Post-Match City 0 - 1 Cardiff

[Thracian]

King was in a useless position, ball watching and not in position to mark anyone or to cut out the pass to Bellamy!

Seemed like most of our defence had been drawn towards the ball. King might have made the wrong decision but he certainly wasn't ball watching, in fact he was the only City player who seemed aware of Bellamy at all when there should have been at least one and a covering player tight on the guy.

The guy i was sitting with virtually talked me through the goal - anticipating it well before it happened and then watching his expectations revealed before his eyes. King realised the danger but seemed to hesitate about marking Bellamy specifically and then decided to leave it to Knockaert who never really showed signs of doing the job at all.

For me it was a huge mess all round. Bad errors leading up to the problem, poor response, Bellamy allowed time and space in the box and no-one taking responsibility for dealing with him when he got the ball.

[marbelladave]

Seemed like most of our defence had been drawn towards the ball. King might have made the wrong decision but he certainly wasn't ball watching, in fact he was the only City player who seemed aware of Bellamy at all when there should have been at least one and a covering player tight on the guy.

The guy i was sitting with virtually talked me through the goal - anticipating it well before it happened and then watching his expectations revealed before his eyes. King realised the danger but seemed to hesitate about marking Bellamy specifically and then decided to leave it to Knockaert who never really showed signs of doing the job at all.

For me it was a huge mess all round. Bad errors leading up to the problem, poor response, Bellamy allowed time and space in the box and no-one taking responsibility for dealing with him when he got the ball.

Not having seen the goal other than live, I find it astonishing that we should leave the marking of Cardiff's most dangerous, predatory player, who was well inside our box, to a midfield player.

The failure to command our own penalty area has cost us dear this season and will continue to do so. What the hell is wrong with our coaching that such good individual defensive players should be so poor as a 'unit'.

[ADK]

King was partly at fault but he is usually very good so it seems pointless to bang on about it.

[Freeman's Wharfer]

No he shouldn't. As we are all painfully aware we have 4 in midfield, for that goal we had just 1 in the middle because Lloyd was stood still on the left and Knockaert was in the middle well outside the box and Drinkwater had to move over to the left to help out Konchesky (not too successfully). King, twice, covers for Morgan who correctly pressures the play, yet in the absolute age it takes for the ball to arrive not one of the other midfielders offer any cover.

It's a similar story for all the other counter attacks, King is the only one running the length of the pitch to cover.

It takes those who really understand the game to see King's value. To the others he's anonymous or goes missing, they don't notice the little things that he does such as dropping in there to cover Morgan (you can bet the goal would have been a damn sight easier to score if there were a gap there) or the hard work that he puts in. One minute he's in his six yard box doing the defensive work (and let it not go unnoticed that he got a heel to a ball pulled across our six yard box which would have been a guaranteed goal for 2-0 later in the match), the next he's breaking through to curl one just past the post. But of course, unless he's scoring he does nothing...

Exactly. King should've been on the edge of the box. The defensive line was fine where it was, there was no need for king to be where he was.

King had dropped in to cover Morgan who went a-wandering. Ok, fine to pressure a player away from goal and move out of the back four (because he knew someone so positionally aware and astute as King would drop in to cover) but once he'd done that his next thought should have been to get back in asap to allow King to move out and into a more natural position. Watch it again, Morgan somewhat ambles back, which means that King has less time to have a look and see where he needs to be next (although granted it could/should have been done a little quicker).

It's also worth remembering that this is Bellamy. He pulled us around all day yesterday and it was a clever bit of movement to find that space and a great finish.

[Kitchandro]

It takes those who really understand the game to see King's value. To the others he's anonymous or goes missing, they don't notice the little things that he does such as dropping in there to cover Morgan (you can bet the goal would have been a damn sight easier to score if there were a gap there) or the hard work that he puts in. One minute he's in his six yard box doing the defensive work (and let it not go unnoticed that he got a heel to a ball pulled across our six yard box which would have been a guaranteed goal for 2-0 later in the match), the next he's breaking through to curl one just past the post. But of course, unless he's scoring he does nothing...

King had dropped in to cover Morgan who went a-wandering. Ok, fine to pressure a player away from goal and move out of the back four (because he knew someone so positionally aware and astute as King would drop in to cover) but once he'd done that his next thought should have been to get back in asap to allow King to move out and into a more natural position. Watch it again, Morgan somewhat ambles back, which means that King has less time to have a look and see where he needs to be next (although granted it could/should have been done a little quicker).

It's also worth remembering that this is Bellamy. He pulled us around all day yesterday and it was a clever bit of movement to find that space and a great finish.

I'm just not sure where this frustrating myth comes from.

Firstly, having seen the goal again, he is partly to blame. There were numerous players who could have picked Bellamy up at the edge of the box, he was one of the few who didn't notice/get out to him. Arguably it should have been him picking him up as he plays further forward than our centre backs, so he maybe should have been the one to go out to him. He wasn't the only one to not notice him nor was he to blame for us letting two crosses in, but he takes a share in the blame for me. I'm not sure how he made the goal harder to score, and they did score anyway....

He really doesn't work that hard, not particularly. For every time he chases back there's another where he jogs back when the player with the ball isn't actually that far away from him. For every great interception there's someone he doesn't pick up. For every great burst forward there's several occassions where he's not interested in recieving the ball.

If he was so good at this holding and defensive play we wouldn't be so vulnerable on the break and he'd also win more tackles and see more of the ball (whether that's through winning it or being the link between the defence and midfield/attack when we're starting moves).

And so much for his late runs, he had numerous opportunities to make them on Saturday and often did not show the desire.

He's a talented player but a bit of a 'luxury'; he's weak, he is a passenger for much of the time and he does not really have a best position. And I don't care how many people come out with the old pretentious 'I have a better understanding of the game'. There's a real emperors new clothes kind of attitude when people talk about King, obviously you must be some sort of amateur football-enthusiast if you can't see King's obvious brilliance which is conveniently undetectable to the naked eye.

He is often anonymous and he does often hide, it takes people with eyes to see that.

[Dan LCFC]

I'm sure I'll get stick for this but I can't imagine I'm the only one who has this niggling suspicion at the back of his mind that Schmeichel really isn't very good and is still living off his first 4 or 5 months here and that everything Leeds fans said about him when he signed is true.

I agree, I've said for a while he's over-rated.

He's not bad at all but... my god some of our fans over-rate him, he's nowhere near the class act some make him out to be. He really doesn't save that much.

[Jaspa]

Kasper is undoubtedly the best keeper weve had since our season in the Prem; Henderson, Pressman, Weale and Fulop can all suck on Kaspers big toe

We saw his performences last year, the potential he showed is high and even his kicking was effective, he apparently had Real Mc****ing 'Drid as suiters, with pages of people saying the want £5m+ on here.

Maybe its the management system he doesn't work as well under(not advocating NP out), but If he/we can get firing again I'll be chuffed

[ADK]

I think Kasper is doing fine. How can he be blamed for their goal?

[Jaspa]

I think Kasper is doing fine. How can he be blamed for their goal?

He cant fully, some people have said he & Wes shouldve organised the defence to cover a Craig Bell with his arms aloft screaming for the ball on the edge of our box

But the thing is with the attitudes people are having about Kasper now, if he has a couple of bad games and lets in a howler there could be people calling for his gloves. Unbe-fukin-levable

[Dan LCFC]

I'm not saying he's a bad GK, I just think he's nowhere near the next Casillas like he's hailed as by a lot of our fans. I can't fault his recognition of the fans who back him and he does seem a determined character, I've got respect for him, but he's nowhere near as good as some seem to think he is.

[Jaspa]

I'm not saying he's a bad GK, I just think he's nowhere near the next Casillas like he's hailed as by a lot of our fans. I can't fault his recognition of the fans who back him and he does seem a determined character, I've got respect for him, but he's nowhere near as good as some seem to think he is.

In our position wed find it very hard to improve on him, all things considered

We should be more greatful to have this player - (Said in Mancini twang)

[Gubbins]

It takes those who really understand the game to see King's value. To the others he's anonymous or goes missing, they don't notice the little things that he does such as dropping in there to cover Morgan (you can bet the goal would have been a damn sight easier to score if there were a gap there) or the hard work that he puts in. One minute he's in his six yard box doing the defensive work (and let it not go unnoticed that he got a heel to a ball pulled across our six yard box which would have been a guaranteed goal for 2-0 later in the match), the next he's breaking through to curl one just past the post. But of course, unless he's scoring he does nothing...

Sorry but I'm another one not taken in by the 'off the ball work' myth. He is a central midfielder, part of the teams engine room. He should be noticed for his work on the ball, not off it, and he never is. I dont think the idea that only thosr who understand the game see his value really holds up either for two reasons

1) Despite hardly being an international superpower King has never nailed down a place in the Wales first team

2) Despite playing regularly at this level for several years with a very good goal return no Premier League team has seriously been interested in him

King is a reasonable player with an eye for goal but this idea that his off the ball work makes him a great is for me nonsense.

[Col city fan]

Sorry but I'm another one not taken in by the 'off the ball work' myth. He is a central midfielder, part of the teams engine room. He should be noticed for his work on the ball, not off it, and he never is. I dont think the idea that only thosr who understand the game see his value really holds up either for two reasons

1) Despite hardly being an international superpower King has never nailed down a place in the Wales first team

2) Despite playing regularly at this level for several years with a very good goal return no Premier League team has seriously been interested in him

King is a reasonable player with an eye for goal but this idea that his off the ball work makes him a great is for me nonsense.

I agree with this...

Though I do think Pearson is playing King wrongly at present.

[Alf Bentley]

Dont patronise me as i dont quite think you know who your talking to, and yes before you reply i am a professional sportsman with a better idea of professional sport than you so dont talk back to me.

Hmmm! Name of Eddy? Professional sportsman?

Eddie Gray? Eddie Niedzwicki?

I've got it! You're Eddie the Eagle, aren't you!?!

[Freeman's Wharfer]

I'm just not sure where this frustrating myth comes from.

Firstly, having seen the goal again, he is partly to blame. There were numerous players who could have picked Bellamy up at the edge of the box, he was one of the few who didn't notice/get out to him. Arguably it should have been him picking him up as he plays further forward than our centre backs, so he maybe should have been the one to go out to him. He wasn't the only one to not notice him nor was he to blame for us letting two crosses in, but he takes a share in the blame for me. I'm not sure how he made the goal harder to score, and they did score anyway....

He really doesn't work that hard, not particularly. For every time he chases back there's another where he jogs back when the player with the ball isn't actually that far away from him. For every great interception there's someone he doesn't pick up. For every great burst forward there's several occassions where he's not interested in recieving the ball.

If he was so good at this holding and defensive play we wouldn't be so vulnerable on the break and he'd also win more tackles and see more of the ball (whether that's through winning it or being the link between the defence and midfield/attack when we're starting moves).

And so much for his late runs, he had numerous opportunities to make them on Saturday and often did not show the desire.

He's a talented player but a bit of a 'luxury'; he's weak, he is a passenger for much of the time and he does not really have a best position. And I don't care how many people come out with the old pretentious 'I have a better understanding of the game'. There's a real emperors new clothes kind of attitude when people talk about King, obviously you must be some sort of amateur football-enthusiast if you can't see King's obvious brilliance which is conveniently undetectable to the naked eye.

He is often anonymous and he does often hide, it takes people with eyes to see that.

I completely disagree.

"He is often anonymous", "he goes missing", "he hides" - all of these things are said about King whenever the team doesn't play well. When the team's ticking he's always heavily involved in everything good that we do, when it's not perhaps a valid criticism of him is that he doesn't do enough to try and change that given his ability. But the thing for me is that you don't notice King at times because he rarely does the wrong things! In an average or below par performance those who have had a poor game stick out like a sore thumb; see Whitbread giving away a penalty, Kasper's kicking being awful, Vardy missing a sitter, Waghorn scuffing a corner. There are few occassions I can think of where a major mistake or consistently poor play has resulted in people saying: "King had a stinker". It's always this anonymous/missing thing and it gets boring, it seems that King's not allowed an average or a 6.5/7 out of 10 performance.

As for claiming King doesn't work hard you must not be watching properly. I'd wager to say that he covers more ground than any other player. As I've already said, stopping a second in our area on Saturday and also bursting forward on several occassions, King was the definition of box-to-box on Saturday. Also, have a look next time we play, he might not always get the ball for it to be noticed but every time we attack King makes a forward run to try and get on the end of something.

King's not the greatest tackler, we know it and he himself knows it, so what does he do? He shepherds and ushers. Watch him. Whenever the player he is marking has the ball he gets to that player, doesn't dive in, and pressures them away from an area of danger to us. Sometimes that's into another area of the pitch where a team mate can come in and make the tackle, or at other times it's simply back towards that players own goal. I have no issue with that and would rather him do this than hurry round charging into tackles he won't win. In my opinion we need a defensive midfielder who can stick a tackle in (however Drinkwater would be the one to make way for me) but that's another issue and not a reflection on King.

Appreciating King is an intricate thing. If you can appreciate the little things; the weight of a pass, the selection of the right pass, the covering of a team mate's position when they venture forward, the sensible closing down, assured finishing, little interceptions, clever and well timed runs. If you can appreciate all of these things then you can appreciate King. That is why the understanding the game thing comes from, you have to look a little closer at what he does. The fact that he's so clearly appreciated by his team mates is another thing of note, there's been a couple of times he's won Players' Player of the Year and it's clear to see from the way that others have spoken about him that he's an appreciated team member. I think it's just a shame that some fans can't appreciate him to the same degree.

I don't know, it may be one of those things that if King leaves people might start to know what they had when it's gone. We might then get a second Drinkwater and our ball retention will be very hit and miss and our goal threat more than halved. People may start to bemoan the lack of attacking support from midfield or the poor passing. It may be that we get someone in there who we wish for once could just have an "anonymous" game...

[C.J]

I blame the fact that the bloke who normally plays the post horn gallop wasn't there, it was a bad omen.

[marbelladave]

As usual the fans are looking for someone to blame when we lose, every poor (in hindsight) decision that they make, any error is jumped on and rapidly becomes the reason for all our woes.

Currently it is King and Koncheski getting the flak, before that De Laet or Drinkwater or Whitbread or any other poor fooker who has the misfortune to turn out for us when we don't win.

Maybe we should ask ourselves why relatively small individual errors cost us games, we are rarely outplayed by the opposition yet we fail to get the result, why is that?

To me we seem, as a team, to be rather less than the sum of our parts, Morgan for example, is considered one of the best centre backs in the league yet the centre of our defence is breached so easily, King and Drinkwater are fine players yet our midfield is often paper thin, we make chances but score to few goals.........

To me it smacks of a lack of organisation and teamwork, maybe leadership too. We have all seen how well we CAN play but we do not have what it takes to make it happen on a regular basis.

[Munshi]

Absolutely love the workrate and commitment king gives, when he ran half the pitch to stop them getting there second was superb.