Leicester 1-2 Crystal Palace Post Match Thread

[Bluetintedspecs]

You just wait and see, you might have to change your bluetintedspecs and buy some new one's.

Why did we make stray passes?, why did we make wrong decisons?

Because the likes of Jedinak and Dikgacoi pressured us into making those mistakes, the amount of times Jedinak and Dikgacoi closed Drinkwater down was ridiculous, they worked so hard, and made Drinkwater make loads of mistakes. Crystal Palace's midfield were the best midfield to come to the King Power this season, they were the better midfield and as you can see it was a problem, because we had to revert to three in the middle, because Jedinak and Dikgacoi were dominating us too much.

Same at Wolves, Henry got MOTM because he worked hard and closed the midfield down, Doumbia was just a tank could tackle, could pass, could defend and could attack, and Drinkwater and co couldn't handle him. The game opened up against Wolves in the second half, but was it really down to the central midfield?

No not really, as the player ratings show, Drinkwater was one of our worst players against Wolves because he couldn't cope with the physical presence of Doumbia and Henry, Knockaert made the real difference against Wolves not the centre of midfield.

No need Kingfox I got 2 pairs for price of one at Specsavers! I'm not saying we don't need to do anything and I think in those cases 4-3-1-2 with knocky being the 1 might be the answer with James bolstering!

[CPFCCHAZ]

Very good to see supporters who know what they are talking about when it comes to watching their own team. Its been a pleasure to read your comments in regards to our performance yesterday but that wasn't what my main motive for commenting on here. That was to talk about your chances this season, I 100% believe that you will get promoted, as I dont believe there is any better teams than you in the league. As for many of your comments in stating you need a new striker, obviously it would be good for you but Vardy, Nugent, Schlupp, Futacs and Waghorn is definetly the strongest strikeforce in the league. Creativity in midfield is also not a problem, just yesterday you played against a team who knows how to defend space and is good at mitigating against threats of creative players. Many Leicester fans have spoken to me about their admiration of Nugent, obviously his record this season has hardly been consistently prolific but he will score 15+ goals this season, so goals should not be a problem. Quick question though, whats happened to Neil Danns? he was my favourite player when playing for us, I think he would help with your balance in midfield if used properly. See you at Selhurst in late April, when you will be in touching distance from the Premier league. Chaz

[Happy Fox]

Very good to see supporters who know what they are talking about when it comes to watching their own team. Its been a pleasure to read your comments in regards to our performance yesterday but that wasn't what my main motive for commenting on here. That was to talk about your chances this season, I 100% believe that you will get promoted, as I dont believe there is any better teams than you in the league. As for many of your comments in stating you need a new striker, obviously it would be good for you but Vardy, Nugent, Schlupp, Futacs and Waghorn is definetly the strongest strikeforce in the league. Creativity in midfield is also not a problem, just yesterday you played against a team who knows how to defend space and is good at mitigating against threats of creative players. Many Leicester fans have spoken to me about their admiration of Nugent, obviously his record this season has hardly been consistently prolific but he will score 15+ goals this season, so goals should not be a problem. Quick question though, whats happened to Neil Danns? he was my favourite player when playing for us, I think he would help with your balance in midfield if used properly. See you at Selhurst in late April, when you will be in touching distance from the Premier league. Chaz

Cheers, where do you think we will finish exactly? I personally feel we will finish second.

You did that very well to be fair to you if you can do that at many teams you will definitely be in the playoffs.

[CPFCCHAZ]

Cheers, where do you think we will finish exactly? I personally feel we will finish second.

You did that very well to be fair to you if you can do that at many teams you will definitely be in the playoffs.

I really think top 2, I cant see any teams running away with it because the teams coming down are to inconsistent. I think Cardiff are your biggest threat, but you should and I think you will get promoted.

Its a weird season for us this one, players like Zaha and Jonny Wiliams (who you didnt see yesterday) are to good for us and finding a new manager who can keep the balance, will make it diffiicult, mid-table for us again I think..

[LJS]

I agree with those saying we need more options in the middle. There are some games in this league which will be very difficult for us because of a lack of physical presence. To say however many players had off days is too simplistic. It isn't being needlessly negative to suggest Pearson got it wrong yesterday; it was obvious from the off. Even with our lack of strength in the middle we could have helped ourselves with an extra man there. The change came too late. The extra man is fine as an option against sides like Palace (who weren't all brawn in fairness to them) but it wouldn't hurt to have somebody who can bully teams back a bit. I'm not so worried by the the lack of a 20+ goal striker as the lack of attacking movement in the team since halftime against Birmingham (the first twenty minutes versus Brighton aside). We look tired which is concerning this early in the season. I still reckon we'll be okay but that doesn't mean we shouldn't insure ourselves against our obvious weaknesses. Criticism shouldn't be off limits because we're near the top of the league.

[ealingfox]

Very good to see supporters who know what they are talking about when it comes to watching their own team. Its been a pleasure to read your comments in regards to our performance yesterday but that wasn't what my main motive for commenting on here. That was to talk about your chances this season, I 100% believe that you will get promoted, as I dont believe there is any better teams than you in the league. As for many of your comments in stating you need a new striker, obviously it would be good for you but Vardy, Nugent, Schlupp, Futacs and Waghorn is definetly the strongest strikeforce in the league. Creativity in midfield is also not a problem, just yesterday you played against a team who knows how to defend space and is good at mitigating against threats of creative players. Many Leicester fans have spoken to me about their admiration of Nugent, obviously his record this season has hardly been consistently prolific but he will score 15+ goals this season, so goals should not be a problem. Quick question though, whats happened to Neil Danns? he was my favourite player when playing for us, I think he would help with your balance in midfield if used properly. See you at Selhurst in late April, when you will be in touching distance from the Premier league. Chaz

Thanks for your compliments, but that's not true.

[CPFC guest]

Hi, another Palace fan in peace. I agree with Chaz I think you guys will go up, unfortunately I think the welsh b#stards will win the league but I can't see anyone else being consistent enough to challenge. I feel Leicester are the next best team with the strongest squad. I would like to think we also could mount a challenge but we don't have the strength in depth; if we suffer injuries it will be a different story. I really like the KP stadium, although it was a bit scary when we were bobbing up and down and the concrete below us was bobbing as well. I think your fans are great too, friendly and knowledgable; I had a few beers before the game and chatted to quite a few LCFC fans. Anyway good luck for the rest of the season!

[Dan]

Palace appear to be one of those clubs where despite previous history on the pitch, there seems to be very little animosity off it, in a way I'm glad the home loss has come to them rather than someone like Hull or Bristol City who have absolute nobheads for fans.

Appreciate the comments but our strike force is nowhere near the leagues strongest. Nugent's quality, Vardy has been disappointing if I'm honest, he's not bad but I thought he'd be a better player than he has been, his finishing is a real cause for concern and in a way I think he's too similar to Waghorn. Definitely not given up on him though because I still think there is more to come. Waghorn is poor, Schlupp isn't ever given enough time to show anything and Futacs is given even less.

Our two biggest problems yesterday for me were simply the set pieces (which were laughable and I've gone through it) and Pearson's tactical change which I believe he got completely wrong. I'd have kept King/Drinkwater as a midfield pairing but put Knockaert CAM, Nugent centre forward and then possibly Marshall on the left and Dyer on the right, maybe Vardy on the left, it was clear we weren't getting anything in the air and there's no point sending Marshall/Dyer/Vardy round the full-back to cross in because no one wins it, although we did actually score from one (somehow), shoddy marking from Palace but great header. But no we should've kept it on the floor and used our most creative outlet as central as possible to actually give us a chance of getting through them because going round them was pointless. Knockaert had a weak game by his standards but he wasn't awful and I can't help but think he was incorrectly positioned from the off, for me he simply isn't a winger in this team where we don't play any forwards who score headers and he's far more effective as an attacking mid/second striker.

[EaglefozS]

Hi,

Yet another palace fan here, just like to repeat what the other two said, great day yesterday, felt welcome before and after the match. I also think you will go up in top two and said as much last night to your fans at the ale wagon and other hostelries in the town. Being from Swansea I see you as the best bet for stopping those c$#ts fron Cardiff from winning the league.

Good luck for the rest of the season, except selhurst of course.

[Bert]

Personally I think a bit of arrogance crept in. We'd had a good start and then players coming out saying "teams fear us at home" when Palace clearly didn't. They got in our faces and we couldn't deal with it.

They did their homework on Knockaert and he had a stinker. We didn't seem to really want to get stuck in and that was a big let down.

I often think there's not really a plan b and I can never understand why he seems to wait so long to make changes when we're losing. There were a few positives to come out of yesterday but they were sadly outweighed by the negatives.

Maybe this was a reality check, it's all about how we respond now and let's hope it's a positive one.

[deep blue]

We always have problems against physically strong teams, and must learn how to cope better, because such teams are good at playing the officials (e.g. Wolves). On countless occasions one of our players stuck to an opponent well, got a foot or tackle in, but when the ball squirmed away it was always the oppo guy who'd stayed on his feet and picked up the 2nd ball; we needed to hunt them down in pairs so that our 2nd guy could pick up the ball. Because they were so strong at the back I wonder if we should have started with Waggy, for all his shortcomings.

After watching the football league show (which showed that the clear handball was deliberate) I know we should have had 2 stone cold pens in the 2nd half. Because of his mess-up for the first goal, I watched Schmeickel very carefully for the next corner. He was completely taken out of the action by an oppo forward, so their 2nd goal shouldn't have stood; their guy shouldn't have been gifted a free header, all the same. Yes, the ref was rubbish - how many games has that been so in this league - but you always have to look to your shortcomings cos the officials are never going to improve.

CP played like Reading last season, with a good game plan that we couldn't raise our game sufficiently to counter, and with dangerous counter-attcking capability. Our display was lacklustre. Nuge had a poor game; was he completely fit? We didn't scare them enough with our wing play. I think we were too worried about their threat from the wings. In my opinion, Dyer was ineffective because he was covering Saha rather than making his own runs, and De Laet didn't start making his runs from RB until the 2nd half.

But I'm not too dismayed. We were always going to come up against a team like CP to spoil our run. I like the fact that Nige doesn't look for excuses, views things as they are, and I have confidence that he'll see what needs improving and will take steps to do exactly that.

[Guest Col city fan]

We always have problems against physically strong teams, and must learn how to cope better, because such teams are good at playing the officials (e.g. Wolves). On countless occasions one of our players stuck to an opponent well, got a foot or tackle in, but when the ball squirmed away it was always the oppo guy who'd stayed on his feet and picked up the 2nd ball; we needed to hunt them down in pairs so that our 2nd guy could pick up the ball. Because they were so strong at the back I wonder if we should have started with Waggy, for all his shortcomings.

After watching the football league show (which showed that the clear handball was deliberate) I know we should have had 2 stone cold pens in the 2nd half. Because of his mess-up for the first goal, I watched Schmeickel very carefully for the next corner. He was completely taken out of the action by an oppo forward, so their 2nd goal shouldn't have stood; their guy shouldn't have been gifted a free header, all the same. Yes, the ref was rubbish - how many games has that been so in this league - but you always have to look to your shortcomings cos the officials are never going to improve.

CP played like Reading last season, with a good game plan that we couldn't raise our game sufficiently to counter, and with dangerous counter-attcking capability. Our display was lacklustre. Nuge had a poor game; was he completely fit? We didn't scare them enough with our wing play. I think we were too worried about their threat from the wings. In my opinion, Dyer was ineffective because he was covering Saha rather than making his own runs, and De Laet didn't start making his runs from RB until the 2nd half.

But I'm not too dismayed. We were always going to come up against a team like CP to spoil our run. I like the fact that Nige doesn't look for excuses, views things as they are, and I have confidence that he'll see what needs improving and will take steps to do exactly that.

Very very good post IMO. Bang on the money.

[LCFC FOX]

Cardiff, Leicester and Forest will be the ones challenging top 2. Please say Forest don't nick 2nd place of us at the end of the season.

[kingfox]

CP played like Reading last season, with a good game plan that we couldn't raise our game sufficiently to counter, and with dangerous counter-attcking capability.

And who did Reading have in midfield?

A 6ft1 Mikele Leigertwood who is built like a tank.

Enough said guys

[Bluetintedspecs]

And who did Reading have in midfield?

A 6ft1 Mikele Leigertwood who is built like a tank.

Enough said guys

Oh I wish it was Kingfox.....but I fear your obsession with big men up your middle is growing

[kingfox]

Oh I wish it was Kingfox.....but I fear your obsession with big men up your middle is growing

Can't handle the fact that I'm right.

So you turn to poor banter, which just isn't good enough, and is getting very boring already.

[Thracian]

We always have problems against physically strong teams, and must learn how to cope better, because such teams are good at playing the officials (e.g. Wolves). On countless occasions one of our players stuck to an opponent well, got a foot or tackle in, but when the ball squirmed away it was always the oppo guy who'd stayed on his feet and picked up the 2nd ball; we needed to hunt them down in pairs so that our 2nd guy could pick up the ball. Because they were so strong at the back I wonder if we should have started with Waggy, for all his shortcomings.

After watching the football league show (which showed that the clear handball was deliberate) I know we should have had 2 stone cold pens in the 2nd half. Because of his mess-up for the first goal, I watched Schmeickel very carefully for the next corner. He was completely taken out of the action by an oppo forward, so their 2nd goal shouldn't have stood; their guy shouldn't have been gifted a free header, all the same. Yes, the ref was rubbish - how many games has that been so in this league - but you always have to look to your shortcomings cos the officials are never going to improve.

CP played like Reading last season, with a good game plan that we couldn't raise our game sufficiently to counter, and with dangerous counter-attcking capability. Our display was lacklustre. Nuge had a poor game; was he completely fit? We didn't scare them enough with our wing play. I think we were too worried about their threat from the wings. In my opinion, Dyer was ineffective because he was covering Saha rather than making his own runs, and De Laet didn't start making his runs from RB until the 2nd half.

But I'm not too dismayed. We were always going to come up against a team like CP to spoil our run. I like the fact that Nige doesn't look for excuses, views things as they are, and I have confidence that he'll see what needs improving and will take steps to do exactly that.

There some interesting points there and much in what you say. But our football has been deteriorating for the last two and a half games, even against teams we've won points from.

And the main thing has been the deterioration in our passing.

And, for me, one of the main problems is Knockaert. Suddenly there is far less speed and fluidity to our build-up because no-one really knows what Knockaert is likely to do, because someone has to cover for him and because he continually ignores the runs of his team mates and runs into blind alleys or an opponent's tackles.

I'm don't exonerate Nugent and Vardy from criticism as strikers but they're just getting enough of the kind of quick, on-the-ground supply they need to break through from the shoulders of defenders.

Too many of our final passes are aimless, predictable crosses, often from De Laet, which neither striker has any chance of getting.

We were worse against Palace because Drinkwater was closed down quickly and totally neutralised. With Whitbread also being wasteful, Dyer either contained or occupied depending on the circumstances we just became impotent.

Yes, the height and strength of Palace's players was relevent, particularly in the first half before they tired and became more negative, but no-one could legislate for the conveniently selective eyesight of the officials otherwise with two seemingly nailed-on penalties, the foul on Kasper for the second goal which has been referred to and at least one blatant push in the box that went unpunished, the final outcome could still have been different and that's before I mention the good chances we had before Kasper gifted the visitors their first goal.

What really happened was that Palace closed us down quickly - not unlike others - and we failed to impose our one-or-two-touch passing style which has enabled us to cope with lots of fast closing down in previous games. Even in the first five minutes long before Palace's physical strength had become apparent we just didn't control or pass the ball properly.

We slipped, fell over ourselves, tried to be clever and took countless touches on the ball - everything but what we needed to do in the circumstances which was to pass and move in every position and keep the ball on the ground which would have given the Palace defenders far more challenging problems.

If you pass the ball quickly, accurately and on the floor it doesn't matter how big, strong or willing the opposition are

to close down - they'll soon run out of impetus. We just didn't have the discipline or patience to do that and Knockaert was one of those most at fault and more especially because he clearly has the ability to do what's required..

[Bluetintedspecs]

Can't handle the fact that I'm right.

So you turn to poor banter, which just isn't good enough, and is getting very boring already.

Behave, it was a bit of fun, your obsession with being right is actually quite tedious, we lost a game to a team that tactically outsmarted us coupled with some of our key players off their game is my opinion which also happens to be our Managers! I am entitled to mine as you are yours but if you read your posts back you have been banging on about big men in midfeld and quoting stats. A forum I thought was about people expressing their views and obviously not everyone will agree. You it seems are obsessed with being right and will be relentless in a flood of posts that quite frankly don't always stack up! Anyway if you have taken offense at what was only light hearted humour then that was not my intention, I suggest you take a leaf out of some of the more radical posters on here whose views are often lambasted though when you exchange differing opinions agree to disagree. I don't know what you expect....... if it's "oh Kingfox i agree with you wholeheartedly and you were right"? then you are deluded. I'm not saying I'm right it was my opinion and how I saw it.East is East West is West

[kingfox]

Behave, it was a bit of fun, your obsession with being right is actually quite tedious, we lost a game to a team that tactically outsmarted us coupled with some of our key players off their game is my opinion which also happens to be our Managers! I am entitled to mine as you are yours but if you read your posts back you have been banging on about big men in midfeld and quoting stats. A forum I thought was about people expressing their views and obviously not everyone will agree. You it seems are obsessed with being right and will be relentless in a flood of posts that quite frankly don't always stack up! Anyway if you have taken offense at what was only light hearted humour then that was not my intention, I suggest you take a leaf out of some of the more radical posters on here whose views are often lambasted though when you exchange differing opinions agree to disagree. I don't know what you expect....... if it's "oh Kingfox i agree with you wholeheartedly and you were right"? then you are deluded. I'm not saying I'm right it was my opinion and how I saw it.East is East West is West

I got bored of you saying I love big men.

North is north, and south is south.

[ScouseFox]

Been away from a computer all weekend so a bit late but we were very bad and gotta say fair play to Palace, they didn't come for a point they came for all three and thoroughly deserved them.

That handball was one of the best saves I've ever seen, he literally dived to the side and clawed it out. That was a bit of a joke and there were a few other dodgy calls. But we didn't deserve anything from the game, not sure what went wrong but we weren't at the races. Knocky was pretty poor and without him ticking we didn't have a spark so to speak, so continuous floated balls to their huge centre halves was never going to work.

Wes Morgan is still a hero and I don't think I've loved a defender as much as him, ever, anywhere.

[accessory]

The problem we had yesterday - and for long stretches of the Brighton game too - is that no-one in our midfield knows how to put a tackle in.

Barca have Busquets and/or Song, Man City have Yaya Toure, Chelsea have Mikel and Ramires. All of these sides are successful because they know that in order to pass the ball around, sometimes you have to win possession first.

We had to chase the ball a lot in the Birmingham and Brighton games and the effects were clear to see against Palace. The manager observed that many of our players had an off day. i hope he's able to work out why.

Knockaert is a young player still getting to grips with the physical demands of English football and playing his fifth game in a fortnight. No wonder he looked shattered. The depth of our squad is the envy of many in this division. Maybe it's time we started to make more use of it.

Yes, Palace had a game plan. But they were helped in its execution by pub-team defending for both goals (how we missed SSL) and a referee who'd lose an eyesight test with Stevie Wonder.

If the red card had been given and the penalty scored, who knows what may have happened in the last 20 minutes? We might have been able to step up a gear and rescue a point or maybe even all three.

Instead, heads dropped, and when we finally managed a decent cross for the first time in the afternoon it was converted, but far too late.

However we are still in the top two and as long as lessons are learned, we should be able to stay there.

[foxinexile]

Why not join us in l block then

Because if I moved to L block, Stu, that's accepting defeat in my eyes. It's accepting that the "Kop" is never going to improve, and in all honesty, how much better would I have it in L? I've always been a big believer in having a substantial vocal support behind the goal at home grounds; I just think it's something we should have. And if we all start drifiting over to L ... well, then the "kop" really is done for. I'm sorry if my original post sounded a bit holier-than-thou, and despite what I said, I do recognise that there are those that make the effort in L. But I felt so damn angry after the game at the apathy that was being shown. I mean, ok, we were 0-2 down. but how is the team going to lift itself without the vocal encouragement of the fans? Yes, we all pay our money and yes, despite our fantastic start, we do deserve better than the performance on Saturday. But we have to play our part, too. We all have a duty to lift our team, week in week out.

A day out at the football is all about passion, so why have we become so apathetic? And I include myself in that. I have been extremely guilty at times this season but am going to try my bloody hardest to not let it happen any more. If the vast majority in the "kop" want to sit, then fine; they paid their money for those seats, but they have got to get more involved. If the whole of L wants to stand, fantastic, but with that does come the responsibility to make more noise for longer periods than a brief five minute burst every now and then.

If we all just sang "Leicester, Leicester, Leicester!" or "LCFC!" continuously for 60/70 minutes that would be the business; we don't necessarily have to have a big repertoire, just something with a bit of longevity and passion! So please, all of us, let's make some sodding noise when we play Forest. We owe it to ourselves and the players.

[Kitchandro]

Because if I moved to L block, Stu, that's accepting defeat in my eyes. It's accepting that the "Kop" is never going to improve, and in all honesty, how much better would I have it in L? I've always been a big believer in having a substantial vocal support behind the goal at home grounds; I just think it's something we should have. And if we all start drifiting over to L ... well, then the "kop" really is done for. I'm sorry if my original post sounded a bit holier-than-thou, and despite what I said, I do recognise that there are those that make the effort in L. But I felt so damn angry after the game at the apathy that was being shown. I mean, ok, we were 0-2 down. but how is the team going to lift itself without the vocal encouragement of the fans? Yes, we all pay our money and yes, despite our fantastic start, we do deserve better than the performance on Saturday. But we have to play our part, too. We all have a duty to lift our team, week in week out.

A day out at the football is all about passion, so why have we become so apathetic? And I include myself in that. I have been extremely guilty at times this season but am going to try my bloody hardest to not let it happen any more. If the vast majority in the "kop" want to sit, then fine; they paid their money for those seats, but they have got to get more involved. If the whole of L wants to stand, fantastic, but with that does come the responsibility to make more noise for longer periods than a brief five minute burst every now and then.

If we all just sang "Leicester, Leicester, Leicester!" or "LCFC!" continuously for 60/70 minutes that would be the business; we don't necessarily have to have a big repertoire, just something with a bit of longevity and passion! So please, all of us, let's make some sodding noise when we play Forest. We owe it to ourselves and the players.

I completely agree mate, I think we'd all like the Kop to be a proper Kop, and nobody can knock you for trying to create an atmosphere in there.

Personally though, I've always thought that the East Stand had more potential for being the singing section, mainly because it's near the East Stand. The thing is, the good Kops in this country are so because they've got history - most of them, probably all of them will have been terracing back in the day, and most would have been close to the pitch (and doesn't it look bloody fantastic when the crowd erupts behind the goal, I'd love to see that on our match highlights one day) and the vocal fans made it there's and it's stayed that way.

The Kop at the KP has never had that history and is miles away from the action so it is unlikely to ever be a real Kop, it's not a unique stand and it's not near the away fans. I'm not going to say you should move but until there are major changes made to the stadium I don't think it will improve, not significantly anyway.

There's no doubt that there are more people standing in the East Stand and on it's day it can be a very good atmosphere, but these days are becoming very rare now.

I can understand why you'd be apathetic at times, it's because when you are shouting your lungs off and everyone around you is ignoring you it's a bit demoralising! That's how I felt yesterday.

[SOCCERROO FOX]

Dispointed with the lose but hope we bounce back.

Can any one tell me how Jedinak played for Palace and what posistion he played?

[kingfox]

Dispointed with the lose but hope we bounce back.

Can any one tell me how Jedinak played for Palace and what posistion he played?

Played in central midfield alongside Dikgacoi.

Great player is Jedinak probably the best midfielder, to come to the King Power this season.

Dominated alongside Dikgacoi, and closed down Drinkwater ever so well and made him make many mistakes.