Walsall 0-1 LCFC - Post Match Thread

[TJQuik]

3 hours ago, Mike1983 said:

Imagine winning the FA cup while getting relegated, that would be shithousing at its best.

I think most people would take that as long as we don't go bankrupt

[TonyN11]

Didn't see the match but any team going to the Polish capital in winter and getting a result is pretty damn good in my book 

[Rain King]

34 minutes ago, Anglodanglo said:

Imagine if that had actually happened today though

It did according to Livescore. Although I was only half watching so I can't actually remember the build up.

[ACF]

6 hours ago, LaCiudad said:

Now think about how cash flow might impact on the squad in a way the manager doesn't want, but has to put up with.

Mate this is his squad. Not someone else’s he’s inherited.

 

If you want to play that game, now think about the cash flow we’ve received in transfer fees, and what we’ve spent it on. I do not buy that Rodgers is not a big part of that.

 

Money is finite, we are paying/have paid for a lot of club infrastructure. Which makes development of the current squad so much more important. Several key players on big wages have taken a big step backwards in the last 18 months, who’s responsibility is that?

Yes, we need a bit of squad rebuild, absolutely. But I don’t trust Rodgers to do that, and I do believe we are not getting the best out of what we have available. 

 

[Free Falling Foxes]

4 hours ago, Mike1983 said:

Imagine winning the FA cup while getting relegated, that would be shithousing at its best.

My first season was 68/69. We lost the cup final AND got relegated.

[hackneyfox]

1 hour ago, foxsake said:

Skillful avoidance of the issue by arguing against points I didn't make. The thesis is that Iversen is better than Ward. You haven't answered that point. Perhaps you're having an argument with yourself? Or maybe commit to one or the other for the #1 spot?

You asked if I thought he was poorer than Ward.

What was the first word I’m my reply?

[GlennyFox55]

Thought the home fans would be more up for it. Very poor. 

[foxsake]

10 minutes ago, hackneyfox said:

You asked if I thought he was poorer than Ward.

What was the first word I’m my reply?

Haha sorry, I'm out drinking.. I read over your timid yes.. fair enough.. we simply disagree then. What a waste of everyone's time, which essentially sums up 90% of activity on FT. Anyway, have a nice weekend

[hackneyfox]

5 hours ago, Matt said:

He’s already witness adoration when Ranieri returned, twice(Am I right I’m thinking?).

 

Wait till Nige returns!

Really? Not every Leicester fan is a member of the NFP fan club. I know plenty who may manage a couple of claps at best. There’s a few that wouldn’t even go that far.

[hackneyfox]

1 hour ago, foxsake said:

Haha sorry, I'm out drinking.. I read over your timid yes.. fair enough.. we simply disagree then. What a waste of everyone's time, which essentially sums up 90% of activity on FT. Anyway, have a nice weekend

TIMID? HOW FCUKING DARE YOU talk to me like that.

Enjoy your evening. 😏

[Bob Weasel Fox]

10 hours ago, KFS said:

Iversen is clearly our best keeper 

Thing is Ward wouldn't be our best keeper even if the back up was a mop ffs 

[Mike1983]

2 hours ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

My first season was 68/69. We lost the cup final AND got relegated.

Had to look it up, how incredible that was! Lost to Man City 1-0.

[Leeds Fox]

Play Nacho, gets us out of the shit far too often to be a bench player. 
 

Buy a right winger.

 

We stay up. 

[FoxnNorfolk]

12 hours ago, deep blue said:

I see Mendy being frequently caught out and dispossessed by not being aware of what's going on around him, whereas I believe Braybrooke is good in that aspect, and I think he's much more progressive in his passing.

There was at least two/three times where he was crowded out whilst we were 1-0 ahead. Very frustrating. There were forward passes available.

[LCFCJohn]

Watching that I don’t see how 2, 3 even 4 new signings will suddenly flick a magic switch like many seem to be thinking they will.

 

We hear over and over, it’s to do with quality, this squad is Championship quality. Well you’d expect them to look good against League 2 sides then but no, that’s 3 of them we have barely scraped past this season.

 

So it’s not to do with quality, it’s to do with the entire set up, tactics, style of play, mentality. Unless any new guys come in and blatantly ignore the instructions they are given, nothing will change.  

[st albans fox]

1 hour ago, LCFCJohn said:

Watching that I don’t see how 2, 3 even 4 new signings will suddenly flick a magic switch like many seem to be thinking they will.

 

We hear over and over, it’s to do with quality, this squad is Championship quality. Well you’d expect them to look good against League 2 sides then but no, that’s 3 of them we have barely scraped past this season.

 

So it’s not to do with quality, it’s to do with the entire set up, tactics, style of play, mentality. Unless any new guys come in and blatantly ignore the instructions they are given, nothing will change.  

We ‘scraped’ past them because we couldn’t finish our chances. 
the first half wasn’t great but whereas we never really did anything with the ball at gillingham, I felt very comfortable watching yesterdays game. and we clearly stepped it up for the second half and were clearly leagues better than they were. 

 

with players coming back and some additions, we should end up comfortably mid table. The issue will be if we lose the next three or four (which is feasible), how will they cope being bottom and half a dozen points from safety. 

[Matt]

10 minutes ago, st albans fox said:

We ‘scraped’ past them because we couldn’t finish our chances. 
the first half wasn’t great but whereas we never really did anything with the ball at gillingham, I felt very comfortable watching yesterdays game. and we clearly stepped it up for the second half and were clearly leagues better than they were. 

 

with players coming back and some additions, we should end up comfortably mid table. The issue will be if we lose the next three or four (which is feasible), how will they cope being bottom and half a dozen points from safety. 

I don't see how you can say that, how do so many awful games we've seen this season (And the last 2+ years) get outweighed by one game, against Walsall (no disrespect to Walsall)?

 

Edited 29 January 2023 by Matt

[st albans fox]

46 minutes ago, Matt said:

I don't see how you can say that, how do so many awful games we've seen this season (And the last 2+ years) get outweighed by one game, against Walsall (no disrespect to Walsall)?

 

Yesterdays game makes no difference to my opinion about us finishing mid table (assuming we do get players back and a couple new signings ) .  But as I also noted, my concern is that our position at the foot of the league in a months time could be an issue for the squad who managed to deal with it after 8 games but perhaps 25 might be too much for them. 
 

my view of the coach hasn’t changed 

[Silverfox14]

Thought we did what was needed…..not spectacular but ok

[Bourbon Fox]

17 hours ago, Claudio Fannieri said:

We got the win and should have been way more comfortable, what concerns me is we no longer have that ruthless streak where we would put 3, 4, 5 past a team. We seem to overplay in the opposition half, looking to score the ‘perfect’ team goal rather than being direct and ruthless. 
 

There is a reason our forwards are looking wasteful and making poor decisions and I honestly believe it’s the obsession of controlling the game and possession, the amount of times we were in good positions but decisions to try and make a pass rather than go for goal is becoming all too common. 
 

Kristansen looked good and I also thought Praet looked busy and effective when he came on. I have no doubt Nacho will be dropped next week despite yet another goal to get his manager out the crap. 

We really don't have anyone who will take a man on and drive to the box - Tielemans prefers the pass or long effort as he lacks acceleration. Barnes has a very low dribble completion rate. Right wing, Maddison would rather come inside. 

 

Rodgers acknowledges this - his philosophy doesn't stop at looking after the ball, it needs quality and pace going forward.

 

Looking at the recent signings, Faes and Victor are both forward-looking players who progress the ball. 

 

The main issue I have is Brendan's inabilit/unwillingness to adapt his style to the players he has, rather than playing 'his' way and then moaning that he doesn't have the qualities he needs. He seems happy to settle at the level of the squad rather than galvanise, adapt and inspire them to succeed against the odds.

[Claudio Fannieri]

18 minutes ago, Bourbon Fox said:

We really don't have anyone who will take a man on and drive to the box - Tielemans prefers the pass or long effort as he lacks acceleration. Barnes has a very low dribble completion rate. Right wing, Maddison would rather come inside. 

 

Rodgers acknowledges this - his philosophy doesn't stop at looking after the ball, it needs quality and pace going forward.

 

Looking at the recent signings, Faes and Victor are both forward-looking players who progress the ball. 

 

The main issue I have is Brendan's inabilit/unwillingness to adapt his style to the players he has, rather than playing 'his' way and then moaning that he doesn't have the qualities he needs. He seems happy to settle at the level of the squad rather than galvanise, adapt and inspire them to succeed against the odds.

Just my opinion but the current sideways and backwards tippy tappy, controlled possession is exactly the way he wants us to play and this is why we are struggling as so many of our attacking.players are want I would call instinctive players and this is currently why I believe we have seen such a regression in players like Barnes, Daka, Kele and I would even stretch to Vardy. They are being over coached and rather than play on instinct they are now caught in two or maybe 3 minds as to what to do when they receive the ball. We have lots of pace and energy in the team, but we don’t utilise it because Brendan wants us to play like prime Barcelona or Man City, and this obsession/vanity project is having a serious impact on the effectiveness and confidence of a squad which if set up to play to its strengths still has more than enough to comfortably be in the top ten. 
 

Too many players look uncomfortable in our system, which actually only suits Maddison and Tielemans. Soyuncu used to make some great runs out of the defence, breaking lines, that was knocked on the head, likewise Faes when he first joined but again that is becoming less and less of an occurrence, replaced by a sideways pass to Amartey or a full back. 
 

This cannot be the players, why have so many exciting forward thinking players suddenly change to making sideways passes rather than advance with the ball, if it isn’t under instruction from the manager. 

 

I am really excited by the signing of Tete but will Brendan look to coach all the skill, invention and flair out of him insisting everything is done in 2/3 touches. 
 

 

[jerry]

12 hours ago, Free Falling Foxes said:

My first season was 68/69. We lost the cup final AND got relegated.

Was there at Wembley in 69. Made it worse as 3 cup finals in the sixties and lost the lot. As my old Dad used to say the present generation don't know they are born 😉

[Bourbon Fox]

15 minutes ago, Claudio Fannieri said:

This obsession/vanity project is having a serious impact on the effectiveness and confidence of a squad which if set up to play to its strengths still has more than enough to comfortably be in the top ten. 
 

Too many players look uncomfortable in our system

 

Totally agree with this sobering observation.

 

Consider that at the start of Ranieri's tenure he had the humility to listen to the players when they told him how they wanted to play.

 

Re Tippy-Tappy, I still think this is only part of his vision - Rodgers has talked extensively about his sides being attacking sides, wanting them to move the ball forward quicker, being ruthless - I don't think we're playing fully-realised 'Rodgers Ball' rather he just hasn't got the squad for it and refuses to adapt.

 

It's still early days for Faes, with Barnes I don't see a change in his play more his success rate, I don't think Kel has regressed so much as not had game time, and Vardy's decline is certainly down to age and off-the-pitch pressures more than over-coaching. In fact there was a glimmer of him successfully adapting his game to his changed physical abilities not so very long ago.

 

One thing's for sure - with every signing we make and player that returns from injury, the Rodgers excuse list gets less and less convincing.

Edited 29 January 2023 by Bourbon Fox

[foxinsocks]

1 hour ago, st albans fox said:

Yesterdays game makes no difference to my opinion about us finishing mid table (assuming we do get players back and a couple new signings ) .  But as I also noted, my concern is that our position at the foot of the league in a months time could be an issue for the squad who managed to deal with it after 8 games but perhaps 25 might be too much for them. 
 

my view of the coach hasn’t changed 

You are dreaming.  Yesterday's game showed the whole world Rodgers' impotent football.    WE are getting to the stage where we have to scrap for points in games - the low tempo and low confidence has ensured we don't create many chances and choke when we do.  WE are going to be bullied by bottom half teams who will see us as a potential for 3 points.  Wake up - a mid table finish is a pipe dream.

Edited 29 January 2023 by foxinsocks

[An Sionnach]

We appear to be defending corners better , Faes is pretty good in the air and we have taller goalkeepers. We still offer no apparent threat from our own corners and we had a few yesterday. Three or four Maddison free kicks a season is a poor return from set pieces.