Monaco Post Match Thread 0 - 3

[GingerrrFox]

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. 

 

2 words Nick Powell.

[5waller5]

To be honest "on here" was a mistake, mainly the stuff I've read on Facebook & Twitter tonight. Some of it is hilarious.

 

EDIT: I take that back. Ever since you've said that it's taken a turn for the worst. Completely ridiculous over-reactions.

 

You're going to have to point me in the direction of where i said anything like that as I can't recall it or find it.

[shade]

our whole teams creative momentum has gone down the pan for some reason, and doesn't seem to be on the way back.

[Spiritwalker]

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).

With the addition of King in cmid  that does look a decent side on paper, Jeff however did

have a bit of a mare yesterday.

[Socrates]

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).

 

Including King that is Leicester's strongest side in the 3-5-2. 

 

Very good overall post, agree with most of the points.

[FoxyPalace.com]

Shock Display!

 

I traveled 230 miles for this rubbish!

 

We are in trouble this season if we do not buy a good striker,

 

Again we looked like we could not score in a brothel.

 

Best player for me was RDL.

 

Monaco for a team that has spent millions do not look all that!

 

All the goals they scored were very poor mistake's by us

[MC Prussian]

Shock Display!

 

I traveled 230 miles for this rubbish!

 

We are in trouble this season if we do not buy a good striker,

 

Again we looked like we could not score in a brothel.

 

Best player for me was RDL.

 

Monaco for a team that has spent millions do not look all that!

 

All the goals they scored were very poor mistake's by us

Edit: 

[TheSaddlers]

Since I cannot start a new thread, and it's probably better suited here anyway, I'd like to welcome you in the general direction of a project that I'm currently working on. I attended yesterday's friendly between yourselves and Monaco. I would be really appreciative if you could take a look at my website (not just the Leicester write-up). It's only a couple of weeks old, so please bear with me. If I have infringed on any of the forum's rules in any way, then I can only apologise; please move/delete at your own leisure. Just a brief background; I'm a Walsall fan, through and through. I attended 50/51 of our games last season, and managed another twenty-five in addition to that thus seventy-five all-in (excludes friendlies and the odd reserve game). I'm aiming for 75 or so again, so it's fair to say that the website will be up-to-date. Thanks in advance.

[Dr The Singh]

Playing 3 in midfield still hasn't sorted our ability to dominate the midfield..........I still believe we need a midfield 'general', who can dictate the play and cover the defence and allow others to aid the attack!!!

 

I thought whitbread had improved, Vardy still looks out of his depth, Waghorn looks more lean and trim, Danns didn't put one tackle in.  I really hope pearson knows what he is doing!

[Dan]

Yes it's a friendly. But these players aren't strangers to each other. Bar one addition it's exactly the same squad from last season and they've all been together for a minimum of 5 months. So they should be a lot better today than they were, regardless of opposition. The few bright sparks from us would just about have got us through a game v Yeovil.

We're still awful at defending set pieces. I'm not buying into this "they've got to try things out".

If we want to go up, there must be a major improvement.

 

Regardless of opposition is unfair. Whilst we weren't great on the ball by any means, there is no way we'll come up against anyone even close to the likes of Moutinho, Toulalan, Abidal & Carvalho in midfield or defence. They're a class above anyone we'll face this year.

 

I agree certain aspects were a little worrying but I'll only genuinely worry if we look that hopeless against Middlesbrough & Leeds.

[Wymsey]

James and Morgan were the better players.

 

 

I can really see Vardy leaving on loan somewhere, his first touch still seems to be an issue.

[Dickov22]

James and Morgan were the better players.

I can really see Vardy leaving on loan somewhere, his first touch still seems to be an issue.

I was beginning to think Vardy had sorted his first touch.....until he shinned it instead of controlling it to go through 1 on 1 with the keeper

[Dan]

You're going to have to point me in the direction of where i said anything like that as I can't recall it or find it.

 

Not you.

[5waller5]

Not you.

 

 

I've just understood your post!!!! I misread it!!!

 

I agree there's a bit of an over reaction about a friendly, or a few friendlies really ...... It's not been the greatest pre-season by anyone's standards.

 

I know every thread becomes a NP love / hate debate .... But just stepping back from that ..... have you ever known a more negative start to any season ever???

 

I think we'd be going back to pre-Little days to find this amount of pessimism - Normally the previous season gets wiped from a football fan's brain and they become raging optimists with a few weeks off .... it's not exactly happening this time around.

[Cruss5]

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

Of course i understand we have a game on Tuesday.  I disagree and reckon we should of put our strongest side out for at least a half on Saturday and then use Tuesday to do that little bit of tinkering if required. At least we would of got a better understanding against stronger opponents where as Tuesday's opponents are not as strong.

 

People on here waste there time about what type of player we need etc....  The facts are that we can't bring in new players at the moment so saying what we need is irrelevant, get the best out of what we currently have.

I coach Basketball and would love the chance to bring in players i want but I can't.  My Success is based on what i can do with those players.  Whatever level you coach/manage the principles are very similar.

[Jim92]

Hi there,

 

I was happy with my son to attend the game and to see our team Monaco, and hopefully for us the game went well
After 2 defeats against 2 german teams it was quite reassuring to see our players better.
I think pre-season games are important to improve the team, so it is not very important to lose these games. In 2000, we lost all our pre-season games, at the end of the season we were Champions
 

[MC Prussian]

Hi there,

 

I was happy with my son to attend the game and to see our team Monaco, and hopefully for us the game went well

After 2 defeats against 2 german teams it was quite reassuring to see our players better.

I think pre-season games are important to improve the team, so it is not very important to lose these games. In 2000, we lost all our pre-season games, at the end of the season we were Champions

 

Thank god. I was already thinking the pessimists were right and that we'd get relegated.

 

Hope you had a great day out at the King Power... and maybe you want to come back at a later point.

[LCFC FOX]

Hi there,

 

I was happy with my son to attend the game and to see our team Monaco, and hopefully for us the game went well

After 2 defeats against 2 german teams it was quite reassuring to see our players better.

I think pre-season games are important to improve the team, so it is not very important to lose these games. In 2000, we lost all our pre-season games, at the end of the season we were Champions

 

Where abouts did you sit mate?

[truebluethroughandthrough]

Regardless of opposition?  Probably the most retarded thing in this dross. We just lost to a team whose midfield and attack is worth more than our entire club, oh and have you seen the friendly games that our rivals have played?????? If so you can shut up and stop talking utter bull. To be so negative after losing a friendly is one thing. But to compare our chances of going up after losing to Monaco is moronic. Name a team in our division who you think would of beat them or had a better result. ...............

This embarrasses me. Apologies to Bert for telling him to shut up.

But looking at the fitness levels of our entire squad at this stage of a (so far) outstanding season, I would go as far to say, that the preseason was the best preparation for a promotion campaign that this club has ever witnessed.

I expected more than most from this season, but never did I believe we would dominate the league for months on end.

Within the next few games our club will reach it's destiny, after the best season I've had following them.

Thank you Nigel and Craig. Oh and Steve and all the backroom bandits we never hear about but work wonders to get the players fitness levels to an incredible amount.

Regardless of result tonight, you are, and have, and will always be my Leicester.

 

 

Could and probably should of started a new thread.

But I wanted to be a smug ****er.

Hindsight is a beautiful, beautiful thing.

[Babylon]

We are going nowhere with this midfield in my opinion.

 

[Brooksy]

We'd give 'em a game now.

[Dan]

I've skimmed through this and I'm laughing. A 3-0 friendly loss against a side who would slaughter most of the Premier League and it brings on more comments than most league games.

 

Monaco would still batter us. They were quality that day.

[Babylon]

I've skimmed through this and I'm laughing. A 3-0 friendly loss against a side who would slaughter most of the Premier League and it brings on more comments than most league games.

 

Monaco would still batter us. They were quality that day.

 

I'm seriously quitting this place the day next season starts, if people can't handle losing to Monaco, or drawing away to Wigan... then there is no hope of them handling losing about 3 in every 5 games

[Dan]

I'm seriously quitting this place the day next season starts, if people can't handle losing to Monaco, or drawing away to Wigan... then there is no hope of them handling losing about 3 in every 5 games

 

We need you!!! 

 

Defeats will naturally bring about more discussion but this takes the piss.

 

I can actually remember thinking back with so little faith in the upcoming season, I'm amazed it's come to this.

[Guest]

As he said all along.....