Monaco Post Match Thread 0 - 3

[suffolk fox]

Who should we replace him with?

Get Gus Poyet quick before it is too late.

[Babylon]

Wish he would stop saying pleasure after every bloody interview too it really grates that's Pearson.

 

So it comes to this, he gets moaned at for being pleasant to an interviewer.

[theessexfox]

Wish he would stop saying pleasure after every bloody interview too it really grates that's Pearson. Agree with your comments about the players same old same old for me ok it was Monaco in a friendly but we were on the telly and at home it was woeful glad I stayed at home and did not waste the entrance fee.

SACK DAT PEARSON BLOKE! HE 'AS MANNERS!

[Legend_in_blue]

Professional footballers shouldn't need the time "to get used to playing 352". Their footballing brains and general awareness of what is around them should make them more than capable without the need for warmup games, fitness games, you name it.

Regardless of the opposition yesterday, in fact you could have put league 2 in front of us, it wouldnt have mattered, we still wouldn't have had a flipping clue.

We looked even worse against Monaco B anyhow. All this "but we're up against £160 m worth of talent" nonsense for me doesn't hide the fact that we looked on the verge of being utterly clueless at times regardless of the value of the players in front of us.

We're no closer to understanding a formation that makes us effective as a unit or no closer to understanding what is the best 11 to put into whatever the best formation is.

With a week to go, it's all a little bit worrying...

[Cruss5]

I thought we looked ok in 3-5-2.  Seemed to attack better and create more chances.  Even though our strikers weren't all that.

Konchesky was terrible and one point gave the ball away 3 times in a row.  Maybe growing hi hair he thinks the fans won't recognise him!!!

 

I thought Morgan was outstanding and his distribution is good as well as his defending.

 

Gallagher looked like he couldn't be bothered at all, even his good pass to waghorn (who has no right foot) looked like he couldn't care.  But i'm not a fan so might be biased.

 

I know t was a friendly so fitness and working together was the main objectives but why not pick your strongest side in readiness for next weekend?  Pointless in mixing it up like he did.

 

Also, knocky up front with wood if Nugent is out and marshall behind the front 2. Dyer,Danns,Gallagher,Konchesky,waghorn all can stay away.

 

 

[One Arm Babba]

Vardy looks a **** with his mad max hair cut!

[Dickov22]

I think we look much better going forward in a 3-5-2. It suits us with a 5 man midfield I think. Problem is defensively we look wide open with it- I am sure he's desperate to bring in a new CB this week. A miracle may happen. Wait and see

[Charl91]

To be honest, it was a pretty awful match. Didn't help that someone stood up in front of me just as the first and second goals happened. Either way, we lacked creativity and couldn't get out of our own half, though that was to be expected. Even considering the opponents, we looked so underwhelming, even against their B team.

[fleckneymike]

I must be the only person who thinks we don't have the squad for 352.

[Dickov22]

I must be the only person who thinks we don't have the squad for 352.

Nope- I don't either.

[Leicester_Numan]

I thought we looked ok in 3-5-2. Seemed to attack better and create more chances. Even though our strikers weren't all that.

Konchesky was terrible and one point gave the ball away 3 times in a row. Maybe growing hi hair he thinks the fans won't recognise him!!!

I thought Morgan was outstanding and his distribution is good as well as his defending.

Gallagher looked like he couldn't be bothered at all, even his good pass to waghorn (who has no right foot) looked like he couldn't care. But i'm not a fan so might be biased.

I know t was a friendly so fitness and working together was the main objectives but why not pick your strongest side in readiness for next weekend? Pointless in mixing it up like he did.

Also, knocky up front with wood if Nugent is out and marshall behind the front 2. Dyer,Danns,Gallagher,Konchesky,waghorn all can stay away.

You do realise we have a game on Tuesday don't you? That is the time to be getting as close as you can to your first eleven.

Yesterday was nothing more than a glorified fitness/training/experimentation session, i can't believe some of the reactions to it

[Guest Col city fan]

Could not disagree more. A decent striker is a much better quick fix.

Couldn't disagree with you more either.

We have decent strikers. Nuge and Wood are 'decent'.

Without good quality supply they can't do their stuff can they?

The more I looked at the City side of the latter part of last season, the more disjointed I think it had become. I remain very much of the 'let the defenders defend and the attackers attack' school of thinking.

Yesterday (ok Babs, I know ) the presence of Toulalan, sitting off the back four, enabled their creative players to get forward quickly, knowing that they could safely stay forward as their was defensive 'cover' behind them.

We looked disjointed during the latter half of last season, and we still do to some extent.

[Guest Col city fan]

I must be the only person who thinks we don't have the squad for 352.

I don't agree with that.

If Pearson is trying a change ( which many clamoured for last season) he needs to be given time to see if it works.

[fleckneymike]

I don't agree with that.

If Pearson is trying a change ( which many clamoured for last season) he needs to be given time to see if it works.

 

I would respectfully (or disrespectfully) disagree with you Colin.

[Happy Fox]

I must be the only person who thinks we don't have the squad for 352.

 

 

I agree we don't have the centre backs required for it, barring Morgan and also central midfield (Drinkwater was the weak link, play Knockaert instead it might work) every other position is okay.

[okie fox]

Their last goal, for instance, I think Knocky missed a tackle in our own area and their striker was in. What is Knocky doing in our own area? He's not a defensive midfielder?

 

Wasn't it their left back who was in (and scored)?

[tylesta]

im not looking much into this game they have spent more on 1 player than we have spent since pearson arrived, i thought we kept the ball well in patches but you could see it was just a training game no closing down etc.

 

thought whitbread looked good today done things easy apart from the ball to wood in the first half.

 

i think vardy needs to go on the training ground and work on his first touch!! the james effort his touch was poor but he made up with it with his pace, not to mention the one when he would of been clean through.

 

we are not going to face a team like this in the championship this season. lets hope we can balance the books out and have a decent season and try and build a squad.

[Socrates]

i think vardy needs to go on the training ground and work on his first touch!! the james effort his touch was poor but he made up with it with his pace, not to mention the one when he would of been clean through.

 

 

 

I don't know how you can have a first touch that bad and be a professional footballer at championship level.

[volpeazzurro]

Before I went to the match yesterday what did I reasonably expect to see/not to see:

 

1. 2 sides who whilst wanting to win no doubt, would use this as another training session for fitness purposes and maybe a chance to experiment with formations.

2. I didn't expect players to be totally match fit and hareing about or comitting themseves too much in case of injury.

3. A chance for some of our fringe/out of favour players to stake their claim with a spirited performance.

4. I didn't for one moment think that NP would field his proposed starting 11 for the Middlesborough match.

5. Logic suggested that if you look at the players in the Monaco side, we would be outclassed by some margin.

 

What did I get:

 

Largely what I expected

 

1. A training session and from a Leicester point of view, NP tried the 352, as he said in interview, to try and negate some of how he knew Monaco would set themselves up. I thought it worked quite well bearing in mind the standard of the opposition and some of the players not used to first team action together. Despite some of the comments, I personally thought Whitbread had a good game and although he seemed fairly committed and had a good attitude, St Ledger doesn't convince me.

2. A number of our players are still a little bit off the pace which I would entirely expect at this stage. Morgan for example played well within himself and despite his usual decent performance, this I would want, I wouldn't want him to overcommit and risk injury.

3. This was an interesting one for me. Vardy tried hard but his touch still let him down and sadly I think the wrtiting on the wall for him. Moore I thought had a really good game for a youngster with limited experience and exposure and impressed me. Danns for me was the worst player on the field, gave the ball away, a couple of hospital passes and very slow in his thinking and his reactions, in his position, if I wanted to break into the side I wouldn't have had a holiday this year, I'd have made sure I was fit and ready. Get rid at the earliest opportuniy though I doubt anyone in this division would want him so we're lumbered. Gallagher offered nothing and will be difficult to offload. Marshall despite criticism last season at least appeared to have the right attitude though didn't sparkle. Waghorn I liked both for his attitude and touch, though it has to be stressed, he and Marshall saw no decent service and survived on crumbs alone. Still think Waghorn has something to offer at this level, though most won't agree. Whitbread as previously stated. Too early and not long enough to judge the new lad. Schlupp not a full back persay in the traditional 442 sense for me, but worth consideration in a 352.

4. As thought, team picked not meant to be our starting line up, particularly our front players in the 2nd half.

5. Monaco are what they are, potential Champions League contenders lect. Like Col, I thought Toualan impressed and Abidal, despite his age is a Rolls Royce of a player. Never flustered, didn't need to run because he read everything with ease and on a positive note, it's sometimes worth the entrance fee just to go and see players like those two. Falcao... what did we expect to see, he's never going to run round like a headless chicken and risk injury though still managed to score his goal. I once saw Ronaldo many years ago in his debut for Inter in a pre-season friendly against Roma in Rome. He didn't expend any energy, never jumped up to head a ball, still scored twice, thank you and goodbye, ready for the start of the season unscathed.

 

Compared to some of the panic station posts and constant non let-up of criticsm there always seems to be on here, I can't wait for next week. I got what I expected out of this match. NP has what he has and that's that. Should we expect to win the Championship...no way, and that's for a number of reasons other than NP. Should we expect to finish in the top 6, yes, I think we should and think we will.

 

If we were to start with the 352 but I don't think we will, my team would possibly be:

 

Schmeical

 

Moore  Morgan  Whitbread

 

Delaet  Knockhaert  James  Schlupp

 

Wood  Nugent

 

Subs: King  Waghorn  Konchesky Babayogo Marshall Dyer

 

Sell: Danns  Gallagher  St Ledger (though I can't see any takers on their current wages).

[MGLCFC]

Before I went to the match yesterday what did I reasonably expect to see/not to see:

 

1. 2 sides who whilst wanting to win no doubt, would use this as another training session for fitness purposes and maybe a chance to experiment with formations.

2. I didn't expect players to be totally match fit and hareing about or comitting themseves too much in case of injury.

3. A chance for some of our fringe/out of favour players to stake their claim with a spirited performance.

4. I didn't for one moment think that NP would field his proposed starting 11 for the Middlesborough match.

5. Logic suggested that if you look at the players in the Monaco side, we would be outclassed by some margin.

 

What did I get:

 

Largely what I expected

 

1. A training session and from a Leicester point of view, NP tried the 352, as he said in interview, to try and negate some of how he knew Monaco would set themselves up. I thought it worked quite well bearing in mind the standard of the opposition and some of the players not used to first team action together. Despite some of the comments, I personally thought Whitbread had a good game and although he seemed fairly committed and had a good attitude, St Ledger doesn't convince me.

2. A number of our players are still a little bit off the pace which I would entirely expect at this stage. Morgan for example played well within himself and despite his usual decent performance, this I would want, I wouldn't want him to overcommit and risk injury.

3. This was an interesting one for me. Vardy tried hard but his touch still let him down and sadly I think the wrtiting on the wall for him. Moore I thought had a really good game for a youngster with limited experience and exposure and impressed me. Danns for me was the worst player on the field, gave the ball away, a couple of hospital passes and very slow in his thinking and his reactions, in his position, if I wanted to break into the side I wouldn't have had a holiday this year, I'd have made sure I was fit and ready. Get rid at the earliest opportuniy though I doubt anyone in this division would want him so we're lumbered. Gallagher offered nothing and will be difficult to offload. Marshall despite criticism last season at least appeared to have the right attitude though didn't sparkle. Waghorn I liked both for his attitude and touch, though it has to be stressed, he and Marshall saw no decent service and survived on crumbs alone. Still think Waghorn has something to offer at this level, though most won't agree. Whitbread as previously stated. Too early and not long enough to judge the new lad. Schlupp not a full back persay in the traditional 442 sense for me, but worth consideration in a 352.

4. As thought, team picked not meant to be our starting line up, particularly our front players in the 2nd half.

5. Monaco are what they are, potential Champions League contenders lect. Like Col, I thought Toualan impressed and Abidal, despite his age is a Rolls Royce of a player. Never flustered, didn't need to run because he read everything with ease and on a positive note, it's sometimes worth the entrance fee just to go and see players like those two. Falcao... what did we expect to see, he's never going to run round like a headless chicken and risk injury though still managed to score his goal. I once saw Ronaldo many years ago in his debut for Inter in a pre-season friendly against Roma in Rome. He didn't expend any energy, never jumped up to head a ball, still scored twice, thank you and goodbye, ready for the start of the season unscathed.

 

Compared to some of the panic station posts and constant non let-up of criticsm there always seems to be on here, I can't wait for next week. I got what I expected out of this match. NP has what he has and that's that. Should we expect to win the Championship...no way, and that's for a number of reasons other than NP. Should we expect to finish in the top 6, yes, I think we should and think we will.

 

If we were to start with the 352 but I don't think we will, my team would possibly be:

 

Schmeical

 

Moore  Morgan  Whitbread

 

Delaet  Knockhaert  James  Schlupp

 

Wood  Nugent

 

Subs: King  Waghorn  Konchesky Babayogo Marshall Dyer

 

Sell: Danns  Gallagher  St Ledger (though I can't see any takers on their current wages).

Like the post, but your 352 is missing a player?

[volpeazzurro]

Like the post, but your 352 is missing a player

 

Your'e dead right, what a plonker Rodney, I must have been so confident we could beat Middlesborough with 10 men!

 

Therefore Kingy should be in the team as well!

[Mark]

I must be the only person who thinks we don't have the squad for 352.

 

Nor me if it means Whitbread is a shoe in at center back, the 3 central midfielders that started yesterday are too alike, play Knockaert central and it may help but we're also relying on defenders primarily to provide width and pace. It's a good system when played correctly as proven by Watford/Hull last season but it's just too defensive with our squad.

 

Pearson has built a team for his tried and tested 442, he's made no transfers so I can't how we can change to 352 and expect it to work. I give it one and a half games at most before he reverts to type and Dyer is back on the wing.

[Silverdaz]

My team for Boro would be

 

Schmichael

Morgan

Whitbread

St ledger

Konchesky

De Laet

King

James

Marshall

Vardy

Wood

[Leicester_Numan]

Before I went to the match yesterday what did I reasonably expect to see/not to see:

1. 2 sides who whilst wanting to win no doubt, would use this as another training session for fitness purposes and maybe a chance to experiment with formations.

2. I didn't expect players to be totally match fit and hareing about or comitting themseves too much in case of injury.

3. A chance for some of our fringe/out of favour players to stake their claim with a spirited performance.

4. I didn't for one moment think that NP would field his proposed starting 11 for the Middlesborough match.

5. Logic suggested that if you look at the players in the Monaco side, we would be outclassed by some margin.

What did I get:

Largely what I expected

1. A training session and from a Leicester point of view, NP tried the 352, as he said in interview, to try and negate some of how he knew Monaco would set themselves up. I thought it worked quite well bearing in mind the standard of the opposition and some of the players not used to first team action together. Despite some of the comments, I personally thought Whitbread had a good game and although he seemed fairly committed and had a good attitude, St Ledger doesn't convince me.

2. A number of our players are still a little bit off the pace which I would entirely expect at this stage. Morgan for example played well within himself and despite his usual decent performance, this I would want, I wouldn't want him to overcommit and risk injury.

3. This was an interesting one for me. Vardy tried hard but his touch still let him down and sadly I think the wrtiting on the wall for him. Moore I thought had a really good game for a youngster with limited experience and exposure and impressed me. Danns for me was the worst player on the field, gave the ball away, a couple of hospital passes and very slow in his thinking and his reactions, in his position, if I wanted to break into the side I wouldn't have had a holiday this year, I'd have made sure I was fit and ready. Get rid at the earliest opportuniy though I doubt anyone in this division would want him so we're lumbered. Gallagher offered nothing and will be difficult to offload. Marshall despite criticism last season at least appeared to have the right attitude though didn't sparkle. Waghorn I liked both for his attitude and touch, though it has to be stressed, he and Marshall saw no decent service and survived on crumbs alone. Still think Waghorn has something to offer at this level, though most won't agree. Whitbread as previously stated. Too early and not long enough to judge the new lad. Schlupp not a full back persay in the traditional 442 sense for me, but worth consideration in a 352.

4. As thought, team picked not meant to be our starting line up, particularly our front players in the 2nd half.

5. Monaco are what they are, potential Champions League contenders lect. Like Col, I thought Toualan impressed and Abidal, despite his age is a Rolls Royce of a player. Never flustered, didn't need to run because he read everything with ease and on a positive note, it's sometimes worth the entrance fee just to go and see players like those two. Falcao... what did we expect to see, he's never going to run round like a headless chicken and risk injury though still managed to score his goal. I once saw Ronaldo many years ago in his debut for Inter in a pre-season friendly against Roma in Rome. He didn't expend any energy, never jumped up to head a ball, still scored twice, thank you and goodbye, ready for the start of the season unscathed.

Compared to some of the panic station posts and constant non let-up of criticsm there always seems to be on here, I can't wait for next week. I got what I expected out of this match. NP has what he has and that's that. Should we expect to win the Championship...no way, and that's for a number of reasons other than NP. Should we expect to finish in the top 6, yes, I think we should and think we will.

If we were to start with the 352 but I don't think we will, my team would possibly be:

Schmeical

Moore Morgan Whitbread

Delaet Knockhaert James Schlupp

Wood Nugent

Subs: King Waghorn Konchesky Babayogo Marshall Dyer

Sell: Danns Gallagher St Ledger (though I can't see any takers on their current wages).

That's a good post

[kingfox]

Another thing I saw yesterday, in my opinion Whitbread could be a real asset this season, BUT he was playing on the left side of defence, supported by Konchesky who was the wing back. Whitbread is probably our slowest defender, and with Konchesky getting on, if we play them in the league on that side together, they will be exposed especially by a winger with raw pace. Whitbread played well yesterday, brought the ball out defence, picked out very good passes, so I wouldn't mind seeing him start in the league, but he would need to be backed up by Bakayogo or Schlupp, because they can track back easier than Konchesky because of their pace, to me that would help Whitbread out. 

 

Also St Ledger did alright yesterday, and he can still bring something to this side, but we definitely need a centre back. I think if we play 3-5-2 rotation is the best way. In home games we wouldn't need to necessarily go defensive, therefore a defence of St Ledger - Morgan - New CB, would be ideal, if we want to go defensive or go for a more harder approach, then replace St Ledger with Whitbread. For me Liam Moore should be used as back up to De Laet, because we have nobody else who is capable of playing RWB, apart from Moore. 

 

With the midfield, it looked weak yesterday especially second half. For me a new midfielder is definitely a must. But on yesterday's evidence we could do with a midfielder who is capable of keeping the ball, and who has a bit of flair about him, instead of defensive midfielder who just sits there and breaks down attacks, in my opinion James is very good with his defensive work and him and King can easily cover that area of the game. We need someone who is capable of keeping hold of the ball, and dictates possession, Drinkwater can do this when on form, but right now he doesn't look good enough to start week in week out, Danns was just useless he will give the ball away too many times if we do keep him. 

 

If we can get some fresh younger legs in defence & a new midfielder who is capable of keeping hold of the ball and likes to get forward, then I believe our chances of promotion this season will look that bit more positive.