Why aren't we playing our own game?

[Ross 'LCFC' Turner]

Title says it all really. Not diving on the Pearson out bandwagon, however this is the one thing that is frustrating the life out of me.

We are going into games, with no intentions of playing our own game or to play with our tried and tested system, but to try and match the opposition. Against Newcastle, we went with Schlupp and Albrighton, as obviosuly Pearson saw these as the men who could track back and keep their wingers quiet, ultimately this offered nothing for us going forward. Swansea we tried to match them in terms of pace going forward, but this again sacrificed our most dangerous players and had them playing out of position.

Today, we went with four central midfielders, crazy decision. We had no width and looked lost going forward as they were all getting In each other's way. Drinkwater and James our two most influential midfielders cannot control the game when there playing wide in a diamond. Pearson himself said in his interview after the game that we had to try and cancel out their wide players who like to drift inside. Obviously this was the reason he went for his narrow diamond, but why aren't we going for width if we know they like to drift inside? Why aren't we giving them something to think about instead of trying to play them at their own game?

I always had my doubts about Knockaert in the premier league, due to his tracking back and him lacking that yard of pace to break away once he's beaten his man. But today this game was built for him, likewise with Marhez. We should of been out there from the off getting at their full backs. Wisdom struggles massively against us last season in the 4-0 demolition of Derby, and the other pocognoli is a car crash waiting to to happen, he gives away penalties for fun.

We made it too easy for West Brom today and it's so frustrating leaving another game we were more than capable of winning if we just played our own game.

[ChrisWoodIsClass]

Can't understand why he keeps changing the formation and what really pissed me off was how we kept crossing the ball when our men in the box were Nugent and Vardy most of the match, I mean they aren't exactly tall

[I blame Wellens]

Title says it all really. Not diving on the Pearson out bandwagon, however this is the one thing that is frustrating the life out of me.

We are going into games, with no intentions of playing our own game or to play with our tried and tested system, but to try and match the opposition. Against Newcastle, we went with Schlupp and Albrighton, as obviosuly Pearson saw these as the men who could track back and keep their wingers quiet, ultimately this offered nothing for us going forward. Swansea we tried to match them in terms of pace going forward, but this again sacrificed our most dangerous players and had them playing out of position.

Today, we went with four central midfielders, crazy decision. We had no width and looked lost going forward as they were all getting In each other's way. Drinkwater and James our two most influential midfielders cannot control the game when there playing wide in a diamond. Pearson himself said in his interview after the game that we had to try and cancel out their wide players who like to drift inside. Obviously this was the reason he went for his narrow diamond, but why aren't we going for width if we know they like to drift inside? Why aren't we giving them something to think about instead of trying to play them at their own game?

I always had my doubts about Knockaert in the premier league, due to his tracking back and him lacking that yard of pace to break away once he's beaten his man. But today this game was built for him, likewise with Marhez. We should of been out there from the off getting at their full backs. Wisdom struggles massively against us last season in the 4-0 demolition of Derby, and the other pocognoli is a car crash waiting to to happen, he gives away penalties for fun.

We made it too easy for West Brom today and it's so frustrating leaving another game we were more than capable of winning if we just played our own game.

Jesus spot on mate

[Guest ttfn]

Agree entirely about this being exactly the sort of game Knockaert should be involved in.

What does it matter if he runs into blind alleys when we can't score for shit anyway? At least he spots things nobody else does.

[Monsell1976]

Good post, only Pearson knows what's going on in his head, but totally agree, play to our strengths, at least if we lose, we are more likely to have at least given it a go, and given ourselfs a chance.

Not really having a go at the minute, losing and chasing the game late on at Swansea, so we bring on 3 midfielders.

[Legend_in_blue]

Pearson's mindset isn't right. In the week he claims we need to nullify the opposition. When last season did he ever give too much concern to opposition teams?

He's now attempting to be a tactical genius by counteracting the opposition with strange team selections and a variety of formations.

He's trying to be too clever.

Just do what we do best. Sort it out.

[MooseBreath]

It seems Pearson has brought into the nonsense about us being "overran in midfield" in the prem if we play with two CMs, as if stopping that, whatever it even means, is somehow the overarching key to premiership success. To that end we've sacrificed our wide play, and with it the vast majority of our attacking threat. Best case scenario: nil nil draw. Worst case scenario: losing all the time because we can't keep clean sheets. It's ridiculous, nonsensical, barmy, ludicrous and all sorts. But I do have faith in Pearson soon seeing the error of his ways, and when we do get back to playing our best system, we'll be plenty good enough to stay up.

[Bluefoxtim]

Yes. Surely this 'playing according to the opposition' mentality is defeatist?

Why not play our own game and let other teams worry about us? Pearson says the players are good enough.....

[sylofox]

Are we not just showing to much respect to other teams.

 

And not doing enough of our own thing.

[J.Lisemore]

As above, Pearson is trying to be too clever. We we're promoted last season due to what WE could do, now it seems as though we're throwing our game out the window because we're fearful of what other sides could do to us. Too fvcking cautious and there's no need for it. We lost to a poor West Brom side at home and barely threatened them, says it all really. 

[Dan]

Spot on Ross. It's the kind of mentality that breeds negativity, low confidence and consequently, poor results.

 

Some of our own fans on here seriously under-estimate the game we can play when we're on song. We will damage anyone on our day.

[Guest Col city fan]

Spot on Ross. It's the kind of mentality that breeds negativity, low confidence and consequently, poor results.

Some of our own fans on here seriously under-estimate the game we can play when we're on song. We will damage anyone on our day.

Dan, only a few weeks ago, you were saying, I think, that City was clearly better than most of the teams around us. I urged caution. This is why....

West Brom are no mugs. They have not lost in five games, came with a game plan and executed it. They came to thwart us and nick one. And did so.

Their players and their tactics far exceed the Championship teams. They are an established, solid, difficult to beat side.

How some of our fans have underestimated the opposition this season is barmy. It really is.

[Leicester_Numan]

This is exactly what I keep saying, we keep switching personnel and formation to neutralize the opposition and in doing so, we've neutralized our own attacking threat. We don't have world class players that can defend for 90 minutes, still keep a clean sheet and score from one or two chances so we need to give ourselves the best chance of a win by playing to our strengths, not our opponents.

[yorkie1999]

We'll it worked yesterday, I mean we were the only team who scored.

[Zaid]

Thing is now if we play Knockeart  against Southampton i dont think he will be influential because of his lack of pace. He will be playing against Clyne or Bertrand. I think Mahrez is perfect for this game but unless he sorts his ways out he wont be playing aswell. 

[cjslcfc]

Dan, only a few weeks ago, you were saying, I think, that City was clearly better than most of the teams around us. I urged caution. This is why....

West Brom are no mugs. They have not lost in five games, came with a game plan and executed it. They came to thwart us and nick one. And did so.

Their players and their tactics far exceed the Championship teams. They are an established, solid, difficult to beat side.

How some of our fans have underestimated the opposition this season is barmy. It really is.

 

They are no mugs but you cannot put their victory down to good tactics. They had one real chance which they blazed over the bar and apart from that offered very little going forward and were more than happy to play most of the game in their own half. Their goal was down to luck more than tactics. On the other hand, we created little as well. We probably had the best chances of the game though (King's header which he would have buried any other year/game).

 

For me, they were more than happy to take a 0-0 away from home in the Premier League and got extremely lucky to take all 3 points.

 

This is not me underestimating the opposition, as clearly we are no better than a lot of sides in this league, but were they really any better than us yesterday? No. Will they be better than us over the course of the season? That's up for debate.

 

I maintain that we were always going to be around the relegation spots throughout the season, as the difference between 18th and somewhere like 13th/14th is miniscule in this league, only a few points. That means fine margins are going to define games. So far in the games against these sorts of sides the fine margins seem to have gone against us. Is it luck? Is it just us lacking that bit of quality to punish the opposition when we do get the chance? Or is it simply a lack of confidence? Who knows. What we do know is that at the moment we are out of form and it's a struggle. However, a couple of wins in the next 3 games and we will probably feel a bit better.

 

Knowing Leicester, we will go and win at St Mary's now we are the underdogs. However, I'm fully expecting 0 points as they have shown themselves to be a class side so far.

[lcfcsnow]

We are going into games, with no intentions of playing our own game or to play with our tried and tested system, but to try and match the opposition.

Absolutely, summed up by the fact we've failed to score in 6 out of 11 games now, for a team that achieved more than 100 points and not far off 100 goals last season that's not normal and can't just be down to playing a division higher. The whole attitude seems to have changed. Is Cambiasso having more input than we think or has Pearson lost the plot?

[Dan]

Dan, only a few weeks ago, you were saying, I think, that City was clearly better than most of the teams around us. I urged caution. This is why....

West Brom are no mugs. They have not lost in five games, came with a game plan and executed it. They came to thwart us and nick one. And did so.

Their players and their tactics far exceed the Championship teams. They are an established, solid, difficult to beat side.

How some of our fans have underestimated the opposition this season is barmy. It really is.

 

I still believe we can be. I think you in-particular give some of them too much credit. I'm not making any rash statements like some have made claiming they're Championship level, but this drop in form is far more down to us than our opposition IMO.

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Good post, only Pearson knows what's going on in his head, but totally agree, play to our strengths, at least if we lose, we are more likely to have at least given it a go, and given ourselfs a chance.

Not really having a go at the minute, losing and chasing the game late on at Swansea, so we bring on 3 midfielders.

It seems as though Pearson is suffering from the "fear factor", and has become paranoid. Very worrying approach to the way he has had us playing of late.

[LAprice_]

Nobody wants to lose. Teams set up to avoid defeat. Pearson does it, just like most other managers. Look at Burnley for example! I'm not defending Pearson but the financial benefits of the Premier League have led to teams playing ridiculously cautious, negative football. 

[sdb]

100% 

 

We're over-thinking how to stop opponents and thus showing them way too much respect. 

 

The last 5 games have been very unlike us: get a feel of the opposition and don't concede ground. Considering this has been against poor and/or out of form teams, it's given them loads of confidence and they've slowly grown into the game - whilst thinking 'how easy is this?!'. Painful! 

[Monsell1976]

Nobody wants to lose. Teams set up to avoid defeat. Pearson does it, just like most other managers. Look at Burnley for example! I'm not defending Pearson but the financial benefits of the Premier League have led to teams playing ridiculously cautious, negative football.

Totally accept that, but to suffer the football that comes with this, is ok if it works and you are not getting beat week in, week out, our players look lost and not confident with it, and what have we got from playing like 1 point out of 15.

Like is being said, our players don't suit it, so play the system that has served us well, and which the players play in the best position and get some confidence back.

[deep blue]

Dan, only a few weeks ago, you were saying, I think, that City was clearly better than most of the teams around us. I urged caution. This is why....

West Brom are no mugs. They have not lost in five games, came with a game plan and executed it. They came to thwart us and nick one. And did so.

Their players and their tactics far exceed the Championship teams. They are an established, solid, difficult to beat side.

How some of our fans have underestimated the opposition this season is barmy. It really is.

I normally agree with your views Col,but this time I think you may be looking at it from the wrong angle. Didn't W Brom's game plan work simply because we played right into their hands with our team selection - no wingers, no intentio to utilise pace? Schlupp at LB, Mahrez, either pace with Albright or Lawrence (or trickery with Knocky) - would have been a team with much more positivity and conviction, would have given W Brom much more to worry about.

[dayday]

If we go down fighting,then I have no problem about that.

If we go down like we are playing now,then I would be pretty pissed off.

I can understand Pearson choosing a team like yesterday if we are playing the likes of Chelsea,Man City etc,but this was bloody WBA ffs.

As mentioned confidence will start ebbing away,and there is only one person to blame,Pearson has to turn it around soon because the Thais won't stand for it much longer.

[Guest Col city fan]

I normally agree with your views Col,but this time I think you may be looking at it from the wrong angle. Didn't W Brom's game plan work simply because we played right into their hands with our team selection - no wingers, no intentio to utilise pace? Schlupp at LB, Mahrez, either pace with Albright or Lawrence (or trickery with Knocky) - would have been a team with much more positivity and conviction, would have given W Brom much more to worry about.

I guess its which way round it happened buddy? We were the home team! It could have been West Brom set up thinking we might play a certain way?

And it bloody worked!