What on earth has gone wrong and can it be rectified?

[Cafox1970]

You make some good points in your analysis, Dave. However, you seem to be suggesting that NP changed a winning formula (passing football) and then wilfully persisted in a defensive, long-ball alternative for several months, even when we went into freefall. I know some people see NP as obstinate, but that would be obstinacy gone kamikaze insane!

We did indeed succeed through playing passing football, but maybe the players just couldn't sustain that demanding, high-tempo pass-and-move style for a whole season. They were essentially playing with only 2 central midfielders most of the time, often against teams playing 3 in that position and closing down fiercely. In particular, a lot of our fluidity a few months back came from Drinkwater's mobility and quick & accurate distribution, and from Nugent shuttling tirelessly between attack and midfield. Those 2 important players have looked sluggish in the last couple of months (fatigue?).

So, maybe the passing football broke down because the players couldn't sustain it, not because NP insisted on long-ball, defensive football? Then, when it all started going wrong, they started losing confidence and hitting too many long balls, which exacerbated the decline and the loss of confidence of a young, inexperienced team with few leaders. As Fox92 correctly pointed out, in January Wood was scoring for fun in a team playing passing football (not long ball). Surely NP didn't sign Wood, see him prove a great success playing that style, then 1 month later wilfully order his midfield to switch to pointless long balls?

Of course, that begs the question of why NP couldn't do something about this. Why couldn't he help them recover their confidence? Why couldn't he stop them playing too many pointless long balls? Why couldn't he play 3 central midfielders if he needed to - or acquire a different type of central midfielder (more experienced/commanding) who might make 4-4-2 more effective? I suspect that is his big failure, not some perverse decision to order long-ball football even when it failed. He seems to be a man blessed with great self-confidence, so maybe he doesn't understand those with less strength of character?

I don't buy the arguments that "NP lost the dressing room", "disruptive elements (St. Ledger, Wellens & Gallagher is the suggestion) ruined squad morale" or "lack of support from fans affected morale". I'm not saying that those things have not happened (I've no idea, like 99.9% of FT posters), but I am suggesting that they were not the key factor. After all, until very recently, the players were on target for the holy grail of Premier League football (or at least a good chance of achieving it). Even if they disliked NP, felt unsupported by the fans and had their ears bent by Satan Wellens and mates, they had the greatest positive motive and reason to ignore such issues: the prospect of success and promotion to the Premier. Maybe those other issues have come into play now, but only once confidence and the prospects of success have collapsed for other reasons: inability to sustain a demanding style of play, leading to a collapse in confidence in a team lacking experience and mental strength - and with a manager who has proven incapable of doing anything to change that negative trend.

Good post I don't think NP has lost the dressing room, I don't think he as had disruptive players either. He did a good job of clearing out the gash and reducing the wage bill.

I think his problem is he is just not tactically good enough to get us us into the play offs or get us promoted. I think he has seriously misjudged what is needed to get a team out of this division. He is good at spotting young talent sometimes but you need grit determination and experience to get out of this division

[Buzzell]

Pearson pissing around with the team at Huddersfield thats where it all started!

This. All went 'Pete Tong' after that cup game.

[marbelladave]

You make some good points in your analysis, Dave. However, you seem to be suggesting that NP changed a winning formula (passing football) and then wilfully persisted in a defensive, long-ball alternative for several months, even when we went into freefall. I know some people see NP as obstinate, but that would be obstinacy gone kamikaze insane!

We did indeed succeed through playing passing football, but maybe the players just couldn't sustain that demanding, high-tempo pass-and-move style for a whole season. They were essentially playing with only 2 central midfielders most of the time, often against teams playing 3 in that position and closing down fiercely. In particular, a lot of our fluidity a few months back came from Drinkwater's mobility and quick & accurate distribution, and from Nugent shuttling tirelessly between attack and midfield. Those 2 important players have looked sluggish in the last couple of months (fatigue?).

So, maybe the passing football broke down because the players couldn't sustain it, not because NP insisted on long-ball, defensive football? Then, when it all started going wrong, they started losing confidence and hitting too many long balls, which exacerbated the decline and the loss of confidence of a young, inexperienced team with few leaders. As Fox92 correctly pointed out, in January Wood was scoring for fun in a team playing passing football (not long ball). Surely NP didn't sign Wood, see him prove a great success playing that style, then 1 month later wilfully order his midfield to switch to pointless long balls?

Of course, that begs the question of why NP couldn't do something about this. Why couldn't he help them recover their confidence? Why couldn't he stop them playing too many pointless long balls? Why couldn't he play 3 central midfielders if he needed to - or acquire a different type of central midfielder (more experienced/commanding) who might make 4-4-2 more effective? I suspect that is his big failure, not some perverse decision to order long-ball football even when it failed. He seems to be a man blessed with great self-confidence, so maybe he doesn't understand those with less strength of character?

I don't buy the arguments that "NP lost the dressing room", "disruptive elements (St. Ledger, Wellens & Gallagher is the suggestion) ruined squad morale" or "lack of support from fans affected morale". I'm not saying that those things have not happened (I've no idea, like 99.9% of FT posters), but I am suggesting that they were not the key factor. After all, until very recently, the players were on target for the holy grail of Premier League football (or at least a good chance of achieving it). Even if they disliked NP, felt unsupported by the fans and had their ears bent by Satan Wellens and mates, they had the greatest positive motive and reason to ignore such issues: the prospect of success and promotion to the Premier. Maybe those other issues have come into play now, but only once confidence and the prospects of success have collapsed for other reasons: inability to sustain a demanding style of play, leading to a collapse in confidence in a team lacking experience and mental strength - and with a manager who has proven incapable of doing anything to change that negative trend.

Thank you Alf, one of the better analysis on here. One or two points though...

I don't think NFP deliberately started us playing long, I think that was the natural consequence of the more defensive setup he adopted after we went top of the table. Holding our back 4 and wide players in deeper, more defensive positions was a deliberate act to counter some of the issues you mention and to hold on to a playoff spot. It misfired badly pretty much from day one, Palace at home then Watford, Millwall, Leeds etc away.

The momentum was lost at that point, we never consistently played our passing game again, sure we bullied a few sides, Huddersfield and Bristol in particular but the rot was already deeply set, a couple of tough games and what was left of our confidence was gone.

I have no idea why we continued down that particular path when it was not working from the outset, but we did and the acquisition of Wood (and later Kane) confirms to me that the move to longball was deliberate, at least once it became the norm after our change in setup.

Shame, it has ruined what should have been our best season for years.....

[Legend_in_blue]

In one interview earlier this season Pearson said we had been spoilt by the level of play shown earlier this season. Spoilt? Maybe it was never his intention to set us up in this way and the level we played at was beyond what he was expecting us to do. Maybe the players have had enough now that they're being restricted to play in a certain way.

Whatever the reasons for this there is no getting this back for Pearson. I can't believe this has happened. The level of football in this league this season has been dire, teams there for the taking and yet we persist with negative play when clearly the total opposite of this was massively more successful.

[MC Prussian]

The changes in personnel for the second FA Cup game against Huddersfield were already baffling - why fondle with a winning team?

But before that, the odd finishing stage away at Peterborough after being 1-0 up for most of the game.

I know Peterborough have a reputation for playing well against teams at the top of the table, but the lack of commitment was mind-boggling.

The way we conceded those two late goals were VERY surprising.

The whole month of March has more or less been a nightmare for Pearson as well as for the majority of players. Many of them have lost form (and fitness) over the course of six to eight weeks, seem uninterested.

Apart from the neat 1-1 draw at Cardiff, we played poorly against opponents from the bottom half of the table. The lack of willpower to go ahead and "destroy" them (pardon my use of martial vocabulary) was very, very disappointing.

The somewhat atrocious results clearly show that our team, no matter how talented, have no backbone when it comes to crunch-time aka the defining period of the season.

Plus we're really lacking a leader in midfield, a tractor engine and a motivator that can lift spirits and help turn results around.

The flair we once had, the entertaining, glorious fast-paced passing game has imploded since.

I want those good times back.

You can use all of my observations and opinions against Pearson, but I don't think it's his fault entirely that we are where we are. He needs to learn from his mistakes and the players (many of them inexperienced and still very young) have to do the same.

I, for my part, would give Pearson at least one more year if we don't reach the playoffs this season.

There's encouraging signs of a young team gelling together. Minus the deadwood, the high earners or unwanted, unhealthy influences we're looking at a bright future.

Oh, and some of our fans need to take a good, hard look at themselves, too. Still buying into this "promotion" myth? You get carried away way too fast. And you should work on your manners.

[foxfanazer]

The team that played football was the remnants of Sven... the team that plays hoofball is...

well that's not true is it

[indierich06]

well that's not true is it

Exactly. Schmeichel and Konchesky are two of the worst culprits.

[ozleicester]

well that's not true is it

Yeh.. its probably not

[Alf Bentley]

Put simply it can't be sorted - at least not by Pearson. I'm convinced his time is already up and it wouldn't matter much anyway cos the guy simply wouldn't listen or learn when he had the chance.

But after going top of the league he seemed to lose faith in what was working, showed the players he had no will to win the Cup and made the situation worse with every compromising decision he made thereafter. Day by day he seemed to dig himself deeper into the mire of ineffectiveness.

Some managers might have been rescued by astute assistants. But it was hardly likely here, given that even decent corners and free-kicks seemed generally beyond them.

I agree that Pearson would not have deliberately ordered or persisted with hoof-ball. However, when he was needed to make things happen he failed - for various reasons - but partly cos he dulled players' sparkle through his obsession with all-for-one defending that was never backed by all-for-one attacking .

I've mentioned before that you can't work like this by leaving big gaps. The team has to stay compact. What we did so often was to concede ground to about 20 yards behind the halfway line and then try to counter attack.

This meant that when our forwards lost the ball they were chasing back too far and even into deep defensive positions, sometimes making fatal mistakes and often taking the edge off their natural game.

Another thing was that we failed to impose ourselves tactically and even made strategic decisions which cost us points as against Cardiff away when there was no need to make changes at all in the last few minutes.

I think he has seriously misjudged what is needed to get a team out of this division. He is good at spotting young talent sometimes but you need grit determination and experience to get out of this division

I don't think NFP deliberately started us playing long, I think that was the natural consequence of the more defensive setup he adopted after we went top of the table. Holding our back 4 and wide players in deeper, more defensive positions was a deliberate act to counter some of the issues you mention and to hold on to a playoff spot.

I have no idea why we continued down that particular path when it was not working from the outset, but we did and the acquisition of Wood (and later Kane) confirms to me that the move to longball was deliberate, at least once it became the norm after our change in setup.

Shame, it has ruined what should have been our best season for years.....

Some good points in those quotes, particularly about defending too deep and attackers having to keep making up too much ground going back when the ball was lost. Not sure that Dave is right about Wood & Kane, though - they were still playing a passing game with Wood in January, while Kane has hardly played up top and has often been stuck out on the wing, if selected

We now find ourselves with a squad devoid of real talent and excitement, but one that is (usually) able to keep losses to 1 goal.

The team that played football was the remnants of Sven... the team that plays hoofball is...

It was NP who brought in Knockaert, Drinkwater, James, De Laet...hardly hoofball players. Last season, he opted to be a bit more direct - and to use more width - compared to Sven's team fannying about with 4 central midfielders playing 2-yard passes, and rightly so. This season, he clearly set up to play passing football with width (& a tight defence, why not) in the autumn. The issue is why that has changed. I suppose we'll never really know how much of that change is due to the players being unable to sustain that style and how much is due to NP ordering a more defensive structure that undermined that success - and team morale. Certainly, nobody, manager or players seems able to bring that confidence back (though I wonder, if Wes hadn't got the red v. Millwall, if a win in that game might have been a turning point, in confidence, at least?). All very sad!

It's hard to be positive given the recent trajectory, but we must try. After all, at the moment it is still - mathematically - a post-mortem without a corpse! Win v. Brighton somehow and things could turn round and play-offs lottery would be back on. Do the owners gamble on a managerial change bringing that about, or hope that NP can make the changes needed in the summer? Sounds as if it's going to be the former....

[ozleicester]

Some good points in those quotes, particularly about defending too deep and attackers having to keep making up too much ground going back when the ball was lost. Not sure that Dave is right about Wood & Kane, though - they were still playing a passing game with Wood in January, while Kane has hardly played up top and has often been stuck out on the wing, if selected

It was NP who brought in Knockaert, Drinkwater, James, De Laet...hardly hoofball players. Last season, he opted to be a bit more direct - and to use more width - compared to Sven's team fannying about with 4 central midfielders playing 2-yard passes, and rightly so. This season, he clearly set up to play passing football with width (& a tight defence, why not) in the autumn. The issue is why that has changed. I suppose we'll never really know how much of that change is due to the players being unable to sustain that style and how much is due to NP ordering a more defensive structure that undermined that success - and team morale. Certainly, nobody, manager or players seems able to bring that confidence back (though I wonder, if Wes hadn't got the red v. Millwall, if a win in that game might have been a turning point, in confidence, at least?). All very sad!

It's hard to be positive given the recent trajectory, but we must try. After all, at the moment it is still - mathematically - a post-mortem without a corpse! Win v. Brighton somehow and things could turn round and play-offs lottery would be back on. Do the owners gamble on a managerial change bringing that about, or hope that NP can make the changes needed in the summer? Sounds as if it's going to be the former....

I hink he panicked, lost faith in the footballers and reverted to what he knows, defend and hoof.

I think we should stick with him and see the season out, he, and the players are capable of playing football and winning promotion, its just pretty unlikely given our recent results.

[jamesmilner]

i think the posts by our players on twitter concerning ledge being loaned out was very damning . and that was before morgan was sent off . we all know our media section keep an eye on our players and rightly so , but kasper and co twittered about it and its obvious that their opinions were very very diluted as common sense prevails if you've a brain . i can only imagine what they wanted to put after the millwall game ie the morgan sending off . we were so inexperienced at the back yesterday !

[Raj]

"I totally understand the frustration of the fans and dealing with the expectations has been a hindrance at times."

The above quote from Pearson afetr ydays "Display" sums it all up!!

[seenitall]

"I totally understand the frustration of the fans and dealing with the expectations has been a hindrance at times."

The above quote from Pearson afetr ydays "Display" sums it all up!!

Which is why he'll be happy at Hartlepool or somewhere, where the fans expecting nothing

[flowwolf]

Which is why he'll be happy at Hartlepool or somewhere, where the fans expecting nothing

And just like us will get nothing.

[Raj]

Surely its the players who have bottled it.

Amazing how the little snivvling fcukers can get away with it...BOTTLERS!

[hackneyfox]

Manager, it's a fairly simple word but a complex job, he has to take responsibility for the players actions when it goes on for so long.

[Steve_Walsh5]

"I totally understand the frustration of the fans and dealing with the expectations has been a hindrance at times."

The above quote from Pearson afetr ydays "Display" sums it all up!!

Surely he knew the expectations would have been bigger this time round. Especially with the amount of money the Thais have pumped into the club.

If he didn't think he could handle the expectations he shouldn't have accepted his £1 million pound a year wages.

[Callabinho]

Pearson has taken a risk by essembaling a team of young players, this is always a risk as it can horribly back fire, like in our case. He managed to get the best out of average players and now they are not performing. We have all seen the style Pearson has tried to emulate this season, and the recent slump is down to the players not performing.

In my humble opinion we haven't looked exceptional I think at all this season, when we were full of confidence we battered poor teams but came unstuck against the better opposition. After we beat Brighton I said to my mate we are a disaster waiting to happen, we have gotten away with a few dodgy performances and getting results, now we have been found out and it's all falling apart, I don't think Sir Alex would be able to turn this around.

[Happy Fox]

Surely he knew the expectations would have been bigger this time round. Especially with the amount of money the Thais have pumped into the club.

If he didn't think he could handle the expectations he shouldn't have accepted his £1 million pound a year wages.

Spot on.

[smudgerfox]

I honestly don't think we set out to play hoofball...but teams realise we're not comfortable in possession, pressurise the defender with the ball and tightly mark the central midfielders (who are outnumbered anyway) and when the forward pass opening fails to materialise we panic and hit it long. Kasper's belief that he has a brilliant long pass adds to this tendency. Wood arrived partly to make the long ball more productive but he doesn't seem strong in the air - there seems to be a long-held assumption at the club that a big player must be good in the air (see Steve Howard). It's also partly about the type of long ball, invariably aimed at the head from a straight angle it produces a 50-50 situation between striker and defender and a no better than 50-50 ratio of retaining possession even if we win the header. So our most common play from the back has only a 25 per cent chance (at best) of us keeping the ball. If you watch how other teams (even so-called strugglers) play the long ball up to the strikers it's usuallly in to feet or to the chest, which gives defenders less chance of nicking the ball. Or it's played into space behind the back four, in which case striker and defender have to be on same wavelength to avoid the forward running offside all the time. This level of sophistication (some would call it basic) in our play seems to have completely deserted us. The fact is you don't notice the long pass if it's neatly controlled and turned into an attack 18 yards out - you do notice it if the ball just keeps ending up with the oppo goalkeeper, out for a goalkick, or is just easily won by the oppo centre half. We are playing clueless long balls all the time.

[Col city fan]

Surely he knew the expectations would have been bigger this time round. Especially with the amount of money the Thais have pumped into the club.

If he didn't think he could handle the expectations he shouldn't have accepted his £1 million pound a year wages.

Good point mate.

Coming to manage Leicester, Im afraid, is becoming a poisoned chalice IMO.

The expectation from all angles is massive ( and quite rightly so I think) and could potentially put quite a few managers off wanting the job should it come up.

Big wages, big names, big expectation requires someone who can handle all that, and more besides.

[marbelladave]

I feel people are making this far more complex than it is, it is really quite simple.

At the end of October we went into a home game against Palace and completely bottled it. We were top of the league and flying but rather try and keep it going we sat back and try to protect our position rather than strengthen it further. In that game we set up deep and seemed frightened of their wide men, so frightened that we detailed Knockaert and Dyer to play just in front of our fullbacks to contain them.

And this was from a team that had just won 7 and (narrowly) lost one of our last nine games. Why FFS......

Of course it did not work and we lost but instead of going back to what we did best, getting after the opposition, we went even more defensive, an extra man in midfield against Watford, two banks of 4 that were barely allowed out of their own half against Millwall and our form and confidence simply drained away.

Sure there was a bit of a resurgence in january when we decimated two very poor sides but other than that our form remained quite poor, very lucky against both 'Boro and Wolves and as for the cup........

All the problems that people talk about, the hoofball, the missed passes in midfield, defence under permanent pressure, etc etc derive directly from our shift from positive to negative play, it really is that simple......

[Wherethefoxhat?]

What has gone wrong you say ?

One thing is for certain .....if you were to offer King & Dyer to any other Championship manager as part of their starting midfield,they would laugh at you !!!

[flowwolf]

I feel people are making this far more complex than it is, it is really quite simple.

At the end of October we went into a home game against Palace and completely bottled it. We were top of the league and flying but rather try and keep it going we sat back and try to protect our position rather than strengthen it further. In that game we set up deep and seemed frightened of their wide men, so frightened that we detailed Knockaert and Dyer to play just in front of our fullbacks to contain them.

And this was from a team that had just won 7 and (narrowly) lost one of our last nine games. Why FFS......

Of course it did not work and we lost but instead of going back to what we did best, getting after the opposition, we went even more defensive, an extra man in midfield against Watford, two banks of 4 that were barely allowed out of their own half against Millwall and our form and confidence simply drained away.

Sure there was a bit of a resurgence in january when we decimated two very poor sides but other than that our form remained quite poor, very lucky against both 'Boro and Wolves and as for the cup........

All the problems that people talk about, the hoofball, the missed passes in midfield, defence under permanent pressure, etc etc derive directly from our shift from positive to negative play, it really is that simple......

That all sounds pretty complex to me , but then again what I know about tactics could fit in a gnats knacker just like Pearsons.

[marbelladave]

That all sounds pretty complex to me , but then again what I know about tactics could fit in a gnats knacker just like Pearsons.

I'm sure you understand perfectly well, but for those who really don't have a clue

Play positively and win most of our games, play negatively and lose nearly all of them, how about that then.........

And NFP has gnats knackers? Explains those dreadful shoes........