Tactics Under Maresca

[HankMarvin]

3 minutes ago, An Away Move said:

A vocal minority of fans on this forum seem to getting a little ‘Puel out!’ about Maresca. I just can’t believe this. What exactly do you want?! We are top of the league with a massive amount of points and have even had enough chances to win the games we have lost. Literally - are you ****ing mental?! 

So we have had enough chances to win the game, but a team with over double the shots on target didn’t?

[Paninistickers]

14 minutes ago, Lambert09 said:

There simply has to be more balance.  When it’s not working, adapt.  I’m fine with having this as a game plan, I don’t hate it like a lot of people do, but it drives me barmy to continue with it in games that it’s either not needed or not working. 
 

pop us in a 4231 against the side in bottom and they don’t get out their half.  the slow and patient build up will always invite sides to have a go. but is that necessarily what’s needed in a game like this? 
 

There’s been 4/5 in particular where it’s just not needed the patience. 

Great post

[fox_up_north]

I absolutely agree the system takes time. No problems with that at all and I do believe you have to persevere, to an extent. 

However, the one thing you can't do is be complacent. If something isn't working, you change it. Whether that's in one game, one half or one month. 

[cityfanlee23]

I know I've been banging this drum since probably the 3rd match, so it won't come as a surprise to anyone, but I'm just bored beyond belief. We had a huge job to do in the summer and credit to Enzo he did it really well, signed some really decent players (some not great but were logical signings), and shifted the culture of the club, but I just can't stand watching us, I LOVE watching Man City, as people may know I absolutely love watching the Red Bull philosophy also, so I do understand and appreciate styles of play that are not traditional approaches, but we approach the game in such a slow and labored way. 
I desperately want Enzo to wake up and change something, but I'm utterly convinced he won't. 

Since the first few games when I said we needed to up the tempo and be more progressive, people rightly pointed out that over time we should improve and "click" and I completely understood that, but it's very telling now seeing such a big shift in people getting fed up with the sloppiness and labored play, there is absolutely no evidence that we are going to "click" in this system, and it was EXACTLY the same under Puel, Puel was building something, in fact his job was even bigger than the one inherited in summer as we had a declining squad with few saleable assets and an aging squad that was very one dimensional. 

It's becoming very obvious that we are winning games mainly through quality, with the system of "tiring them out" accompanying the quality, but in reality, with the quality we have, we should not be aiming to win games in the final15 minutes, we could and should be finishing them before the hour mark with the quality we have. As much as Enzo has turned us around, if he left next week I probably would not be that gutted. 

I still like him a lot, I know all of this sounds silly when you look at the table, but the style is not improving, he is not changing anything, and we should be playing better. You can only beat who is in front of you, but every week we come away saying "thankfully the opposition wasted many chances" 

[funkyrobot]

1 minute ago, An Away Move said:

Yes. But we had no choice but to rotate. It is impossible to start each match with our strongest eleven. 

Maybe too much rotation though. Both number 8’s was a big ask. Akgun and Casadei didn’t step up if we’re being honest. Got out thought and out fought by wily old pros Bannan and Paterson. 

[VictorFox]

10 minutes ago, maynefox said:

Boring. Laboured. Predictable. He won't be here this time next year.

Be relegated this time next year IF we’re promoted 

[goose2010]

2 minutes ago, Hammo said:

The cracks are appearing. Four points from a possible 12. They are sussing him out. Another Rodgers? Let’s bloody hope not…

Or 43 from 18 which is one of the best starts in the championship ever. 

 

We will get sussed out and it's about how you adjust and adapt. We have tweaked bits and then rotated. 

 

The system will not change so it's about getting the players to buy into it. 

 

Some still aren't up to it and that is obvious. 

[goose2010]

1 minute ago, VictorFox said:

Be relegated this time next year IF we’re promoted 

Yawn 

[The Doctor]

21 minutes ago, wardyfox86 said:

When it clicks, someone is going to get a pasting 

Honestly don't think that will ever happen. We seem to try and play with the bare minimum exertion to win against whoever we're playing and to a degree that makes sense, a 1-0 win or a 10-0 win is worth 3 points, and this league is an endurance test, but we saw v hull, v Middlesbrough, tonight, that all it takes is a lucky deflection, a wonder strike, a single chance, and you throw away those 3 points. 

[Lillehamring]

11 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

I don't think that's even a subjective opinion, I would say objectively it's true.

 

A style of play takes time to bed in, so on paper it can still be good to persevere with these tactics because when we finally become masters of it, we could become an excellent team. However, we've had way too many subpar performances for a while now. It's not just results, look at wins against QPR and Sunderland, these were hardly impressive.

 

We are still top of the league, so have to be happy, but it is concerning that we aren't getting better. If anything, I would say we are worse than that run of games where we pasted Southampton and beat Norwich, etc.

It feels to me though, that it is individual performances that aren't good enough - some of our play on the ball tonight was excellent, but the quality of the final ball was woeful - we just seem incapable of passing or shooting past a defender, unless it's a horrible wild shot into row z.

 

Whilst we might have the best squad in the league, unless they make the right decisions and play to the abilities, they're far from the the best performances in the league.

 

As far as why we are not getting any better - well that's the nature of a learning curve - initial improvement follows a steep rapid progress, but as it goes on the curve flattens until the same amount of work has a far lower gradient of improvement  And sometimes those improvements are hard to spot - they can be small details that we're not picking up on, or practical things that perhaps are to obscure to register (for example we're now a lot better coming out after half time than we used to be).

 

 

[Daggers]

This thread is amply demonstrating the other reason why I don’t go to matches anymore. Imagine having to sit next to some of these ***** for 90 minutes. 

[Pliskin]

12 minutes ago, An Away Move said:

A vocal minority of fans on this forum seem to getting a little ‘Puel out!’ about Maresca. I just can’t believe this. What exactly do you want?! We are top of the league with a massive amount of points and have even had enough chances to win the games we have lost. Literally - are you ****ing mental?! 

Because the warning signs are fast becoming potential writing on the wall…. He’s already point blank refused to adapt “if the fans don’t like it when tough” which is pretty much what he said. We’ve just drawn to a team and club on its arse, it’s comfortably the worst performance I’ve watched in some time. It’s worrying, because the stakes are too high not to go up, the future of this football club could well hang on this season, if it goes wrong, we’re ****ed. 

[An Away Move]

3 minutes ago, Daggers said:

This thread is amply demonstrating the other reason why I don’t go to matches anymore. Imagine having to sit next to some of these ***** for 90 minutes. 

Exactly. It is totally embarrassing. 

[Hammo]

1 minute ago, goose2010 said:

Or 43 from 18 which is one of the best starts in the championship ever. 

 

We will get sussed out and it's about how you adjust and adapt. We have tweaked bits and then rotated. 

 

The system will not change so it's about getting the players to buy into it. 

 

Some still aren't up to it and that is obvious. 

The tweaks we need are obvious. Be bolder and braver with the passing in midfield and move the ball forwards faster (to catch their defence out of position).

 

Not even trying to score a second goal cost us two precious points tonight. The longer it went on the more complacent and sloppy we became and the more likely it seemed that Wednesday would punish us. Which of course is what happened.

[Sol thewall Bamba]

There's an arrogance creeping in to our approach to games which I don't like one bit.

[An Away Move]

1 minute ago, Pliskin said:

Because the warning signs are fast becoming potential writing on the wall…. He’s already point blank refused to adapt “if the fans don’t like it when tough” which is pretty much what he said. We’ve just drawn to a team and club on its arse, it’s comfortably the worst performance I’ve watched in some time. It’s worrying, because the stakes are too high not to go up, the future of this football club could well hang on this season, if it goes wrong, we’re ****ed. 

He’s right. Most of our fans are idiots - as demonstrated by the shrill anti-Maresca comments on this forum tonight. 

[Lillehamring]

16 minutes ago, Marshall Cockney Fox said:

It's the passive nature of the football which worries me. It's the unswerving belief that if you retain possession long enough. An opportunity will evolve / present itself. I don't think so Enzo! You have to make it happen by asking questions of the opposition. At times we play like it's a mates 5 a side game. Cantering around. No urgency, turning away from a progressive pass, favouring the easy and simple.  Tempo and ideas need to seriously increase otherwise our points advantage will be home by January. 

Do you honestly think that enzo sent them out at half time saying: 'whatever you do please don't score anymore goals; no - don't even try!'

 

Apart from some sloppy play at the start, and the inevitable hail mary from the opposition at the end, we completely controlled the game tonight - the problem was our inability to get the ball in the box - and it wasn't because we didn't think we needed to, it was because the players simply couldn't make the right decisions or play the right ball.

[goose2010]

2 minutes ago, Daggers said:

This thread is amply demonstrating the other reason why I don’t go to matches anymore. Imagine having to sit next to some of these ***** for 90 minutes. 

If this thread is a a slice of the demographic that goes to the games you can see why atmosphere is crap.

 

 

 

 

[don_danbury]

just post that simpsons gif. 

[An Away Move]

Just now, Sol thewall Bamba said:

There's an arrogance creeping in to our approach to games which I don't like one bit.

There’s an arrogance in our fan base being so down on a manager with Leicester top of the league with one of the best starts in the league’s history. 

[RowlattsFox]

Just now, An Away Move said:

He’s right. Most of our fans are idiots - as demonstrated by the shrill anti-Maresca comments on this forum tonight. 

Is criticism not allowed? Not seen a single post suggesting Enzo out or anything. Just criticism of a performance and tactics, and suggestions for change. 

[goose2010]

2 minutes ago, Hammo said:

The tweaks we need are obvious. Be bolder and braver with the passing in midfield and move the ball forwards faster (to catch their defence out of position).

 

Not even trying to score a second goal cost us two precious points tonight. The longer it went on the more complacent and sloppy we became and the more likely it seemed that Wednesday would punish us. Which of course is what happened.

The final third needs to be improved. Bravery for me inst the issue it's the wastefulness once the front 4 get it. 

 

 

[Marshall Cockney Fox]

Just now, Lillehamring said:

Do you honestly think that enzo sent them out at half time saying: 'whatever you do please don't score anymore goals; no - don't even try!'

 

Apart from some sloppy play at the start, and the inevitable hail mary from the opposition at the end, we completely controlled the game tonight - the problem was our inability to get the ball in the box - and it wasn't because we didn't think we needed to, it was because the players simply couldn't make the right decisions or play the right ball.

My comment is not entirely about tonight. It's a general comment on our lack of tempo and urgency in possession across matches. We are simply too passive and don't ask enough questions. We don't create enough good chances as we are so wedded to the cult of 'keep ball'

[Steve Earle]

So, anybody up to talking tactics yet, in the tactics thread?

[Blue-fox]

2 minutes ago, An Away Move said:

There’s an arrogance in our fan base being so down on a manager with Leicester top of the league with one of the best starts in the league’s history. 

Do you enjoy the sideways, ponderous passing? There’s a place for that kind of play, and that’s after a fast start and being 2 goals up after 60 mins.