Strike threat

[Thracian]

Well it gives me no pleasure to mention it but I said it loud and clear before the season started... if the centre-forwards don't score who is going to give us a goal or two?.

Many, I know, will be satisfied with a point against Ipswich but £35 a ticket to watch 0-0 in the rain at home isn't very inspiring to me.

And it wasn't as if we played awful, or were under the cosh and didn't create chances. We did. But Connolly and Dublic apart (both recognised strikers) whoever looked likely to score, indeed, whoever looked seriously likely to shoot on target until perhaps Elvis in his dinky cameo.

I thought as soon as Wilcox was left out that might be the outcome. It's not that I'm a great fan of Wilcox. But he does give us width, he does give us accurate crosses and he does pose a greater goal threat than most of his non-striker team-mates.

That's three games now, 270 minutes of football and not a single goal from the supporting players.

If Connolly gets injured we'll tumble down this league like a mountaineer off the Eiger.

Not through playing badly. But through a series of breakaway 1-0 defeats.

If you include the two "major" friendlies (Celtic and Milan) the likes of Momo, Joey, Williams (even Wilcox) haven't scored a single goal between them in 450 minutes.

When does Tiatto ever score? With the number of free kicks he donates to the opposition in dangerous places he's far more likely to finish the season with an effective goals deficit cos he never seems to learn and it spoils all the good things he does (none of which have anything to do with goals for).

I know you'll all think I'm grumbling but this is a serious, serious problem.

Cos there don't seem to be any goalscoring support players among the fringe squad or in the reserves either.

Seems like we only sign people who can't shoot.

[Bluefoxtim]

We had quite a few players who had half chances and were unlucky, Williams missed a golden opportunity. But you must remember sometimes the ball just doesnt go in, like some games you have all the luck others the opposition do.

Overall the game was quite good and Im happy with the point

[ian27]

The biggest problem today was the lack of service to the 2 up front in particular from the wings, Sylla probably wasnt anywhere near full fitness and Tiatto does very little on the left to create from out wide. Whilst Stoke were just poor, Ipswich are a decent side who chased everything down and looked organised. Without that quality final ball we were always going to struggle against them, I think Hughes wouldve made quite a difference had he been available.

There's a lot to work on thats obvious, but for once there are postive signs coming from the team.At the start of last season there was very little to take from any match!

[Thracian]

We had quite a few players who had half chances and were unlucky, Williams missed a golden opportunity. But you must remember sometimes the ball just doesnt go in, like some games you have all the luck others the opposition do.

Overall the game was quite good and Im happy with the point

156186[/snapback]

Yeah I remember. We had it all last season. And we had a load of draws too.

So far we are three points short of what we should have collected this season. CL's great in many ways but he always reminds me of a bloke who drives with the handbrake on.

Everyone seems too easily satisfied, including the fans.

The only reason we play two non-creative destroyers in midfield is because the boss is scared to really attack and because he hasn't got any creative/potentially goalscoring alternatives that he really believes in.

Why you'd rather play two destroyers instead of two wingers in a home game smacks of caution to me. It didn't work cos we threw two points away.

[tsmiggy]

Should the club,now accept the fact that maybe we need to break the bank,and get a top class striker.... speculate to accumalate,plus surely a top class striker,would add to the gate

[rossporterlc]

if you want to pay less go and watch league 1 or 2 sides, see how inspiring that is

[Thracian]

if you want to pay less go and watch league 1 or 2 sides, see how inspiring that is

156200[/snapback]

I would happily buy a season ticket for City if only they would improve their recruitment policy.

Levein seems able to find mobile, wholehearted battlers and that's important but the the last question I would ask myself before signing any player, in any outfield position would be: "Can he shoot"?

In City's team, apart from the three recognised strikers you only have Maybury who has demonstrated that he can consistently strike a ball well. Joey occasionally.

A major reason why we have gone downhill as a club since MON is because that question obviously isn't asked.

Steve Walsh and Matt Elliott were both worth a good bagful of goals each season. Muzzy scored goals, Guppy made goals and was often having a decent pop - there were threats from all over the place and so it has always been in decent City sides.

Williams is a classic example of a goodish player who can't shoot. The problem is he plays in a position where you need 10 goals a season. Tiatto is the same and Joey too. You can't afford to have three midfielders who don't score (as was actually demonstrated loud and clear last season).

We don't get 10 goals from Williams or 10 between his midfield colleagues, we don't look like getting any goals from our centre-backs and we don't look like getting many goals from the flanks.

We're giving ourselves too much of a handicap and that's why we're already two/possibly three points shy of the total we should have had so far this season.

I wasn't brought up on 0-0 and I don't think there's any real excuse for it.

[Blue Arrow]

I agree, if connolly and the other strikers get 35-50 goal between them, we still neeed at least a nother 30+ to get promoted

[BAFox]

Strikers did well today, It was`nt there poor finishing that led to no goals, it was several outstanding saves from both of ipswich`s keepers

[AyewJoking]

One game this season where we never looked like scoring and its a crisis?

On another day, our chances would have gone in. It is worrying where the goals will come from if ever Connolly is out but if we had been scoring freely from all positions then people would just find something else to worry about.

It was a frustrating game because we deserved to win but alot of people will be glad of a point from this game.

[rossporterlc]

the second ipswich goalie looked really good to me, needs someone to kick for him though

[Thracian]

One game this season where we never looked like scoring and its a crisis?

On another day, our chances would have gone in. It is worrying where the goals will come from if ever Connolly is out but if we had been scoring freely from all positions then people would just find something else to worry about.

It was a frustrating game because we deserved to win but alot of people will be glad of a point from this game.

156238[/snapback]

I think our lack of supportive fire power has been a crisis for 12 months and more. Other things have improved immensely, but that hasn't.

[dynamite foxes]

Thracian TBH you were singing the praises of most of them on tuesday and we scored 4 then. Its a new team give them a chance. You are beginning to sound like a guy who doesnt have a clue

[cisono]

Andrew Strauss- the new justin Langer?

I am lost! :-)

[davieG]

Thracian TBH you were singing the praises of most of them on tuesday and we scored 4 then. Its a new team give them a chance. You are beginning to sound like a guy who doesnt have a clue

156368[/snapback]

That's because it was a good team performance, it doesn't detract from the fact that if our forwards, mostly Connolly don't score the chances are we wont win, I would say that Thracian has been extremely consistant, some may even say persistant on that point. I see no contradiction in his statement - a team can play well and win a game easily and by a wide margin but still have inherent weeknesses that could and would be exposed by other teams.

Far from Thracian beginning to sound like a guy who doesn't have a clue, your sounding like a guy that either doesn't read posts carefully or doesn't have a clue yourself - just a thought

[lush]

Well it gives me no pleasure to mention it but I said it loud and clear before the season started... if the centre-forwards don't score who is going to give us a goal or two?.

Many, I know, will be satisfied with a point against Ipswich but £35 a ticket to watch 0-0 in the rain at home isn't very inspiring to me.

And it wasn't as if we played awful, or were under the cosh and didn't create chances. We did. But Connolly and Dublic apart (both recognised strikers) whoever looked likely to score, indeed, whoever looked seriously likely to shoot on target until perhaps Elvis in his dinky cameo.

I thought as soon as Wilcox was left out that might be the outcome. It's not that I'm a great fan of Wilcox. But he does give us width , he does give us accurate crosses and he does pose a greater goal threat than most of his non-striker team-mates .

I know you'll all think I'm grumbling but this is a serious, serious problem .

Cos there don't seem to be any goalscoring support players among the fringe squad or in the reserves either.

Seems  like we only sign people who can't shoot.

156179[/snapback]

3rd game in Thrach, and we dont score against a strong ipswich, and you moan

Interesting how you dont mention a £15 ticket, but the most possible to spend, why?

Ipswich did put us under the cosh, not much i admit, but enough. Surely you admit we were THAT close from scoring, and that sometimes human nature behaves unlike we`d want it?

Didnt sylla give us width?

Its a serious, serious problem, WHEN it becomes a serious, serious problem, it isnt that right now. Chill dude, and when it is serious, then talk about it, but for now, accept WHAT it is.

You cant argue against that were playing better than last year?

So that being the case, with it comes the transformation from facking awful to doing well, also comes better players doing better things.

At the moment we can only see connolly, deep freeze momo and sylla popping in a goal, but when the pressure gets barable, im sure williams hughes tiatto kisnorbo and wilcox will bag their share, plus last season maybury scored 2 first goal of the game. macarthy has gota be worth a few, and johanson.

`Seems` isnt reality.

[Thracian]

Thracian TBH you were singing the praises of most of them on tuesday and we scored 4 then. Its a new team give them a chance. You are beginning to sound like a guy who doesnt have a clue

156368[/snapback]

But all the goals were still scored by the main strikers. There were very few serious shots from elsewhere.

I am not saying, and never have said, the team is not a better one than it was and it is praiseworthy in many ways.

It's just that despite all the newcomers, none seem capable of easing the weight of goalscoring responsibility that rests with the centre-forwards.

[lush]

So far we are three points short of what we should have collected this season. CL's great in many ways but he always reminds me of a bloke who drives with the handbrake on .

Everyone seems too easily satisfied, including the fans .

The only reason we play two non-creative destroyers in midfield is because the boss is scared to really attack and because he hasn't got any creative/potentially goalscoring alternatives that he really believes in .

156194[/snapback]

Thrach, thats a bit harsh `handbreak`, come on dude.

from where im veiwing the game, people ARNT satisfied. If anything, there too impatient, even more than you!!

Your talking nonsense now mate (or im drinking too much, or your drinking too much banan beer , we attack regular.

What would you rather he do (after last season), buy serious firepower, or sure up our shocking defence and midfield?

[STUHILL]

OH MY GOD!!! I just started coming on here before season to get transfer gossip and it was great, got loads of info and rumours BUT i've continued visiting now the season has started and it's awful, WHY OH WHY do some of you guys complain so bloody much!! WILL YOU EVER BE HAPPY??! You seem to forget that we have had hardly any money to spend on bringing new players in and that this is our managers first full season in charge of Leicester and in England. I really don't understand what you guys are looking for? Of course i want to see us win every game possible and score loadsa goals and concede none BUT for gods sake we live in a real world and it doesn't always happen! I went to inter and stoke game and watched sheff game on sky and we are looking a good team considering it's 3 games in and most our players are new, yes we have weaknesses like all teams do but we have many strengths too and i'm really hoping we can better what we did last season and maybe even push for a playoff spot! PLEASE stop complaining so much guys at least until we are ten games in and if we are below mid table. I like this forum but some of the posts sound like monday night moan ins!!

Sorry for the 'crazyman' speech but i would go insane if i didn't get that off my chest. Lets look at the positives a bit more because afterall NEGATIVITY doesn't do anybody any good! Apart from that COME ON LEICESTER!!

[lush]

I just wana add something to what stuhill says.

We only had 4 pts from 3 games last season, we have a slight better goal diff.

Then we lost at home to watford, can anyone see us loosing at crewe next week??? Possible, but not facking likely!! We have a very good chance of winning.

Then we play luton. We drew with wolves 5th game last season, i`d say were a very good bet not to lose to luton.

Still with me here...

Then we lost to brighton 6th game last season.

Our 6th game this season is hull away, can anyone seriously see us loosing that, not me.

After 6 games THIS season, i`d expect between 9 and 11 pts.

After 6 games last season, we had 5pts...

Need i go on?

[Thracian]

Thrach, thats a bit harsh `handbreak`, come on dude.

from where im veiwing the game, people ARNT satisfied. If anything, there too impatient, even more than you!!

Your talking nonsense now mate (or im drinking too much, or your drinking too much banan beer , we attack regular.

What would you rather he do (after last season), buy serious firepower, or sure up our shocking defence and midfield?

156397[/snapback]

Get some more fire power. I'm moderately happy with the outfield defence and midfield except that none of em score goals.

[Blue Arrow]

Hughes looked like he can from what i saw last season

[Ric Flair]

Thracian, I enjoy reading what you have to say and 99% of the time I agree with you. But this thread is in complete contrast to the thread you started after the Stoke game about how good we are and that goals will flow this season. I know you didn't directly say that but you were excited and had every reason to be. Your up and down more than Jody Marsh's belt/skirts are.

I do admit that Connolly looks to be our only source of goals, but it's only 3 games in to the season. If Williams, Sylla, Maybury and a few others keep getting chances they will score. If they don't then we won't be good enough this season and things will have to change. Levein has a great track record in his previous jobs of getting midfielders to score, so i'm sure in time he'll demand goals from Williams, Hughes, Sylla and the others.

Chill winston, i'd much rather watch us play like we're playing than the stuff we had to endure last season. If we keep playing like that and stick to what we do best the law of averages suggest we'll come good. I've never known a team play well and not succeed over a long period of time. What we need to do is make sure our bad days are days like saturday and our good days are days like last tuesday when everything goes in.

I'm optimistic, even though £35 for a 0-0 is a rough deal. But you have to take the good times with the bad times. The ticket prices are grossly over-priced whether it's a 6-0 win or a 6-0 lose.

[rossporterlc]

you can't expect many goals when two good sides meet, they are bound to be more difficult to break down, if you want goals come to the sheff wed game or something

[Thracian]

Thracian, I enjoy reading what you have to say and 99% of the time I agree with you. But this thread is in complete contrast to the thread you started after the Stoke game about how good we are and that goals will flow this season. I know you didn't directly say that but you were excited and had every reason to be. Your up and down more than Jody Marsh's belt/skirts are.

I do admit that Connolly looks to be our only source of goals, but it's only 3 games in to the season. If Williams, Sylla, Maybury and a few others keep getting chances they will score. If they don't then we won't be good enough this season and things will have to change. Levein has a great track record in his previous jobs of getting midfielders to score, so i'm sure in time he'll demand goals from Williams, Hughes, Sylla and the others.

Chill winston, i'd much rather watch us play like we're playing than the stuff we had to endure last season. If we keep playing like that and stick to what we do best the law of averages suggest we'll come good. I've never known a team play well and not succeed over a long period of time. What we need to do is make sure our bad days are days like saturday and our good days are days like last tuesday when everything goes in.

I'm optimistic, even though £35 for a 0-0 is a rough deal. But you have to take the good times with the bad times. The ticket prices are grossly over-priced whether it's a 6-0 win or a 6-0 lose.

156818[/snapback]

It's a fine line between excitement and frustration just as it's a fine line between winning and drawing some football matches. We drew against Ipswich because we didn't have the bottle to pick the team that would win.

We dwelt too much on past history and conceded part of the initiative and why? Because CL thinks the sun shines out of Tiatto's a..e. Why else would he go for two spoiling midfield players?

He didn't do that against Stoke and, yes, it might have gone wrong but it didn't, we won, scored four goals, were involved in a thriller and lots of us loved the entertainment.

Reaction? Baton down the hatches, shut the defensive door, find a place for Doberman Danny and end up 0-0.

Even now most people are talking about "a good point" and some are even celebrating our taking four points from a possible nine having played two thirds of our games at home.

To me it was two points lost and not just lost but conceded before we started and we are two points off the pace we could and should have been setting because Ipswich looked nothing special at all. They'll be lucky to finish mid-table unless they improve their personel dramatically.

Will someone explain to me Tiatto's inclusion. If Joey had been unfit fair enough but to play him as well as Joey ... why? Does he ever score? Does he ever create goals? To me he creates far more chances for the opposition than for us with his reckless tackling.

On Saturday it was the only way Ipswich might have scored - from a Tiatto donated free kick.

You talk as much sense as anyone on this forum about football, and there are many good contributors and there's many's the time you come up with an angle I've not thought of or a bright idea that's well worth thinking on.

So please, please tell me...why two defensive midfielders in a home match against ordinary opposition, not when we're two/three goals up but from the off?

We should analyse the opposition, certainly, but if we're going to win things we've got to set our own standard, make the opposition worry about what we're going to do. Not blunt our attack because of some myth about Ipswich being anything special.

I know it hardly bears comparison but we did the same against Blackburn and I have never been so ashamed about City's televised contribution to a football match as that day. I detest negative football in all its forms.

I shall only be truly happy when CL wipes the word negative from his vocabulary.

My whole philosophy is about attack. Has been for 45 years both as a sportsman and as a fan. I can't imagine ever wanting to change and it is one reason I even watch cricket again ... cos that lad Vaughan at least gives it a go.

We didn't beat the Aussies but my God we tried. Leicester copped out. And if Levein's satisfied then that, with genuine respect to him, is probably his biggest weakness. He's too easily satisfied.