Same Old Problems?

[Bettsj2]

If this is true, explain our home form vis a vis our away form?

Why so strong at home, so poor away, in terms of results?

If you are right and it's not due to physicality, Pearson's tactics away from home seem to be poor. Or can he not motivate the lads on the road?

You explain.....

In terms of results, there are not many teams whose away form will mirror their Home. Generally speaking, regardless of level, that is the case. I'm not going to go over match by match for the away games but i'll say this, its rare that we are outplayed be it home or away and this is where opinions differ. For a prime example, take Blackburn away. We were superior to them in every department but two mistakes one from Konchesky amd one from Danns gave away 2 soft goals. Does that mean we were outmuscled by the much more experienced and physical Murphy and Etuhu? No. DD and King ran rings round them. Same away at Wolves. We were not out fought or out uglied, we were sloppy amd got punished and in those two games, there's nothing to suggest that if we had a battle tank in the middle of the park, things would have been any different results wise, just as there's nothing to suggest it would have changed yesterday. Yesterday, the whole team was shit. When that happens, talking about personell is pointless. People may say that the subs were made too late, but the impact those subs made was little if nothing mainly due to the whole team being shit.

This is the main thing that I disagree with in regards to the plan a/plan b argument. From what I've seen this season, when out plan a is firing, not a team in the League will cope with us. This being the case, I think it pointless to try and play a different tactical set up from the start in case it doesnt come off. As a secondary point, how many more players are needednin addition to what we have to make this plan b work? 2 more? 3? Isnt part of our success this season the close knit squad ethic? Loading up the squad to cover every scenario is what Sven tried. Didnt work then and it wouldnt work now.

I'm happy with the tactics and the squad we have and am convinced we'll go up this year but i've also been watching football long enough to know that regardless if the talent you have, the manager in place, the players in the pitch, there will be around 10-12 games a season where you will play absolute dogshit. Some you'll lose and some you'll scrape a draw. Thats just the level we are and will always be unless a sheik or oil magnate takes us over.

[Col city fan]

In terms of results, there are not many teams whose away form will mirror their Home. Generally speaking, regardless of level, that is the case. I'm not going to go over match by match for the away games but i'll say this, its rare that we are outplayed be it home or away and this is where opinions differ. For a prime example, take Blackburn away. We were superior to them in every department but two mistakes one from Konchesky amd one from Danns gave away 2 soft goals. Does that mean we were outmuscled by the much more experienced and physical Murphy and Etuhu? No. DD and King ran rings round them. Same away at Wolves. We were not out fought or out uglied, we were sloppy amd got punished and in those two games, there's nothing to suggest that if we had a battle tank in the middle of the park, things would have been any different results wise, just as there's nothing to suggest it would have changed yesterday. Yesterday, the whole team was shit. When that happens, talking about personell is pointless. People may say that the subs were made too late, but the impact those subs made was little if nothing mainly due to the whole team being shit.

This is the main thing that I disagree with in regards to the plan a/plan b argument. From what I've seen this season, when out plan a is firing, not a team in the League will cope with us. This being the case, I think it pointless to try and play a different tactical set up from the start in case it doesnt come off. As a secondary point, how many more players are needednin addition to what we have to make this plan b work? 2 more? 3? Isnt part of our success this season the close knit squad ethic? Loading up the squad to cover every scenario is what Sven tried. Didnt work then and it wouldnt work now.

I'm happy with the tactics and the squad we have and am convinced we'll go up this year but i've also been watching football long enough to know that regardless if the talent you have, the manager in place, the players in the pitch, there will be around 10-12 games a season where you will play absolute dogshit. Some you'll lose and some you'll scrape a draw. Thats just the level we are and will always be unless a sheik or oil magnate takes us over.

Good post mate and you raise some interesting points.

Personally, I feel the problem with the team AWAY from home still lies with the central midfield pair.

King does go missing in games and always has IMO. It's no coincidence that this is usually when we aren't in control.

Drinkwater, for all his tenacity, is not sufficiently creative. I notice that Koren got on the scoresheet again yesterday for Hull... A typical burst into the box to finish a nice move. Drinky has one goal for the season I think and can't shoot for shit.

There is a difference between 'having possession' of the football and having 'meaningful' possession. We may have 'run rings' around Etuhu and Murphy at Blackburn, but we did so where it didn't really matter... Too deep to hurt them so to speak. When they had possession, it was around our area, leading to them scoring the goals they did.

Make no bones about it mate, the results speak for themselves. If Nigel cannot improve our form away from home, we won't be near top two and actually, I think top two is there for the taking this season I really do. None if the teams above us are anything special. What they do have however, is a goal threat from other parts of the team than just the strikers. Cardiff score from set pieces, Palace have got goals across their attacking players and so have Hull.

Something must change away from home to give us that real crack of a top two position. And finishing first or second is absolutely up for grabs IMO.

[Bettsj2]

Good post mate and you raise some interesting points.

Personally, I feel the problem with the team AWAY from home still lies with the central midfield pair.

King does go missing in games and always has IMO. It's no coincidence that this is usually when we aren't in control.

Drinkwater, for all his tenacity, is not sufficiently creative. I notice that Koren got on the scoresheet again yesterday for Hull... A typical burst into the box to finish a nice move. Drinky has one goal for the season I think and can't shoot for shit.

There is a difference between 'having possession' of the football and having 'meaningful' possession. We may have 'run rings' around Etuhu and Murphy at Blackburn, but we did so where it didn't really matter... Too deep to hurt them so to speak. When they had possession, it was around our area, leading to them scoring the goals they did.

Make no bones about it mate, the results speak for themselves. If Nigel cannot improve our form away from home, we won't be near top two and actually, I think top two is there for the taking this season I really do. None if the teams above us are anything special. What they do have however, is a goal threat from other parts of the team than just the strikers. Cardiff score from set pieces, Palace have got goals across their attacking players and so have Hull.

Something must change away from home to give us that real crack of a top two position. And finishing first or second is absolutely up for grabs IMO.

I agree with some of what you say however Cardiff who currently are top have only lost one less than us on the road this season so i'm not convinced its as much of an issue as some are saying.

Hope we both get what we want!

Blue army!!

[muzzy1981]

I think Dyer and King should be given a break for the next match. It is a lot to expect high levels of performance every game of the season.

IMO Marshall for Dyer and James for King should have started. When we play neat football we dominate games. I disagree that Futacs should have started, if we had played on the deck neat football then Nuge and Vardy would have killed Shittu.

I hope someone has a word with Schmeichael about is big kicking, crazy! Absolute basics to play out form the back.

Let's hope Nige gets us back on track, IMO signings aren't the just the answer, we have a good squad just need more rotation so players are fighting for places.

[Col city fan]

I think Dyer and King should be given a break for the next match. It is a lot to expect high levels of performance every game of the season.

IMO Marshall for Dyer and James for King should have started. When we play neat football we dominate games. I disagree that Futacs should have started, if we had played on the deck neat football then Nuge and Vardy would have killed Shittu.

I hope someone has a word with Schmeichael about is big kicking, crazy! Absolute basics to play out form the back.

Let's hope Nige gets us back on track, IMO signings aren't the just the answer, we have a good squad just need more rotation so players are fighting for places.

I brought up Kasper's kicking last season.

Sometimes it's just ridiculous. I'm SO surprised Pearson hasn't stopped him doing this. It simply gives possession back to the opposition when we really shouldn't. I'd like to see us play the ball out from the back more often.

[Bluetintedspecs]

I feel Bettsj2 has summed the situation up really well, Just look at the cardiff result yesterday for myself and the majority of others that was a coupon buster! The championship is a tough and unpredictable league, home form is pivotal and we have done pretty damn well. Away from home we've slipped up but the performances on the whole have not been poor so it's definitely not panic stations IMO. I know it's a cliche but the festive period is crucial, where we are at 5.00pm New Years Day will have a big bearing on our finishing position. A decent points haul and we will be challenging for top 2 and confident about pushing on, struggle and it will be about battling to stay in play off spots and the added pressure which we didn't handle too well last year! I feel we will galvanise and return to the great run of form and coupled with January transfer dealings we will push on! I am sure in the typical Leicester way it will be one hell of a ride

[Col city fan]

I feel Bettsj2 has summed the situation up really well, Just look at the cardiff result yesterday for myself and the majority of others that was a coupon buster! The championship is a tough and unpredictable league, home form is pivotal and we have done pretty damn well. Away from home we've slipped up but the performances on the whole have not been poor so it's definitely not panic stations IMO. I know it's a cliche but the festive period is crucial, where we are at 5.00pm New Years Day will have a big bearing on our finishing position. A decent points haul and we will be challenging for top 2 and confident about pushing on, struggle and it will be about battling to stay in play off spots and the added pressure which we didn't handle too well last year! I feel we will galvanise and return to the great run of form and coupled with January transfer dealings we will push on! I am sure in the typical Leicester way it will be one hell of a ride

Couldn't agree more buddy.

However, my mate (a pro gambler) had the last laff as he had a hundred on Peterborough beating Cardiff! Fook knows how he worked that one out!

Maybe that's why he's a pro gambler and I ain't!