Leicester v City post match

[axlgod]

I think the last 10 mins v Watford (even though we won) has done something to the players, something they are struggling to shake off.

 

[prestonibbo_mcfc]

Absolute lethargy seems to have set in. Was a hard watch that.

 

[Robinho's Subbuteo]

Called it

Well done.

 

[Mike N]

I think the last 10 mins v Watford (even though we won) has done something to the players, something they are struggling to shake off.

You might have a point there. For me, we were arrogant and brought the problem on ourselves.

 

[HarrytheBlue]

I think today and Palace have been coming for a while, all from the start of the last international break.

Before that, up until the Derby, I thought we were deservedly top. We were playing below our absolute best, but were producing more convincing and entertaining performances than Liverpool. The wins against Southampton, Shakhtar and United over 3 consecutive games had me thinking we were close to top form.However, a 2 week break killed that momentum. I mean we still came back and continued to win, but it was laboured and not as dominant. I thought it was just a loss of momentum that sent us backwards, but only today did I make a connection between everything.

For the last two games in particular, we look completely bereft of attacking ideas. Palace shut us down with Sunday league style doubling up on our wingers, and I was baffled as to how and why we could be stifled by something so simple. And the simple reason is because we don’t have Mendy, who we coincidentally lost to injury in the Manchester derby, and hasn’t played since.

Mendy’s introduction at the start of the season made us versatile and allowed us to play with more people inside, especially Sterling and Mahrez. Mendy’s ability to go on the overlap gave us the width we needed, and it is that width we miss now. Without him, our wingers are our only source of width and basically hug the touch line, as our fullbacks tuck into central midfield. Last season, we did the exact same thing without Mendy and we didn’t struggle, but for some reason we are really feeling it now. Palace simply stuck a full back and a central midfield player on Sterling and Sane on Saturday, and they became completely ineffective because they were never in a one on one battle. It is obvious that Mendy isn’t blessed defensively, but his impact further forward is bigger than even I thought! Combine his absence with Fernandinho’s, who we’ve massively missed, as well as a lack of confidence from the last few games and we arrive in our current predicament.

Hopefully a return to a midfield of Silva, KDB and Ferna against Southampton will see some of our creativity return and limit our over reliance on our wide men. If not, then I wouldn’t bet against a change in shape. Whatever happens though, Pep needs to do something to wake the lads up again. We are on a slippery slope, and it needs to stop ASAP.

Totally agree with your comments about Mendy - he hits an almost undefendable long range raking diagonal into the box and a variety of crosses - along the ground, head high, waist high. Right now, the ball's not coming in consistently from the wide areas. Leroy's being doubled up on and David's injury's meant that Raheem hasn't been getting the precision balls to run onto. I hate it when the ball's passed straight to Raheem's feet as he often hesitates, but when David runs it down the line he's made the decision for him.

 

[bert38]

For Southampton and Liverpool

Ederson
---------
RB-Danilo
DC-Ota
DC-Stones
LB-Laporte
---------
DM-Dinho
AMC-KDB
AMC-Merlin
AML-Sané
AMR-Sterling
---------
ST-Aguero

The problem with that or sticking VK at left centre half is you leave a huge Salah sized hole between la Porte who favours his left foot, and Stones/Vinny who favour their right. We tried this in the first leg of the champions league game and he exploited that space. Better option is La Porte LCB and Danilo LB-then Salah cuts inside onto Danilo's strong side.

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

Totally agree with your comments about Mendy - he hits an almost undefendable long range raking diagonal into the box and a variety of crosses - along the ground, head high, waist high. Right now, the ball's not coming in consistently from the wide areas. Leroy's being doubled up on and David's injury's meant that Raheem hasn't been getting the precision balls to run onto. I hate it when the ball's passed straight to Raheem's feet as he often hesitates, but when David runs it down the line he's made the decision for him.

We seem to be just floating crosses in at the moment. It’s clearly a tactic but fuck knows why as it’s not working and goes against everything we have done so well in the last 18 months.

 

[stan bowles]

Neither of em are any good there. Got away with it last season as teams were shit scared of us and hardly attacked.

Exactly - last season no one attacked us and we built up an impression of impregnability even if either Zinc or Delph were playing LB. This season we have seen both players exposed which is not a slight on them as they are midfielders by trade. We were ruthless last season going forward but this season we're wasteful like we were in Pep's first season. Well organised teams can stay in the game against us and have enough ability to carve out chances when they choose to go forward due to our defensive fragility. The amount of clear chances Everton created had alarm bells ringing for me.

 

[David White]

I just think we’ve lost that edge, that ability to go back to front in a second. We’ve started slowing the play down, partly due to personnel and maybe for other reasons. We’re allowing teams to get back and settle before we try to get a ball into the box. Dare I say it, we look easy to play against at times. Mahrez is not the right player in that type of set up. He’s good running into a ball and beating a defender when he’s got acres to play with. When it’s tight, his step over and cut inside (every single time) doesn’t work.

We had a spell previously where every time our opponents break they look likely to score and it’s happening now. Without Fern we’re so easy to cut through it’s laughable. If Fern plays, palace’s second and Leicester’s second goals don’t happen. He’s possibly our most important player and enough people have pointed out the fact that we fucked up by not bringing in any cover.

I’d play Danilo or even otta at left back against Southampton and the scousers. Zincenko isn't a left back but I fear he’ll get the nod. Walker will come back in.

We looked very leggy today which is a huge worry. Certainly for Sunday, Foden has to start ahead of Ilkay. We need to work harder, faster and smarter.

No need to flap or to hit the panic button. There’s a long way to go and the candle wavers are an injury away from fucking it up. It’s theirs to lose now, but we’re more than capable of being ready when they wobble.

 

[waspish]

Certain players are in a bit of a dip cant have a go at there work rate its the finishing that needs improving and the end of wonder goals