davieG Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 Anthony Knockaert has been tried out in a lone striker role - although no-one is sure whether Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson will be happy with the decision. Development coach Steve Beaglehole swopped his side around during the 1-1 draw with Liverpool in the Barclays Under-21 Premier League fixture earlier this week. ​ Leicester City's Anthony Knockaert - the lone striker The Frenchman was pushed into the forward line and Knockaert responded to produce an excellent display. Beaglehole believes Knockaert has plenty of strings to his bow other than just being a creative wide midfielder, although he was light-heartedly uncertain Pearson would thank him for the experiment. “We were asking the wide players to do an awful lot of work and track back and double up with the full-backs, which takes an awful lot of doing,†said Beaglehole. “We said to them if they fancy a rest to rotate it. Anthony took that on board in the first half and he looked good. He was holding the ball up and bringing people into the game, so we said to him to keep doing that, but not to be always out there. “I don’t know if Nigel will have a go at us for doing that, and he may well do, but it is something that I thought worked well. “Their two centre backs, who have played in the first team, were both strong, and good in the air, but when we have Tom Hopper up there we think everything has to go up in the air. We went a bit long. “When you get a smaller person down the middle that stops and we played into feet. That was probably the way round, into feet, although the goal came from a cross and a good header from Tom. “It is a case of players moving out of position and others filling in, while keeping that solid base.†Read more: http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Leicester-City-s-Anthony-Knockaert-lone-striker/story-19757410-detail/story.html#ixzz2e20tzuEh Follow us: @thisisleics on Twitter | thisisleicestershire on Facebook Can't say i noticed he was alone but he was certainly down the middle a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bagworthblue Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 Can't say i noticed he was alone but he was certainly down the middle a lot. I noticed on a few occasions he held up play really well and laid off quite nicely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hairy Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 He would have to make up for his aerial ability. Those long balls from the back would be useless for a man of his stature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Father Ted Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 A complete nothing story. Too small and not quick/fit enough to play the lone striker role. However, I was impressed with his link up play and I'd genuinely be tempted to play him up front with another striker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonFox Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 I think he may have been a lone one behind a lone one of Tom Hopper during that game. Not sure if we went 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-1-2 though. I sometimes think people get a bit hung up on formations. Was he a false 9 or a number 10? Dunno. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dickov22 Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 Too slow to play upfront. Needs to play somewhere though! Should be building the team around him. Class act. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lettsy Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 No. He'll get the ball, realize he has no one around him and so try to take everyone on. Ending with him falling over the ball as usual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The God Emperor Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 didn't guingamp play him as a striker? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ealingfox Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 No doubt Beaglehole has gone on to the dreaded Headbutt List for this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerrrFox Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 didn't guingamp play him as a striker? He played the classic number 10 in France. Think Oscar for Chelsea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 That is bollocks. Knockaert did not give an "excellent display" in attack and he was driving Beaglehole nuts at times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ttfn Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 Get him in the first XI and then keep him there. I don't particularly care where. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan LCFC Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 He played the classic number 10 in France. Think Oscar for Chelsea. His actual position. Dickov22 is spot on. Knockaert can be frustrating but if we make him our playmaker, we will be a very strong side. He's one of the most naturally gifted players I've seen at Leicester in a long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox92 Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 Technically gifted, one of the who can make something out of nothing, and I feel he needs to play behind the striker. He needs a consistent run in the side as well, but not automatically over other players. I cannot see him fitting into a 352 system. I do feel he gives the ball away a lot, and tries to beat too many players at times, but on the other hand, I feel we've got to accept that as he is that type of player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ttfn Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 Technically gifted, one of the who can make something out of nothing, and I feel he needs to play behind the striker. He needs a consistent run in the side as well, but not automatically over other players. I cannot see him fitting into a 352 system. I do feel he gives the ball away a lot, and tries to beat too many players at times, but on the other hand, I feel we've got to accept that as he is that type of player. Would it be completely mental to have a 3-5-2 with him as one of the 2? He can drop off as and when he wants and doesn't need to have any responsibility defensively at all with 3 central midfielders behind him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loggy88 Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 Not reading anything into that. Jus where Beaglehole wanted to try him out. No way would Nigel try it. I wanna see Nuge Vards and Wood starting against Wigan. Still baffled why he changed it for Charlton. And still baffled at refs decisions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Callabinho Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 A narrow 4-3-3 with Knocky behind the front two, this would work with Hammond in the side and if our wing backs are on it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 this is a typical international break story, nothing actually in it. at home I'd go for a midfield of Hammond King James/Drinkwater Knockaert away I'd play Knockaert behind a lone striker in a 4-2-3-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScouseFox Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 Get him in the first XI and then keep him there. I don't particularly care where. Yep. Anywhere near the front. Wide right, wide left, in the hole, up front, anywhere just play the kid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevelcfc Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 I'd be very tempted to stick him up top with Vardy for a while and see how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmo1987 Posted 5 September 2013 Share Posted 5 September 2013 I swear he couldn't be arsed to do anything so he swapped with hopper twice! Cant say he put in an *excellent display* as they write it there. He just kept giving up when he didn't get the ball and when he did he either fell over or gave it away! He didn't like it when jak mcourt told him to get up either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgfualol Posted 6 September 2013 Share Posted 6 September 2013 Well he's a striker on Fifa so... Just like we've been saying, I'd put him as CAM. Nugent and Vardy or Wood in front. I need Pearson to give this a go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mack Posted 6 September 2013 Share Posted 6 September 2013 I swear he couldn't be arsed to do anything so he swapped with hopper twice! Cant say he put in an *excellent display* as they write it there. He just kept giving up when he didn't get the ball and when he did he either fell over or gave it away! He didn't like it when jak mcourt told him to get up either. I agree, although I cant work out why he is even playing for the kids in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emmo1987 Posted 6 September 2013 Share Posted 6 September 2013 I agree, although I cant work out why he is even playing for the kids in the first place. me neither pal. Should be starting for the firsts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xen Posted 6 September 2013 Share Posted 6 September 2013 As others have said, play him as CAM behind the two strikers. Preferably Vardy and Nugent for me - then we've lost our natural height at the top of the pitch, but hopefully won't resort to hoofball as much. Vardy and Nugent to keep defenders busy while Knockaert has room just behind to work his magic, and either link up with one of the strikers, or take a shot himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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