Leicester City (A) | PL | Post Match Thread

[kaz7]

Yes, I agree. Our intensity has gone. We would normally get the ball back within 30 seconds of losing it. Seems we don't have the legs/ fitness levels to do that for 90 mins, hence the drop off in the second half of games. We would usually smother the opposition, not give them a minute to breath. That is lost for now and I am not sure how we get that back. Maybe that is why we are prepared to let the other team have more of the ball and drop deeper as we did in this game. However it is alien to our players and they must find it hard to adapt.
Just rhe way I see it, at the moment.

I agree they are struggling to play differently , it is hard to do after p!aying one way for nine years , that is why i am cutting them some slack

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Just watched the re run on City plus. Obviously delighted with the win but how the fuck did we manage that. We were very fortunate indeed. I really dont see any improvement. The same old blips, we still look so exposed. Interestingly we have rarely had so little possession in a match but we got the win. Seems possession doesn't always get us where we need to be. Shout out for McAtee. If we can get Savvy and Doku scoring we will start motoring.

It’s not going to get much better until we get a player or two in. We were abject yesterday between 45-65. Only their wastefulness and the post that saved us.

We need to plug that midfield gap

 

[Jesus2020]

The fans won us that game. Outstanding support! One of my favourite and probably most visited away grounds. Something about that ground we we really let lose. Ironic how this os the ground Guardiola came and gestured to the 'Guardiola song' seasons ago for him to come over and do the same.

Hard for me to get away tickets thesedays but this game would have been top of my list. Those away fans need some recognition for yesterday!

 

[citymad]

Yes, I agree. Our intensity has gone. We would normally get the ball back within 30 seconds of losing it. Seems we don't have the legs/ fitness levels to do that for 90 mins, hence the drop off in the second half of games. We would usually smother the opposition, not give them a minute to breath. That is lost for now and I am not sure how we get that back. Maybe that is why we are prepared to let the other team have more of the ball and drop deeper as we did in this game. However it is alien to our players and they must find it hard to adapt.
Just rhe way I see it, at the moment.

Great post that. Peps teams have always been based on winning the ball back quickly. This season due to age, injuries and fitness levels the players can't quite do it for long periods and Pep seems to be at a loss at how to change it. We just have to get through this season, try to get CL Q and look to get in 1-2 younger energetic midfielders who can carry out the press effectively. Would love us to develop a 4-3-3 system that can interchange to a 3-4-3 when needed.

 

[kaz7]

Great post that. Peps teams have always been based on winning the ball back quickly. This season due to age, injuries and fitness levels the players can't quite do it for long periods and Pep seems to be at a loss at how to change it. We just have to get through this season, try to get CL Q and look to get in 1-2 younger energetic midfielders who can carry out the press effectively. Would love us to develop a 4-3-3 system that can interchange to a 3-4-3 when needed.

We really miss jules, he was the best presser we had , we had to let him go as he was miserable but not replacing him was a bad mistake

 

[Bluearmy]

So why not tell Kova to just sit protecting the back four?

It can only be from specific instruction to do so. Im as lost as you on it..

 

[Manc Born & Bred]

The fans won us that game. Outstanding support! One of my favourite and probably most visited away grounds. Something about that ground we we really let lose. Ironic how this os the ground Guardiola came and gestured to the 'Guardiola song' seasons ago for him to come over and do the same.

Hard for me to get away tickets thesedays but this game would have been top of my list. Those away fans need some recognition for yesterday!

There was a reason the support was superb and it’s not difficult to work out. I doubt however the powers that be give a shit.

 

[Jesus2020]

There was a reason the support was superb and it’s not difficult to work out. I doubt however the powers that be give a shit.

Yep.

 

[fanatic1]

Gvardiol has been struggling for ages now in the left back position, making several costly mistakes. However, his original position at previous club was in central defence. He should swap over with Ake who had a decent run at left back during the past 2 seasons. Why is Pep so slow not to see this? Certainly worth a punt.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

I'm still a tad worried about Josko. He made mistakes again in the game that were nothing to do with his position or who was in front of him. Hopefully he can get his head right soon.

His job is to make 1 choice out of the 4 offered:

1) Keeper
2) Down the line
3) Inside to the midfielder
4) Square to a CB

His decision making has let him down, because in the absence of a couple of those options, he has rushed a poor decision.

It’s amazing the trickle down/knock on effects of team selection and how the positions taken up by the replacements can affect a team regular.

 

[chickaroon]

Great post that. Peps teams have always been based on winning the ball back quickly. This season due to age, injuries and fitness levels the players can't quite do it for long periods and Pep seems to be at a loss at how to change it. We just have to get through this season, try to get CL Q and look to get in 1-2 younger energetic midfielders who can carry out the press effectively. Would love us to develop a 4-3-3 system that can interchange to a 3-4-3 when needed.

We have youngsters, Foden, Doku and Savinho who could press high but what we don't have is a midfield that can do the same when the first press is beaten. I personally think that we must purchase a defensive and attacking midfielder next month to save our season. Then we will see the best of Kevin, Phil Gundo and of course Haaland. Again, just my opinion.

 

[IronsideKozuch]

Great post that. Peps teams have always been based on winning the ball back quickly. This season due to age, injuries and fitness levels the players can't quite do it for long periods and Pep seems to be at a loss at how to change it. We just have to get through this season, try to get CL Q and look to get in 1-2 younger energetic midfielders who can carry out the press effectively. Would love us to develop a 4-3-3 system that can interchange to a 3-4-3 when needed.

I generally agree, but im also sure we gonna get better over next few weeks. Fitness wise we always been worse first half of the season than second, pretty much by design. We need players back and we gonna be back. Exactly as Pep said. Maybe not to our prime, but closer to that than people think today

 

[chickaroon]

I generally agree, but im also sure we gonna get better over next few weeks. Fitness wise we always been worse first half of the season than second, pretty much by design. We need players back and we gonna be back. Exactly as Pep said. Maybe not to our prime, but closer to that than people think today

I hope so.

 

[TinFoilHat]

I have to say I did wonder if the senior players had had a word with Guardiola to change things around a bit to help an under- staffed, unfit, out of confidence squad get through this tough patch. Guardiola is a stubborn fucker and maybe a little kick from the senior players was needed.

Squad morale still seems fine, and Haaland physically pushing Guardiola to acknowledge the away fans to take credit was noteworthy as well, I thought. Maybe the players are helping my him through this tough patch as well ....

Maybe Pep felt he didn't deserve us singing his praises? He has such high standards about himself that winning 2 games in 13 isn't something to be happy about. He wants to win every game he's involved in.

 

[Asa's left peg]

His job is to make 1 choice out of the 4 offered:

1) Keeper
2) Down the line
3) Inside to the midfielder
4) Square to a CB

His decision making has let him down, because in the absence of a couple of those options, he has rushed a poor decision.

It’s amazing the trickle down/knock on effects of team selection and how the positions taken up by the replacements can affect a team regular.

The last game, I saw him make a pass, without looking into central midfield, and there was no one there. It was meant for Rodri. It was where he would have been. Reflex action.

 

[ChicagoBlue]

The last game, I saw him make a pass, without looking into central midfield, and there was no one there. It was meant for Rodri. It was where he would have been. Reflex action.

Exactly!

You get used to patterns of play and can be made to look foolish when someone isn’t where they’re “supposed” to be.

That said, blind passes are suicide to a defender, so he should always check first, especially if it’s not the safest (pressure relief) option, which is swinging it down the line for the winger or a runner.

 

[cleavers]

dint watch the game was my dads surprise 70th birthday meal and had no tb showing the game.

Lucky you :)

 

[cleavers]

The last game, I saw him make a pass, without looking into central midfield, and there was no one there. It was meant for Rodri. It was where he would have been. Reflex action.

That was exactly as I saw it, but it's not an excuse it was a terrible pass.

 

[CTID1090]

The area where all the other problems are stemming from is the fact we don’t have a single DM in the squad to cover the role Rodders does.

Yesterday it was Kovacic but it was crystal clear he isn’t anywhere near defensively aware enough. I counted about 15 times in the game where he was either out of position or not switched on to the opposition player/movement into space he should’ve been covering.

When Rodders is there that only happens once or twice per game as he is incredible at the role.

It leaves us woefully exposed. I think that then impacts us going forward as we’re too scared to take risks (hence the side to side nonsense) due to the fact we’ll get countered very easily.

Get a good DM in and the improvement will be enormous.

It is absolutely mindblowing that the club has allowed there to be no player in the squad that can cover that role.

I mean why isn’t Pep willing to play with double pivot? I feel like Akanji and Kovacic could play there. Stones can play there as well in combination with Kova or Akanji, and I get that he isn’t healthy most of the time but he can definitely fill the role. Doesn’t help that the CB’s are never healthy and always in and out as well, so anytime Stones is healthy he has to play as a CB.

I completely agree that the attack is so stunted because of how bad we are out of possession that they are afraid to make runs and take risks in passing or dribbling. A DM coming in will make a huge difference off the ball and on the ball.

 

[Gone for a Burton]

A 50% performance but 100% result.

Lots of 5/6 out of 10 performances with no one excelling for the entire 95 minutes.

Shout out to Erling and particularily Sav & JimMc.

A week off to r r & r and work on basics to create a foundation for a title and CL charge.

"City are still alive here" !!