Ritchie DeLaat

[Guest Col city fan]

If fit?...why not give Simmo a go?

[Soar Fox]

If fit?...why not give Simmo a go?

How awful must Simpson be for De Laet to be still playing and not to even make the squad.

I thought he did well in the time he was on against Crystal Palace.

[Captain...]

He has been targeted by every team we've played - tbh I am surprised this has not been discussed more on the forum.

 

The way we play our fullbacks leave huge gaps behind them - looking at this weekends goals Schlupp was miles out of position for both.

 

Needs fixing quickly, it may even mean playing 5 at the back I don't know but we need to stop being nailed down the channels.

 

Schlupp wasn't out of position for the first, he won the ball back in the left back position gave it to Drinkwater who delivered a tired ball down the channel for Vardy who was too knackered to chase it down, giving them easy possession again, and judging by Schlupp's reaction he was knackered. Schlupp, having worked hard to win the ball to see it aimlessly lumped forward and see possession squandered, again, struggled to get across, but the issue wasn't his positioning, the issue was he was knackered, Vardy was knackered, Drinkwater was knackered. This formation and playing style, especially in those conditions away from home, is not conducive to 90 minutes of football. Which is why we are often still in the game by the 60 minute mark, but then end up losing.

 

Too much emphasis on the wing backs to create width going forwards, too much emphasis on Vardy and Ulloa to chase down every (aimless) ball, and too much desperate defending, the midfield all charging back to defend on the edge of the box, then charging out after the (hoofed) clearance to try and support our isolated front men, only then having to come back when we lose it again (cheaply).

 

I would be interested to see the distance stats for that game as I imagine we were chasing the ball for most of it, and covered considerably more ground than Southampton did.

[chris_lcfc_85]

I wouldnt say he's not good enough. He's clearly not in his best form and yes i do believe Simpson deserves his chance but he really isnt being helped...... Last season he often had someone in front of him, this season that isnt happening.

 

For people to say he's never going to be good enough is a joke. He will improve as a player and he's still a young lad to be fair. As ever though on here, we just completely seem to write players off too quickly.

 

Did anyone see Chambers for Arsenal yesterday against Montero? Absolutely got destroyed! Now whilst De Laet got done a few times in that game, i felt he did pretty well against him first half

[Monk]

I'm going to stick it out there and say I think we should play 5 at the back for a game or two. Moore, Morgan and Was in the middle and Koch / Schlupp and De Laet wing backs. I just think if we're going to attach down the wings we need cover. 

 

5-3-2 is a bit old fashioned in the prem these days but perhaps would do us a bit of good.

[Captain...]

I'm going to stick it out there and say I think we should play 5 at the back for a game or two. Moore, Morgan and Was in the middle and Koch / Schlupp and De Laet wing backs. I just think if we're going to attach down the wings we need cover. 

 

5-3-2 is a bit old fashioned in the prem these days but perhaps would do us a bit of good.

 

Always been a fan of this formation and in Schlupp and RDL we have the perfect players for wing backs, who would you have as the 3 and 2?

[eye666]

I'm going to stick it out there and say I think we should play 5 at the back for a game or two. Moore, Morgan and Was in the middle and Koch / Schlupp and De Laet wing backs. I just think if we're going to attach down the wings we need cover. 

 

5-3-2 is a bit old fashioned in the prem these days but perhaps would do us a bit of good.

 

Where's the diamond? We should go 5-4-1 with the diamond.

[Babylon]

Will never be Premier League quality.

 

Said it from day one, but of course I'm stupid.

 

Actually people said you were stupid because of the fact we were in the Championship and not the Premier, along with your other silly comments.

[Babylon]

De Laet is being asked to basically cover the whole right hand side of the pitch from front to back, that's a lot to ask of any player. 95% of the time he's absolutely fine but then he'll charge in for a tackle where it wasn't needed (Falcao), that's Naive more than anything the same as some of Moore's defending this year.

[Monk]

Where's the diamond? We should go 5-4-1 with the diamond.

 

We were completely inert with a lone striker against Newcastle, I don't see that working myself, unless maybe it's 5-3-1-1

[sylofox]

Looked like he was nearly in tears after being sucked off.

Can be a problem when they catch you with there teeth lol

[dannythefox]

Probably why utd and Norwich let him go. Anyway forget that what must Simpson be thinking he's always been steady did well at Newcastle we need to give him a go.

[chris_lcfc_85]

Probably why utd and Norwich let him go. Anyway forget that what must Simpson be thinking he's always been steady did well at Newcastle we need to give him a go.

 

He was never going to be United quality and he was only on loan at Norwich

[Captain...]

Probably why utd and Norwich let him go. Anyway forget that what must Simpson be thinking he's always been steady did well at Newcastle we need to give him a go.

 

If we play Simpson with a diamond in midfield, we will have zero attacking threat on the right hand side, similar to when Moore was on. I would like to see Simpson play in a 442 with Mahrez in front of him, Schlupp and Konch on the left.

[MooseBreath]

Five at the back would give the full backs cover and make their wing back role a bit more realistic. But you'd have to sacrifice a more attacking player from a team who already can't score for shit. Better imo to play separate full backs and wingers, two roles for two players. We'll have to sacrifice a couple of central midfielders but let's be honest, the crowding out the midfield tactic has been a total disaster anyway.

[coolhandfox]

We have a real weakness in both fullback positions, can't understand why NP is playing a diamond as it just exposes the fullbacks even further! I think both Schlupp and De Laet would be real assist in a 5-3-2. Similer to Guppy in the MO era they are both suspect at defending but could be effect with a different formation!

[Leicester Lass]

We have a real weakness in both fullback positions, can't understand why NP is playing a diamond as it just exposes the fullbacks even further! I think both Schlupp and De Laet would be real assist in a 5-3-2. Similer to Guppy in the MO era they are both suspect at defending but could be effect with a different formation!

 

Similar to Guppy until either of them try to cross a ball...

[Thracian]

If we play Simpson with a diamond in midfield, we will have zero attacking threat on the right hand side, similar to when Moore was on. I would like to see Simpson play in a 442 with Mahrez in front of him, Schlupp and Konch on the left.

 

 

I can't see there's any arguing with the principle of this. Left and right flanks need to be worked by partnerships. Whatever full-backs we choose just aren't good enough to play as unsupported wing-backs at Premiership level where the pace of counter-attack is so lethal.

 

The only way you might bend the "rules" would be to have Schlupp on the left of a diamond because he could possibly find the energy to make width as well as providing central support but I'd have to see it in practice.

 

Schlupp and Konch are the obvious choices on the left but I don't know which of Mahrez or Albrighton would be best in support of DeLaet or Simpson on the right - you could argue the toss all day. 

 

The trouble with having two wide partnerships is the potential pressure in central midfield - but again that points to Schlupp incorporating some central midfield responsibility into his game and perhaps even using the efforvescent Knockaert on the right providing he can be disciplined along the lines I've mentioned elsewhere.

 

It's not easy because Mahrex and Knockaert pose the greater individual threat while Albrighton delivers the better crosses and would probably be the best support for DeLaet.      

 

Either way we have to gie ourselves width to reignite our strikers and give ourselves a chance of scoring.    

[Captain...]

I can't see there's any arguing with the principle of this. Left and right flanks need to be worked by partnerships. Whatever full-backs we choose just aren't good enough to play as unsupported wing-backs at Premiership level where the pace of counter-attack is so lethal.

 

The only way you might bend the "rules" would be to have Schlupp on the left of a diamond because he could possibly find the energy to make width as well as providing central support but I'd have to see it in practice.

 

Schlupp and Konch are the obvious choices on the left but I don't know which of Mahrez or Albrighton would be best in support of DeLaet or Simpson on the right - you could argue the toss all day. 

 

The trouble with having two wide partnerships is the potential pressure in central midfield - but again that points to Schlupp incorporating some central midfield responsibility into his game and perhaps even using the efforvescent Knockaert on the right providing he can be disciplined along the lines I've mentioned elsewhere.

 

It's not easy because Mahrex and Knockaert pose the greater individual threat while Albrighton delivers the better crosses and would probably be the best support for DeLaet.      

 

Either way we have to gie ourselves width to reignite our strikers and give ourselves a chance of scoring.    

 

I would play Mahrez with Simpson* or Moore, let the RB defend and the RW attack, and encourage Mahrez to come inside and support the midfield, Konch and Schlupp support each other well, against Arsenal Mahrez was willing in tracking back, but not really able to control that side with RDL like Schlupp and Konch on the left.  

 

With a bit of organization we could use Moore at RB to ensure we always have 3 back and extra height/muscle in the box, giving Konch license to get forwards on the overlap with Jeff on the left while the midfield and forwards get over to support Mahrez when he is on the ball as Moore won't be supporting him as much.

 

*Admittedly I've not really seen him play

[Nod.E]

Always questioned him. Only difference is that the quality of wingers in this league has exposed his poor positioning.

[Chug Laguna]

Looks like a foetus and he plays like one too

[Kitchandro]

This. RDL is being asked to be a straight full back in a back four as well as being asked to gallop down the wing at every opportunity, beat players and get crosses in, then gallop back and slot perfectly back in as a full back. Bit harsh to complain that he gets caught out of position when his position covers the entire length of the pitch. He's quick, but not that quick, and he doesn't have super human stamina.

 

This. People are too harsh on him.

[Monk]

This. People are too harsh on him.

 

Agree - but what is the answer - drop him or change the formation? Or simply sack pearson as many suggest.

[Kitchandro]

Agree - but what is the answer - drop him or change the formation? Or simply sack pearson as many suggest.

 

Well, change the formation is a given De Laet or no De Laet. The formation is wank.

[Manwell Pablo]

Agree - but what is the answer - drop him or change the formation? Or simply sack pearson as many suggest.

 

Simpson would be the better full back in the current formation. IMO. 

 

But that said the current formation needs to go **** itself. Put simply. I don't think we'll see the back of it until it's too late though (after bad results vs Sunderland and QPR)