Leicester 2-0 Wigan

[Soar Fox]

Not sure why people are trying to make a big deal if this. Nuge said if he's on the pitch, he'll take them and if not and Wood is, he'll take them. Wood is obv craving getting the goals so wanted to take it and Nuge pulled rank. This is what we were all asking for after Knocky's pen against Watford so whats the issue?? If anything, i'm happy that Wood is showing the desire to get on the scoresheet. Certainly goes against many peoples opinion of him not giving a fvck.

So as Nugent was on the pitch there shouldn't have been any argument. I thought Woods attitude was terrible yesterday regarding the penalty and then he sulked and walked away.

Nugent is already enough pressure with the penalty and it doesn't help when people are trying to take the ball off you.

[Matt]

I don't think affected the game in any major way. He was just very inconsistent and petty. Missed a few things for both sides. A typical, arrogant referee who is never wrong.

 

Agreed. 100%

 

What i'm saying exactly the same as you, however if had drew or lost, people would probably have mentioned him straight away, pointing to him towards one of the reason we didn't win. Abit like people are slagging Coyle off for.

 

Anyway, doesn't matter, we won, we're aren't talking about the ref anymore! It's not a situation we are thankfully in.

[dedlock]

That was the best performance so far this season.We dominated the first half but failed to take chances.

 

I had thought pre-match that Wigan would offer a greater threat than they did.That's credit to City rather than Wigan being poor.

When Wigan made the substitutions,changed their shape in midfield,they had a spell in  which they briefly looked like getting on top.

 

The change to 4-3-3 by City re-established supremacy.We played well for most of the game but there are still areas to improve,not least finishing.  

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Wigan should be in league one or two with the terrible following they have! F.A cup holders, in Europe and that's all they can bring?

It's a hotbed of Rugby League, that's why.

[volpeazzurro]

Another unusually blunt post Kitch?

Nugent didn't play like 'an absolute twat'.

He was full of running and, like Vardy, put their back four under near constant pressure by challenging and scurrying round.

His finishing, yes, was pretty woeful and he needs a goal from open play to get him going again.

I'd sooner have Nuge in the side, than not. He contributes a lot to the team even if he isn't scoring goals.

An 'absolute twat'? No, that's too strong mate.

I see Bolton are second from bottom. Would you rather have Beckford back?

 

Perhaps not an 'absolute twat' but I do tend to agree with Kitch on this one. For me, Nugent started to go down hill during and after the Huddersfield match last year. A number of times this year already, Vardy, through use of his pace has headed or just otherwise just managed to get to the by-line and put the ball right back into the box and there has been nobody there whatsoever! Arguably a midfielder could be running in to follow up but for me when Wood and Nugent have been in a front 3, Nugent, the pacier of the 2 has been nowhere near and not willing to gamble. He's been reluctant to shoot it would appear in all the games thus far and his previous reputation for busting a gut for the cause is no longer in quite so much evidence, his work rate is either not the same or he's taking up deeper positions where he's far less effective. He's not a bad player overnight but seems really low on confidence for some reason. I'm afraid for me, if there's no change on Tuesday, I think it time to give either Wood or Schlupp a go. I still believe that given a run, Schlupp could grow into something quite special. I don't belive him to be a left back, but in a 442 like against Wigan, I think he would have added a powerful pacey problem for them from the left side of midfield if not an out and out forward.

[absolutelegend]

It's a hotbed of Rugby League, that's why.

also because it's a small town of only 80k people, who hardly have far to go for an alternative and more galmerous football fix

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Very much of one, as usual. The appalling standard ought to be highlighted yet again, but not if you're a manager, of course.

 

That said, Coyle comes across as nothing other than an embarrassing loser. Any manager who puts his sole blame for defeats on the ref is a complete loser.

 

Coyle seems to read from the same hymn sheet as Dave Jones at Wednesday. Everyone's fault but themselves and their team's.

[Corky]

Good win, better performance and we passed the ball a lot more. Wigan were certainly more impressive on the team sheet than the pitch, and Coyle gave us the game when he took Gomez and Maloney off. They missed Grant Holt big time, Fortune wasn't anywhere near as threatening and his only impact was to throw himself to the floor when Moore was nearby.

 

Vardy played well, Moore was outstanding, Konchesky solid and Drinkwater very accomplished. But we improved greatly from having Knockaert on the pitch, he was sensible with the ball and linked up well with the team.

 

I know Coyle was moaning about the penalties but the ref got them right, Vardy was both clipped and shirt pulled, whilst Fortune was waiting for Moore to dive in and then go to ground, Moore didn't so Fortune made the contact, no penalty.

 

Deserved victory and we keep a solid start going.

[Jordan]

I still don't think Leicester absolutely played Wigan out of the park. Leicester had to deal with a lot of pressure in the early going, and they were being pushed back deep in their own half dangerously for almost 15 minutes before City got the penalty. They had a few chances and perhaps Barnett should have tied the game just before halftime, although Schmeichel was well-positioned to make the save. There was definitely a shout for a penalty on the Moore tackle that Coyle is complaining about. At first, I thought the refs indeed blew the call, but upon closer look I'm no longer convinced (I've seen them given, though).

But they were deserved winners nonetheless and this was an encouraging performance.

City's back line was stretched out several times by long (or long-ish) balls played to Wigan's strong forwards. That said, though, I was really impressed with how well our defenders tackled. Moore, in particular, did a good job marking Wigan's forwards, but at times when he was left wrong-footed, he was always able to recover with perfectly-timed tackles.

Some of Leicester's play in the attacking 3rd was at times too timid, and at other times too cavalier. Nugent needs to take more initiative.

Leicester look so much more dangerous on corners when Knockaert takes them.

I think 4-4-2 suited Leicester well yesterday, especially with Drinkwater being a steady presence in the midfield. I thought both he and King put in good shifts, but it'll be interesting to see if Pearson sticks with 4-4-2 for the Blackburn game on short rest or switches things up. He may go back to 3-5-2 because Konchesky and De Laet didn't have to do too much running yesterday but King and Drinkwater both covered lots of ground. (Edit: I forgot James is available for Blackburn).

[Loggy88]

Great win and a great performance to go with it yesterday. Liam Moore is exceptional and will get even better. Vardy is a different player this season, oozing confidence. We can beat Blackburn Tuesday night, no doubt about it. Same side to start hopefully.

[Bettsj2]

So as Nugent was on the pitch there shouldn't have been any argument. I thought Woods attitude was terrible yesterday regarding the penalty and then he sulked and walked away.

Nugent is already enough pressure with the penalty and it doesn't help when people are trying to take the ball off you.

If Wood didnt celebrate i'd take your point but he did so I cant.

I like the fact that even though nuge said what he said, Wood still had the desire to want to take it and I like the fact that Nuge's balls have grown to be able to pull rank.

The most pleasing thing is that there was no ill feeling afterwards (including Wood tweeting his support of the TEAM). Shows me that they are a tight unit.

[Bluetintedspecs]

Even I was almost satisfied today.

That's the spirit A S S

[Corky]

What did people think on the possible penalty for Wigan in the first half? Moore on Fortune.

 

Sat in SK1 and thought we got away with it a bit. Seemed to push him over, not stonewall but any means but my first reaction was that it should've been given.

 

Was pretty much in line with it. Fortune was waiting for Moore to dive in and block a possible shot, Moore stayed on his feet and Fortune seemed to initiate the contact.

 

Wasm't even on the highlights so it was a fairly tame shout.

[Oxshottfox]

Great to see us doing well, never got this big chat everyone seems to have about success = spending money, build a team with people who enjoying playing together and you have winning formula. Pearson is the man

My one experience of Wigan was a night out with a mate from uni who lived there. Didn't start well when he pointed out his collection of knives he kept on his wall, got worse when we went to the pub and the first thing we were asked was do you want a fight or a pint....

Nasty place

[Bluetintedspecs]

Well, well, well.

 

The XI that started today was exactly the same XI, playing exactly the same formation that took us to the top of the table last autumn.

 

Strange eh........?

 

 

(To be precise, Moore started about half the games in our winning run last season but, injuries and Dyer and Marshall taking turns apart , that was the first choice side for our best spell last season)

Totally agree MD, hopefully it will stop the barrage of moaning abt fookin 4-4-2 etc etc! Nobody can criticise NP for not changing things up or experimenting with formations either! Nice to see some creativity and attacking at pace Vards was a right handful and ran the line brilliantly even his fierceist critics can't deny the lads hard work and willingness to learn is paying dividends!

[Soar Fox]

If Wood didnt celebrate i'd take your point but he did so I cant.

I like the fact that even though nuge said what he said, Wood still had the desire to want to take it and I like the fact that Nuge's balls have grown to be able to pull rank.

The most pleasing thing is that there was no ill feeling afterwards (including Wood tweeting his support of the TEAM). Shows me that they are a tight unit.

I agree. I did say at the time to my friend at least he's celebrating with him. I just thought it added unnecessary pressure on Nugent.

[Bettsj2]

I agree. I did say at the time to my friend at least he's celebrating with him. I just thought it added unnecessary pressure on Nugent.

Just seem the pen and Nuge did really well scoring that. Carson standing so far over must have been well off putting.

[The Year Of The Fox]

Its a very clever tactic that Carson used. You're pretty much forced to aim at the empty part of the goal, but then the keeper knows where it's going.

[Guest ttfn]

Its a very clever tactic that Carson used. You're pretty much forced to aim at the empty part of the goal, but then the keeper knows where it's going.

It's no more clever than any other tactic.

[The Year Of The Fox]

It's no more clever than any other tactic.

Well I think it is.

[The Year Of The Fox]

I actually don't think Moore had a good game yesterday (by his own high standards) besides the goal. He got done twice by their black centre forward, hence Drinkwater getting my MOTM.

[lcfc81]

Well I think it is.

Maybe, if nugent hadn't double bluffed him.

The problem with the tatic is nugent pretty much knows which way he has got to run, changing momentum is very difficult and thus Carson has to run to cover the other side or risk looking like an idiot and not moving.

[Alf Bentley]

Impressive application yesterday - a real team performance.

 

Not for the first time this season, we looked a very hard team to beat, conceding very few chances despite Wigan having a fair bit of possession during certain periods of the game.

 

Our possession football was excellent almost throughout and several players, notably Knockaert, seem to have greatly improved their ability - and intent - to keep the ball. Maybe this makes for less flair and excitement at times, but we look like a team destined for success on that performance....and that's at a time when we're still lacking a bit of sharpness up front. Imagine the threat when Nugent gets his scoring boots on again.

 

Certain players (Moore, Vardy) seem to have improved markedly since last season - and Pearson seems to be varying his tactics quite nicely. He clearly judged that we could succeed with a more open 4-4-2 system against a team like Wigan that plays passing football with wide players, but closed the midfield down when he needed to. 3-5-2 or 3-5-1-1 against good teams away from home or against teams that come to Leicester, pack the midfield and play on the counter attack seems like a good move.

 

Early days, not everything's perfect, but a good deal more promising than I'd expected at this stage with few squad additions and tactical changes....

[Corky]

I said something similar about Coyle in another thread. The squad he had at Bolton last season was packed with quality and he struggled with them.

He's still living of his reputation from his Burnley days. Such an overrated manager and I hope he fails to get them promoted. Dislike both him and Wigan football club.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmXDgg9G7E8

 

Sponsor's dream.

[Guy]

Great result, been busy all weekend (no excuse I know!) but will catch up with progress made this season on here over next day or two. Looking forward to my first game this season on Tuesday night v Blackburn! Looking good so far plus Charlton always beat us anyway :-|