout defensive display? Now it seems we are wide open around our own penalty area. That's how I certainly saw the Pedersen goal. DeLaet was naive in letting Pedersen turn him inside out so easily yes. But the time the player then had showed our midfield men were again too far advanced.

Yes, attacking trying to win the game, prefer that to shutting up shop and hanging on for a draw.

Not many players in the championship can do what pedersen did, both of their chances fell to players of real class, that sucks but we should not change the way we play because of 2 mistakes and 2 bits of class, one of which should have been disallowed.

[Babylon]

Just watched the goals on the Football League show.

Their second goal exemplified everything I've been saying.

DeLaet jumped with Gamst Pedersen and was off balance, so was effectively out of the game.

However, the time that we then gave Pedersen to compose himself, size up his shot and calmly slot it home was criminal. There was nobody else near him. The only other player that came into view 'ambling back' was Marshall.

Very similar to the time given to Wright-Phillips on Tuesday. These are good players and will punish you if you don't make any sort of challenge before they pull the trigger. Again, the gap between the defence and the midfield was simply too great, giving the player all the time he needed to pick his spot. Two different goals, two different games, but the same problem.

I'm surprised at Pearson. In his first tenure, even away from home, I'm sure we used to go and grind out one-nil wins based on a stout defensive display? Now it seems we are wide open around our own penalty area. That's how I certainly saw the Pedersen goal. DeLaet was naive in letting Pedersen turn him inside out so easily yes. But the time the player then had showed our midfield men were again too far advanced.

Anything that happens will exemplify what you have been saying, because you are looking for it and will blame almost everything on not having a DM. You're like a dog with a bone and just won't let go.

If we get this DM you so crave they are going to have to be johnny on the spot, so far he'd have been on Wright Phillips in a flash, on Pederson in seconds and been there to help Konchesky out when he cocks up. Or as is most likely, he'd have been somewhere else and not able to transport himself in the blink of an eye.

[The People's Hero]

So you don't think NP should be sacked, you agree he should have time, you agree we are performing well, you agree we have defenders out injured... so what exactly are we bickering about here then?

I'm not bickering really, I made my points (the bullet pointed post) and as a reaction all I seem to have had until your reasoned post just now (thanks by the way, you've restored my faith a little) is people making the same tired point about a good performance.

What also gets my goat is the amount of times LCFC fans blame the ref. Yes we get bad decisions - we also get the benefit of them at times. I believe Morgan scored a header and most neutral commentators were stunned that the goal stood. I'm not going to over simplify it or patronise anyone and claim that they perfectly even themselves out over a season, but generally speaking, after 46 games, teams tend to finish where they deserve in the league. There is no conspiracy. I spoke to someone on the way out at Charlton who said they'd be 'surprised' if the ref wasn't called before his bosses and fired! I'm not sure what for. To some idiot LCFC fans Leicester defeat = Officials incompetent OR Officials hate us (in on the conspiracy!)

The second annoyance is the assertion that having conceded two goals in both our last 2 away games, I've seen us described as unlucky and the performances described very positively. I agree that the performances in both games have been encouraging and I've been very impressed with some of the enterprising play, but you cannot be unlucky if you are profligate in front of goal and you certainly cannot be unlucky if you look like conceding every time the opposition do launch a meaningful attack.

The point has been made that soon we will give someone a beating, but I do wonder whether the whole issue is down to midfield focus - allow me to explain. If like against both Charlton and Blackburn our midfield play enterprising stuff (some of this depends also on personnel I believe) with the focus on creating chances, the defence is often shakier. I'm not sure if this is due to their positioning etc or their mentality or what, but when we look good going forward (even without the cutting edge) we are often exposed at the back.

When the midfield is selected to be narrow ie last year minus dyer, so perhaps Gallagher and another centralish player on the flanks, we can tend to control play, create little, but not concede - ie we look more solid.

I believe then that the midfield is the key to our philosophy, to our mentality and to how effectively we can attack/defend. In this context then, the posters who are saying 'if we could just finish our chances and also stop conceding sloppy goals we'd be amazing' are both trivialising two quite major footballing problems AND missing what I would describe as a footballing truth at this level. Every manager all over the land is trying to do both those things. The fact is though that trying to achieve just one, ie the scoring of or preventing opposition scoring, may be achievable, but potentially at the expense of the other.

It's not as simple as getting the forwards to practice finishing and making the defenders train harder at preventing sloppy goals - its a question of how we set up.

Overall, I'm just annoyed that when we lose, it can never be that we are not clinical enough, that we are sloppy at the back or that we switch off at key moments (see Charlton) - but 90% of the time on here its that 'the ref hates us', 'we were unlucky' or 'it just wasn't our day'.

I honestly do think someone is in for a sound beating soon - but I also think that to get any consistency in good RESULTS, there is a fair amount more tinkering to be done yet.

So the bickering has largely come from me rationalising my thoughts and making what I believe to be some fairly salient points and then someone replying with 'but it was a good performance so why not happy?' or 'WHY DO YOU WANT TO SACK NP?' - there are none so blind as those who do not want to see - and I just cannot be bothered to argue with people who can't be bothered to read my arguments/viewpoints or fail to understand them.

I do admit I was apprehensive about NP and he still hasn't convinced me but look, we are playing some good stuff, lots of work to do - but there are good signs. The worrying things for me, I think I've already outlined. I do have concerns but chopping and changing manager is NOT the answer.

Just watched the goals on the Football League show.

Their second goal exemplified everything I've been saying.

DeLaet jumped with Gamst Pedersen and was off balance, so was effectively out of the game.

However, the time that we then gave Pedersen to compose himself, size up his shot and calmly slot it home was criminal. There was nobody else near him. The only other player that came into view 'ambling back' was Marshall.

Very similar to the time given to Wright-Phillips on Tuesday. These are good players and will punish you if you don't make any sort of challenge before they pull the trigger. Again, the gap between the defence and the midfield was simply too great, giving the player all the time he needed to pick his spot. Two different goals, two different games, but the same problem.

I'm surprised at Pearson. In his first tenure, even away from home, I'm sure we used to go and grind out one-nil wins based on a stout defensive display? Now it seems we are wide open around our own penalty area. That's how I certainly saw the Pedersen goal. DeLaet was naive in letting Pedersen turn him inside out so easily yes. But the time the player then had showed our midfield men were again too far advanced.

The time given to Wright Phillips was criminal. You're right.

We 'switched off'. See my previous post.

[fleckneymike]

It seems a defensive midfielder in the miracle cure for all ailments.

Can we create two threads, one for those who've been to the game and one for those who've watched on the radio.

[Col city fan]

Anything that happens will exemplify what you have been saying, because you are looking for it and will blame almost everything on not having a DM. You're like a dog with a bone and just won't let go.

If we get this DM you so crave they are going to have to be johnny on the spot, so far he'd have been on Wright Phillips in a flash, on Pederson in seconds and been there to help Konchesky out when he cocks up. Or as is most likely, he'd have been somewhere else and not able to transport himself in the blink of an eye.

Nope, he might not have been near them. However, having another player more deep MAY have helped to put either player off their stride.

It doesn't have to even be a DM.. It's you who keeps harping on about such a player. A midfield playing just a little bit deeper may have done the trick.

As I said, rather than saying everything's great (who knows, it could be), look at why we are losing games away from home.

Reason 1: we aren't taking our chances

Reason 2: we are then going on to concede soft goals ( or in your terms 'sucker punches')

One is no more important nor no less of a problem than the other.

Or would you rather I just say 'great', the attacking football looks so much better... It does, but the defending as a team thing needs tightening up also, away from home.

Perhaps your frustration at being on the forum stems from your apparent inability to even consider where we may be struggling somewhat when we play away from home?

Not everyone will state that things are fine. Others will say things are looking better, but hold on, why are we still conceding too many goals away?

[Bilbo]

I don't really know what to say about the game yesterday. It was a good performance from us, but we lost so the performance is slightly irrelevant considering we didn't get anything from it.

We've got a few tough games coming up with both Blackpool and Wolves so we really need to get points from both matches if we don't want the start of the season to hinder the rest of our progress.

C'mon Leicester!

The worst thing that could happen in my opinion however is if a slow start results in Pearson being shown the door and us having to do the whole awful rebuilding process all over again.

[Raj]

i was mega pissed off having seen the result and listened to it on and off on the radio due to being at a function.

Having seen the game on FLS i cant se why there's so much crap on FT!

We lost fair enough but some of the play looked really good and massive positive in Reg in only his 3rd game at this tough level.

Time......

[Captain...]

Nope, he might not have been near them. However, having another player more deep MAY have helped to put either player off their stride.

It doesn't have to even be a DM.. It's you who keeps harping on about such a player. A midfield playing just a little bit deeper may have done the trick.

As I said, rather than saying everything's great (who knows, it could be), look at why we are losing games away from home.

Reason 1: we aren't taking our chances

Reason 2: we are then going on to concede soft goals ( or in your terms 'sucker punches')

One is no more important nor no less of a problem than the other.

Or would you rather I just say 'great', the attacking football looks so much better... It does, but the defending as a team thing needs tightening up also, away from home.

Bwp was marked by Moore, pedersen was marked by de laet we didn't need anyone else back as they should have been dealt with by the defender.

[Number 6]

Thought we looked good on FLS. I used to think teams managed by NP created half-chances and relied on a solid defence to win. He seems to have changed his philosophy somewhat. I'm quite excited to see what this group of players could do.

[Col city fan]

Bwp was marked by Moore, pedersen was marked by de laet we didn't need anyone else back as they should have been dealt with by the defender.

They weren't...

Don't always assume that our defenders will win every challenge and every second ball. A defensive minded player(s) may anticipate that they won't and track back accordingly.

We've conceded 4 away from home already which suggests that our defenders are struggling. Like last season. Support them perhaps?

Don't get me wrong, with the ball and going forward we look far more destructive. We are going to score goals and Vardy looks a gem. Without the ball and going backwards we don't look as good. This needs rectifying quickly.

There... not negative, not overly positive, just an observation.

[Babylon]

Sorry I thought it was you who started the DM thread and has constantly said DM 300 times the last month.

I've said from the start I believe we don't need a specialist and we can sort it with what we have. So if you are now saying that then I agree.

Again, when have I said everything is thing is fine? I've said we need to take chances, I've said we need to tighten up.

All I've argued against is it needing a new DM, which if you now say we don't need one specifically I agree.

[fleckneymike]

The assumption you always seem to make is that our missing mythical deep lying midfielder is going to be precisely where the goal was scored from or where the initial pass originated. This highly selective presentation of your argument makes it seem logical, simple and seemingly irrefutable.

I respect that you're entitled to feel that you can express an opinion having listened attentively and watched edited highlights but I do feel that unless one has actually watched the game and experienced its ebb and flow first hand then you cannot make credible comments on any possible shortcomings you may feel exist.

[Captain...]

They weren't...

Don't always assume that our defenders will win every challenge and every second ball. A defensive minded player may anticipate that they won't and track back accordingly.

We've conceded 4 away from home already which suggests that our defenders are struggling. Like last season. Support them perhaps?

The midfield helped the defence limit Blackburn to 3 chances the problem is they took 2 of them. they broke up countless attacks and kicked off our own attacks we got caught out twice all game and that was at the end when we were going for the win. Maybe np should have brought on a defensive midfielder when we equalizer and instructed the players to shut up shop. I'm glad he didn't.

You can't make changes everytime we concede, what you add in defence you must take away from attack, give me attacking football anyday.

[Col city fan]

Sorry I thought it was you who started the DM thread and has constantly said DM 300 times the last month.

I've said from the start I believe we don't need a specialist and we can sort it with what we have. So if you are now saying that then I agree.

Again, when have I said everything is thing is fine? I've said we need to take chances, I've said we need to tighten up.

All I've argued against is it needing a new DM, which if you now say we don't need one specifically I agree.

The general consensus is that we don't need a DM... I'll go with the general consensus. We do need to defend as a unit better away from home and not focus exclusively on going forward.

We're on the same wavelength then...

Phew...

[Col city fan]

The midfield helped the defence limit Blackburn to 3 chances the problem is they took 2 of them. they broke up countless attacks and kicked off our own attacks we got caught out twice all game and that was at the end when we were going for the win. Maybe np should have brought on a defensive midfielder when we equalizer and instructed the players to shut up shop. I'm glad he didn't.

You can't make changes everytime we concede, what you add in defence you must take away from attack, give me attacking football anyday.

Even if it means losing two games, from two away from home?

Though exciting, that strikes to me of being a little naive?

We must get the balance right...

[fleckneymike]

The general consensus is that we don't need a DM... I'll go with the general consensus. We do need to defend as a unit better away from home and not focus exclusively on going forward.

We're on the same wavelength then...

Phew...

So all that just to say we need to defend better. I feel like I've witnessed the splitting of the atom.

[Tielemans63]

I think we're going to absolutely smash someone soon. We do need to tighten up defensively though and that's unusual for a side managed by NP. I think that will come soon though.

It'd be nice to see Becks and / or Nuge start justifying their wages by actually taking some of these chances they are presented with. IMHO we are crying out for a Tony Cottee type of forward. I don't have a problem with Beckford, I don't think he has a bad attitude or owt like that but I question whether he is good enough at this level. I don't think Nuge has it in him to be a 20+ goals a season striker either.

[Col city fan]

So all that just to say we need to defend better. I feel like I've witnessed the splitting of the atom.

Yes exactly..... We do need to defend better as a team. Spot on Mike.

[fleckneymike]

Yes exactly..... We do need to defend better as a team. Spot on Mike.

I wasn't aware anyone had said anything to the contrary though. Those who've been to all three league games (which I do not believe you have) have all said, enjoyable game, profligate and harshly punished on lapses.

Those who watch on the radio have begun with solutions and then sought to find a problem. We've had new formations proposed, new positional play suggested, insight into defensive set up all from folks who've not actually seen us play whilst those of us who have are derided for being foolishly optimistic.

I speak as one who was not in favour of Pearson yet even I am not so obstinate and proud to refute the evidence of my own eyes. He's adopted a more attacking style of play which is reaping similar rewards to his previously dour approach and I'm having a thoroughly good time to boot. Others are quietly optimistic that we'll shortly see an upturn in fortune yet some seem determined to demonstrate their tactical chops by offering a consistently contrary view.

[morris1234]

Can I just say, I've just watched the highlights and I'm still So excited for the rest of the season!

We were phenomenal! Nugent and vardy looked brilliant. Aside from some dodgy decisions and being defensively naive we were brilliant!

Can I just say well done Leicester! I never watch the football league show when we lose, never. But that was a brilliant performance, we looked dangerous with real dynamic qualities!

On another day , we would've turned them inside out! Well done boys, unlucky. Let's work on our shooting boots against burton, get white read and st ledger fit and really make a push

COME ON CITYY!!!

[Col city fan]

I wasn't aware anyone had said anything to the contrary though. Those who've been to all three league games (which I do not believe you have) have all said, enjoyable game, profligate and harshly punished on lapses.

Those who watch on the radio have begun with solutions and then sought to find a problem. We've had new formations proposed, new positional play suggested, insight into defensive set up all from folks who've not actually seen us play whilst those of us who have are derided for being foolishly optimistic.

I speak as one who was not in favour of Pearson yet even I am not so obstinate and proud to refute the evidence of my own eyes. He's adopted a more attacking style of play which is reaping similar rewards to his previously dour approach and I'm having a thoroughly good time to boot. Others are quietly optimistic that we'll shortly see an upturn in fortune yet some seem determined to demonstrate their tactical chops by offering a consistently contrary view.

You are correct of course. I've not been to an away game this season, though will be going to Wolves with any luck.

Having been to many last season and watching Pearson's two banks of 4 away from home, I'm concerned that some of the similar defensive frailties we suffered away from home are becoming apparent again this season.

However you wish to gloss it over, we have now conceded 4 in two games and those defenders who looked so assured and composed at home against Borough suddenly start making errors.

I'm with you and all the optimists. My prediction for where we finish was 7th. It's still 7th.

We have signed some good players, young eager and enthusiastic.

However, what I don't want to see is the defence starting to be slated (like it was on here last season) when I don't think it is exclusively the back four that is the problem.

It's of no coincidence to me that Mills, Bamba, SSL, Konch, Peltier and now DeLaet were all ridiculed on here by many for being defensively suspect. I saw that the 'defensive problem' last season was a 'team problem' and could not be laid solely at the feet of any particular player. I simply don't want to see the same thing happen again this season.

What's the phrase? 'defend as a team, attack as a team'? The latter looks much better, the former still looks like work needs doing on it. I don't have to attend every game to work out that our goals conceded column doesn't make for good reading already. Like it didn't last season.

Anyway, up the City, I remain positive and can't make myself any clearer than that.

[Happy Fox]

I have just to listened to his post match interview and he affirms he is going to set out the team to continue the way they are playing good news imo. Having watched yesterday's game I was surprised we adopted this play but the evidence against Charlton from what people were saying is we have adopted it, so seeing it in fruition I was pleasantly surprised, we have longed for it, the players have longed for it to see them expressing themselves was very encouraging. This type of philosophy works well rather than monotonous stale football which although was successful previously to an extent my word did it limit our chances but I guess we didn't have the players to fulfill that role. We now do with 2 exciting wingers in Knockaert and Marshall,the central midfield was my biggest concern but Kingy and Drinkwater give them a run of games together and they will be on fire.

Although we lost I was heartened by our play and everyone should be imo we will get promotion playing this type of footie it may not be this season but the following one we will be their.

[DorsetFox9]

oh dear, win the next 7? jesus some people are delusional. we played nice football last season at stages, but still didn't get any consistency. sounds to be that he has abandoned his original tactic because he cant sure up the defence. maybe he thinks attacking is the best form of defence.

Cant see it being anymore than a mid table finnish this season, although i am begging that im proved wrong. anything other than 5 wins will see us in mid table come that 10th game.