Backing off attackers

[elangLCFC]

As much as I rate our centre back pairing of Wes and Liam, does anybody else think they back off attackers too much? Sometimes I'm just willing them to put a challenge in and they don't. Appreciate that they don't want to let players round them by committing but they allow players so much room to run and shoot

[Stuliasz]

The problem first half was the lack of protection from the midfield, particularly James. Strange as he was so good at that on boxing day but today, there was so much room between the midfield and defence. He improved noticeably after the break however and his passing was very tidy throughout. While Liam and Wes should take their share of blame for some of the goals, I personally wouldn't dwell on it too much as we seem to have resolved it second half. Bolton barely had a look in.

[Bert]

It's difficult when you have a quick centre forward that is going to run In behind you though.

[Harry - LCFC]

Midfield should be helping them out here. Both could've done better I agree but we were left a bit exposed at times.

[DennisNedry]

It's more the fault of the midfield. In the first half when Bolton were running from the half way line with the ball, they weren't even challenged until they were on the edge of the area. Have to say though the finishing from Bolton was top class.

[Stan]

Although we did back-off a little too much, all of the Bolton goals were top class finishes. Pearson alluded to this when he said he felt we were punished disproportionately to the individual mistakes.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

I thought our defence was at fault for all three goals, which would be worrying on a different day.

[Fox92]

Thought the third was De Laet's fault for not closing down. The first one seemed to come from us not closing down, either.

 

Soft goals to concede again.

[foxfanazer]

I really rate Wes and Moore but I have to say the closing down in the first half was dreadful. Their 3rd goal was a joke to be honest. Strange after two clean sheets to let in 3 goals in 45 mins

I agree with a previous poster that the protection from the midfield was poor in the first half. Something to work on

I really rate Wes and Moore but I have to say the closing down in the first half was dreadful. Their 3rd goal was a joke to be honest. Strange after two clean sheets to let in 3 goals in 45 mins

I agree with a previous poster that the protection from the midfield was poor in the first half. Something to work on

[foxfanazer]

What happened there!

[Kitchandro]

Today they were terrible for it, no question. They let 3 players have shots in the box without any challenge worth a name. That's got nowt to do with protection (though I do admit they lacked it, but that's what happens when you're pushing for goals). They didn't do their jobs for the goals. Once the ball gets to the box it's their job to do much better than they did.

[Guest Sharpe's Fox]

The 3rd goal was awful, they let him control the ball for a few seconds before letting him pick his place. Got better after the break, though.

[Father Ted]

Thought the third was De Laet's fault for not closing down. The first one seemed to come from us not closing down, either.

 

Soft goals to concede again.

De Laet?! You really don't like him do you. De Laet was occupied with Chung Yong Lee, Knockaert should have closed down Ream. The amount of space that Ream had to pick out a pass and play the ball into Moritz was ridiculous. So mistake number 1 you could put down to Knockaert being missing. Secondly, Moore/Morgan not getting tight enough, he picked the ball up on the edge of our box and we were standing off him a good few yards! We were way too deep and Morgan should have shepherded the line up and one of him or Moore got tighter to him.

 

First goal came down the left, Konchesky allowing the cross in and nobody from midfield tracking Moritz. 

 

Second goal, almost a carbon copy of the 3rd. Beckford was allowed so much space, he pulled off Moore and then was simply allowed to pick his spot. Once again the line was too deep. Step up, let them play Beckford in behind because I doubt he would have ran on to it the lazy c*nt. 

 

Notice a pattern? Robbie Savage alluded to the fact that almost every conceded goal is due to a string of mistakes and rarely just one mistake. Take the third goal for example: Phase 1: Knockaert out of position, nobody stopping Ream putting a ball into Moritz. Phase 2: When Moritz gets the ball our defence isn't tight enough to him and the line is too deep. 

[I blame Wellens]

Yes all of the above. Backing off and lack of protection. But Fun! Vardy was outstanding and I've not used that word to describe an attacking leicester player for many a year. We will miss him big time against Milwall. Konch on the other hand...

[Guest ttfn]

Today they were terrible for it, no question. They let 3 players have shots in the box without any challenge worth a name. That's got nowt to do with protection (though I do admit they lacked it, but that's what happens when you're pushing for goals). They didn't do their jobs for the goals. Once the ball gets to the box it's their job to do much better than they did.

Basically this - I can't believe people are blaming the midfielders for any of the goals. Dreadful centre back play - Moore's defending for the second would have earned him a bollocking at Sunday League level.

Morgan and Moore are both good players and work well as a pair but today the defending for the 2nd and 3rd goals was absolutely shameful.

[Guest Col city fan]

The problem first half was the lack of protection from the midfield, particularly James. Strange as he was so good at that on boxing day but today, there was so much room between the midfield and defence. He improved noticeably after the break however and his passing was very tidy throughout. While Liam and Wes should take their share of blame for some of the goals, I personally wouldn't dwell on it too much as we seem to have resolved it second half. Bolton barely had a look in.

Absolutely hit the nail on the head. If there is too much space between the midfield central two, and the back four, the defenders wont know whether to come forward to fill that gap (thus leaving space in behind them), or to back off.

This is a well documented problem with a flat 4-4-2 and is why many succesful teams have filled that gap with a DM. if the attack gets broken up earlier, the defenders don't panic and stay in their best position. This forces the oncoming player to either shoot from way out or try to get through a DM and the back four.

MON played this way very well with Lennon.

The downside is that you either forfeit one of your strikers (for the DM) or you lose a box to box midfielder.

Pearson likes his box to box midfielders and lets have it right, this season its working!

But, where the back four look shaky is when this space is exploited. Either that, or they just arent good defenders. I dont think they are poor defenders at all, I think we probably have the best defence in the division. But when they arent supported enough by the midfield they will back off and they will concede.

This will only happen though if the opposition set up correctly to exploit this space. Bolton appeared to do so. Today that was ok because we were better than them and took our chances. Another day it could have been different.

However, the flat 442 remains the best 'fit' with the players we have and lets be honest, is working more than its not.

[Guest Col city fan]

De Laet?! You really don't like him do you. De Laet was occupied with Chung Yong Lee, Knockaert should have closed down Ream. The amount of space that Ream had to pick out a pass and play the ball into Moritz was ridiculous. So mistake number 1 you could put down to Knockaert being missing. Secondly, Moore/Morgan not getting tight enough, he picked the ball up on the edge of our box and we were standing off him a good few yards! We were way too deep and Morgan should have shepherded the line up and one of him or Moore got tighter to him.

First goal came down the left, Konchesky allowing the cross in and nobody from midfield tracking Moritz.

Second goal, almost a carbon copy of the 3rd. Beckford was allowed so much space, he pulled off Moore and then was simply allowed to pick his spot. Once again the line was too deep. Step up, let them play Beckford in behind because I doubt he would have ran on to it the lazy c*nt.

Notice a pattern? Robbie Savage alluded to the fact that almost every conceded goal is due to a string of mistakes and rarely just one mistake. Take the third goal for example: Phase 1: Knockaert out of position, nobody stopping Ream putting a ball into Moritz. Phase 2: When Moritz gets the ball our defence isn't tight enough to him and the line is too deep.

And Savage of course is right. He also prefers a DM. But was played this way under MON.

But as I said above, we are scoring more than we are conceding currently so the flat 4-4-2 is working. I wouldnt change a winning formation at present.

My fear is if we lose Lloyd Dyer. If that happens we lose our main threat in the 442 and Pearson may well have to change things around.

[Corky]

The defending for Beckford's goal was pitiful, let him receive the ball, control, manoeuvre and shoot without any challenge- not acceptable at any level.

[LCCFox96]

Thought the centre backs were at fault for beckfords goal. Moore was made to look a right mug.

But for the period between their first and third goal the midfield was playing 15-20 yards too high up. The exposure was evident particularly when the full backs got forward. This didn't help the defence at all. We looked a lot better in the second half with James playing deeper which I think solved the problem of their tricky formation as shortly after they changed to 4-4-2. Good tactical move from NP as was introducing GTF as this help putting more bodies in the midfield/deeper.

[Ian W LCFC]

I think we need to tell Matty James to become slightly more defensive, he is a cracking player, and is very good in the tackle, and with the ball at his feet. I think our midfield formation should be like this:

 

          Dyer - Drinkwater - Knockaert

James

Just to provide a bit more protection for the back 4 and to cover the space in between the midfield and the defence because lets face it, we gave them way too much space today.

[LJS]

The backing off happens whoever the central defensive pairing is. I don't think it's down to the individuals but to Pearson's approach. We don't play a high pressing game (collectively at least - it's left to particular individuals such as Jamie Vardy) which allows us to keep our shape. It can be frustrating to watch and we can be punished for it, as we were today, but it's doing the job so far. The thing I'd change is to have the more defensive of the central midfielders sit a little deeper to plug the gap.

[_Fatboyslow_]

Wtf we scored 5, Morgans always been slow. We tend to sit deep.

Oh and City never do things the easy way

[I Blame My Mother]

It's been too long.

 

C'mon City!!

[kingfox]

I would just put it down as a freak game, we've played 4-4-2 most of the season, and the Reading & QPR games resulted in clean sheets, and we were all handing out praise, to Liam Moore especially. 

 

Just because we let in three today, people instantly find faults, yes there were faults, but those faults have rarely happened this season until today, yet in an attacking sense we were awesome and managed to win anyway.

 

Some of you on here have been saying Moore has been our best player this season, so our defence can't be bad. Morgan hasn't been as good, but still continues to put in solid consistent performances without standing out. 

 

The only thing I find at fault with the defence, is the amount of times we let teams score from cheap crosses, it happened against Burnley, Drinkwater at fault for that goal, because he took a wild swing at the ball, we conceded something similar against Man City, and again today Konchesky being at fault this time. 

 

We just need to stop crosses more in my opinion, today was just freaky, we just have to hope it doesn't happen again, I for one doubt it. 

[NewburyFox]

I would just put it down as a freak game, we've played 4-4-2 most of the season, and the Reading & QPR games resulted in clean sheets, and we were all handing out praise, to Liam Moore especially.

Just because we let in three today, people instantly find faults, yes there were faults, but those faults have rarely happened this season until today, yet in an attacking sense we were awesome and managed to win anyway.

Some of you on here have been saying Moore has been our best player this season, so our defence can't be bad. Morgan hasn't been as good, but still continues to put in solid consistent performances without standing out.

The only thing I find at fault with the defence, is the amount of times we let teams score from cheap crosses, it happened against Burnley, Drinkwater at fault for that goal, because he took a wild swing at the ball, we conceded something similar against Man City, and again today Konchesky being at fault this time.

We just need to stop crosses more in my opinion, today was just freaky, we just have to hope it doesn't happen again, I for one doubt it.

I agree, the fact that this is the first time this season that this has been mentioned shows how infrequent it is.

You can always trust Nigel to cut out defensive errors like today.