what went wrong

[Thracian]

They just collapsed after that harsh decision for the second penalty. Douglas Maybury and McCarthy I thought could have been better. I couldn't really fault anyone else, De Vries wasn't crap he was just frustrating to watch as usual, I think we should start Dublin up with Conolly. De Vries needs to improve his final ball. I'm sure he had everyone screaming at the telly when he was prancing around in the area for five minutes trying to get a shot off in that second half while it was still at 1-1. Remember, we got nailed 6-1 away to Ipswich in the third game of our last promotion season so we've had worse I guess. I expect us to beat Stoke at home though.. particularly with Hughes back.. once everyone's fully fit etc I'd like to see..

Douglas

Stearman Gerrbrand Johansson Gilbert

Sylla Hughes Williams Tiatto

Conolly Dublin

I think that's about the best team we could field with all our best available players in tact.. apparently most of the squad should be available for the Ipswich game next saturday. 

At the end of the day.. we may be bottom but I'd rather be bottom at the start of the season than at the end of it.. and atleast Garth Crooks said he thought 4-1 was very flattering to the Blades... normally we'd have to put up with everyone harping on about how Sheffiled United got off to a flyer...

151666[/snapback]

Let's be quite clear. Levein's team looks far more promising than what Adams left us with but you cannot expect to win with two or three glaring weaknesses in the side.

I don't want to see Douglas or Gilbert anywhere near the side from what I've seen and while I've already described MDV as an enigma (good holder, poor striker) I really want to see a goalscorer with attitude alongside Connolly.

Then we might start going places and then the attendances might start to improve.

[john_lcfc]

lads i got back from sheffield yesterday and i think we played well i thought paddy looked solid enough in defence and momo looked quick and sharp i thought they werent a class ahead at all and i though our fans outclassed them 5 times over. we just lost it from a 50/50 some you get some you dont refereeing decision then another quick goal changes things. There are a lot of psoitives to take out of the game and i think it was a good performance to start the season wit. ( even though the result doesnt show this)

[C-man]

lads i got back from sheffield yesterday and i think we played well i thought paddy looked solid enough in defence and momo looked quick and sharp  i thought they werent a class ahead at all and i though our fans outclassed them 5 times over. we just lost it from a 50/50 some you get some you dont refereeing decision then another quick goal changes things. There are a lot of psoitives to take out of the game and i think it was a good performance to start the season wit. ( even though the result doesnt show this)

152029[/snapback]

I couldnt hear them on television apart from 'Neil Warnock, what a wotsit' and 'C'Mon Leicester'

[john_lcfc]

I couldnt hear them on television apart from 'Neil Warnock, what a wotsit' and 'C'Mon Leicester' 

152039[/snapback]

well we were pretty loud at stages and unless its one of these dodgy grounds where sound doesnt travell then there support was awful until last 3 minutes

[Ricey]

well we were pretty loud at stages and unless its one of these dodgy grounds where sound doesnt travell then there support was awful until last 3 minutes 

152112[/snapback]

I couldn't even hear the TV for annoying student type people talkling about text messaging

[MC Prussian]

Some facts:

The Blades scored at least two goals too many.

The refeering in Britain was always sort of a joke, still is a joke and will probably remain a joke until somebody finally has the guts to give the men in black some classes in "How-to-apply-rules-on-paper-on-the-pitch".

There are still too many Leicester fans who are way too quick in complaining and moaning. All this after they've seen only ONE GAME of the 2005/06 campaign (I, for my part, reserve the right of such a statement for the end of the season).

Such a rather heavy defeat is not that bad as it may appear at first. It will give the team something to think about.

Would you rather have preferred losing 1-2 at home to Luton Town?

I don't know what makes you feel so bad. Is this just a typical British behaviour? As somebody else already stated, there are 45 more games to come.

Plus, BRING ON STOKE!!!

[MC Prussian]

And something to cheer you even further up:

Any Old Iron Joe posted the following on the official LCFC messageboard:

"Was just perusing through the Blades message boards to see what their opinion on the game was and they mentioned some nice stuff regarding us. The general feeling was that they were very lucky, that we are a very strong team this year and they also were very impressed with our travelling support, so much so they are having the classic "our fans are sh*t debate" that frequents this board so much, because of the mauling our boys gave them! How nice to be on the other end for once! keep up the good work fella's!"

So, let's look forward to Tuesday's matchup!

[Thracian]

Some facts:

The Blades scored at least two goals too many.

The refeering in Britain was always sort of a joke, still is a joke and will probably remain a joke until somebody finally has the guts to give the men in black some classes in "How-to-apply-rules-on-paper-on-the-pitch".

There are still too many Leicester fans who are way too quick in complaining and moaning. All this after they've seen only ONE GAME of the 2005/06 campaign (I, for my part, reserve the right of such a statement for the end of the season).

Such a rather heavy defeat is not that bad as it may appear at first. It will give the team something to think about.

Would you rather have preferred losing 1-2 at home to Luton Town?

I don't know what makes you feel so bad. Is this just a typical British behaviour? As somebody else already stated, there are 45 more games to come.

Plus, BRING ON STOKE!!!

152125[/snapback]

By my calculations Sheffield scored four goals too many seeing as we only scored one.

And if you don't feel bad after a 4-1 defeat then then, in some ways, you're a lucky man, cos I doubt you'd feel pain if someone hacked your legs off without an anaesthetic.

Luton has sod all to do with it (same as the referee). I don't "prefer" to lose to anyone. For me defeat always hurts and it hurts to the very core of my body and my soul.

[Thracian]

And something to cheer you even further up:

Any Old Iron Joe posted the following on the official LCFC messageboard:

"Was just perusing through the Blades message boards to see what their opinion on the game was and they mentioned some nice stuff regarding us. The general feeling was that they were very lucky, that we are a very strong team this year and they also were very impressed with our travelling support, so much so they are having the classic "our fans are sh*t debate" that frequents this board so much, because of the mauling our boys gave them! How nice to be on the other end for once! keep up the good work fella's!"

So, let's look forward to Tuesday's matchup!

152128[/snapback]

Anyone can be magnanimous when they've just won 4-1. Yes, our fans were great, and their team of bottlers (including the manager cos he got it badly wrong as well) has just kicked em in the balls as a thankyou.

In fact, on reflection, if one thing comes out of this shambles I'd like it to be this. I'd like the manager to adopt a policy on the basis of:

"We don't do retreat. We don't do negative team changes. We're in this business on a win-only basis both home and away. And we don't do excuses. Not anytime or for any reason."

Instil that into the players and their minds won't get aggled. They'll know exactly what's required and they'll no exactly what pisses you off.

[supedaj]

Slightly drifting a bit but I thought Maybury should have at least tracked back with Ifil (just before first pen was given). He just simply let him go..! Ok Douglas buggered the challenge up but if Maybury was with him all the way, Douglas wouldnt have come out so quickly - the ball was travelling quite past so Ifil would have needed to stop it first before crossing, cutting inside or taking a shot/cross first time - all of which would have been harder from a more acute angle and it would have taken a tad longer. Douglas saw no one was with him and had to commit quickly with a challenge - unfortunately it was a bad one.

Due to this I dont think the second pen was the turning point. Had we avoided the first pen we would have scored first IMO. This would have helped the lads consolidate and regroup for the remainder.

[Anish]

Slightly drifting a bit but I thought Maybury should have at least tracked back with Ifil (just before first pen was given). He just simply let him go..! Ok Douglas buggered the challenge up but if Maybury was with him all the way, Douglas wouldnt have come out so quickly - the ball was travelling quite past so Ifil would have needed to stop it first before crossing, cutting inside or taking a shot/cross first time - all of which would have been harder from a more acute angle and it would have taken a tad longer. Douglas saw no one was with him and had to commit quickly with a challenge - unfortunately it was a bad one.

Due to this I dont think the second pen was the turning point. Had we avoided the first pen we would have scored first IMO. This would have helped the lads consolidate and regroup for the remainder.

152212[/snapback]

I'd hardly blame Maybury for the first penalty - he left the ball to Douglas because Douglas was clear favourite to win the ball. Douglas should have come out and collected the ball like any confident keeper would do, but instead hesitated and it was too late.

[supedaj]

Ok it was a bad challenge but I think Mays was slightly to blame. Maybury WAS marking him when the ball came in. As soon as it bounced, Ifil ran towards it whereas Maybury simply stood there. Giving someone time and space to run towards goal is always a mistake. It wuld have made it harder for Ifil to create a chance from it had any defender been with him. OK Douglas made a complete hash of the attempt but I dont think it was completely his fault. I think he could have been helped with the defender staying with the person he was marking.

[Guest]

I'd hardly blame Maybury for the first penalty - he left the ball to Douglas because Douglas was clear favourite to win the ball. Douglas should have come out and collected the ball like any confident keeper would do, but instead hesitated and it was too late.

152221[/snapback]

Exactly; he dithered on more than one occasion, and it cost us two goals.

[TornadoShaunUK]

I just saw their fourth goal again on the news and it's quite hilarious when you look at it .. why the fock he left that cross is beyond me - it was coming straight at him. At first I thought he left it because he thought Johansson was going to get it but then when he missed I thought surely if he sees someone miss the ball and its coming straight at him froma cross hes going to pick it up... =/

I did originally think on that first penalty that he came out for it and kind of pulled out of the challenge because Ifill raised his foot quite high and it almost looked as if Douglas was trying to prevent getting hit by that or something.. but I duno about that after having seen the replays again..

I still think Maybury could have been a lot better.. even though I am aware he was out of his best position for most of the game, IMO Stearman was great at right back and I'd like to see him there more often..

I have'nt seen much in the way of Gilbert.. personally at the moment I'd prefer to play Maybury at left back just because hes more experienced but hey if you don't give the young lads a go then they aren't going to learn are they...

[Hutber's Law]

Everyone has been talking about the second penalty and the last ten minutes but for me if there was one individual error which lost us the match it was Douglas's for the first penalty.

Up until that point we were in total control. More than playing like the home team we were playing like the only team that had turned up.

There was some excellent football being played.

Their crowd had been silenced and Warnock looked embarrassed on the sidelines.

I mention this because I would have been far more worried if we'd looked like eleven players who'd never met before and won. Douglas looks very short on confidence but has put in top level performances in top level games before.

In my opinion we aren't looking at systemic problems in the team, as some are saying, but at individual errors. I, for one, took a lot of hope out of Saturday.