Tactics Under Maresca

[Muzzy_no7]

4 hours ago, Chelmofox said:

So the deal is the manager has to win every match, otherwise he is shite?

Nope. But you already knew that was the answer. 

[DJ Barry Hammond]

2 minutes ago, Chelmofox said:

The poster was directly referencing this match. I am not pretending everything has been perfect, but so far the evidence suggests more has been done right vs wrong. 

Yes… but I think he errr’d not making a change.

 

Up to 60 we looked comfortable enough, but had begun to get stuck in our own half a bit - a ‘freshen’ was needed, although what that substitution would be was tough - because I’d agree we didn’t have many appealing options on the bench.

 

The other disappointment was how we blatantly switched off immediately after their substitution.
 

I was about to post in the match chat “important moment to keep focus here” because it’s always a possibility - I just didn’t expect it to be straight away. 

[Mickyblueeyes]

The criticism of Enzo is unfair. Even more so given he is dealing with a poor owner/board and a disastrous DOF. 
 

it’s one defeat with special circumstances

[Dahnsouff]

8 minutes ago, DJ Barry Hammond said:

Yes… but I think he errr’d not making a change.

 

Up to 60 we looked comfortable enough, but had begun to get stuck in our own half a bit - a ‘freshen’ was needed, although what that substitution would be was tough - because I’d agree we didn’t have many appealing options on the bench.

 

The other disappointment was how we blatantly switched off immediately after their substitution.
 

I was about to post in the match chat “important moment to keep focus here” because it’s always a possibility - I just didn’t expect it to be straight away. 

Was thinking we would need an earlier than normal sub, but beyond Hamza, I just couldn’t see who is available and could help tbh

I am not at all interested with the reactionary posts, as  nobody wants us to lose but although we aren’t managers, if people think something isn’t good enough, they must have an idea what could have prevented the observed failure, or is that unreasonable ?  

[Aleksz]

It was one split second of Abdul Fatawu madness that cost us that yesterday. And yeah I get it, our egos are bruised losing to those rotters down the road… but it was literally one action that cost us the game. You’ve all surely watched enough of us this season to know what happens when we go 1-0 up normally and you’d all have a totally different outlook on life today. Wasn’t Enzo’s fault. Bury it, it’s gone. It was gone the moment Abdul left the floor with two feet. Onto next week.

[DJ Barry Hammond]

1 minute ago, Dahnsouff said:

Was thinking we would need an earlier than normal sub, but beyond Hamza, I just couldn’t see who is available and could help tbh

I am not at all interested with the reactionary posts, as  nobody wants us to lose but although we aren’t managers, if people think something isn’t good enough, they must have an idea what could have prevented the observed failure, or is that unreasonable ?  

I was saying at half-time… what do we do here? 
 

My hunch was Mav right, KDH left, in a 4 man midfield. 
 

The lack of striker on the bench was an issue - even with 11 vs 11 you’ll likely want to change Cannon at some point. 
 

I feel the McAteer sub ended up just reducing his options further still.

[Dahnsouff]

1 minute ago, DJ Barry Hammond said:

I was saying at half-time… what do we do here? 
 

My hunch was Mav right, KDH left, in a 4 man midfield. 
 

The lack of striker on the bench was an issue - even with 11 vs 11 you’ll likely want to change Cannon at some point. 
 

I feel the McAteer sub ended up just reducing his options further still.

Perhaps Marc as he has some positional flexibility, but even then we would still have no out ball once Cannon needs an inevitable early bath, also cannot help but think Yunus would have bullied quite badly. We are lighter in quality than the table would suggest I fear.

[DJ Barry Hammond]

Just now, Dahnsouff said:

Perhaps Marc as he has some positional flexibility, but even then we would still have no out ball once Cannon needs an inevitable early bath, also cannot help but think Yunus would have bullied quite badly. We are lighter in quality than the table would suggest I fear.

Yep, especially in midfield - which is why I’m not against Casadei because he’s at least a unit.

 

I know nothing of this Sensi we’ve been linked with except that he’s 5ft 6’ - and that doesn’t exactly sell him to me.

[Chelmofox]

12 minutes ago, DJ Barry Hammond said:

I was saying at half-time… what do we do here? 
 

My hunch was Mav right, KDH left, in a 4 man midfield. 
 

The lack of striker on the bench was an issue - even with 11 vs 11 you’ll likely want to change Cannon at some point. 
 

I feel the McAteer sub ended up just reducing his options further still.

Kasey was the gamble. I presume the thinking was that he he was a bit more adaptable to playing in midfield as we narrowed, being able to track back and moving forward if needed. Mavididi has been good at that though, but i presume some of the thinking was protecting him for the future games where we won't have Fatawu. Agree with Dahnsouff though that the only other glaring change was bringing on Hamza. Noone else offered much else. 

 

There is part of me that thought that Faes was doing too much of the running for Vesty. Maybe Coady for Vestergaard to freshen up the defence might have been an option, as Vestergaard was looking very leggy towards the end. But when you look at the rest that would have been likely to be used (Praet, Sharky and Yunus), i don't think much offered anything different.

Edited 14 January by Chelmofox

[DJ Barry Hammond]

That is a problem with ‘system’ managers in that they quite often build squads that fit their system - but that often leaves you with like for like substitutions and little tactical flexibility.

 

Look at Ten Hag today as another example of that.

 

Yesterday did make me think back to one of the best performances I’ve seen us pull off with 10-men; the draw(?) against Newcastle, at home, in the Championship.

 

If I recall correctly, Pearson decided to keep two up front, deciding instead to go 3 at the back and we continued to dominate. 
 

Edit: It may have been a draw because I tried to look it up. 
 

Wellens got sent-off on 30 minutes.

Edited 14 January by DJ Barry Hammond

[RonnieTodger]

The proud comment was a bit strange. We had 10 men for 45 minutes and shipped three goals. 

[coolhandfox]

21 minutes ago, RonnieTodger said:

The proud comment was a bit strange. We had 10 men for 45 minutes and shipped three goals. 

Not really, he thought the lads gave it their all, so probably proud of their effort and commitment.

 

 

[fuchsntf]

1 hour ago, Mickyblueeyes said:

The criticism of Enzo is unfair. Even more so given he is dealing with a poor owner/board and a disastrous DOF. 
 

it’s one defeat with special circumstances

Yes.. I actually think  many fans, 

are seeking answers, solutions to rhe

Rarity of a defeat and over thinking the situation.. Enzo didn't come up with his usual magic this weekend and tended to go against the grain going into what seemed an immediate defensive mode. 

 We took a bit of a slap that stings.. 

Well done Mr Robin's, our local lads may hurt more.. Somebody will have to suffer because of it. 

[Tom12345]

23 hours ago, StriderHiryu said:

Very nicely put. I think that's the point I was trying to make, but not so eloquently.

 

Even the best teams will get unlucky at some point, or put in a stinker. But it does seem that just one thing makes us give up. This is still pretty early in the Enzo project, but for example, after we conceded I thought the loss was coming. Heads dropped instead of having the warrior mentality.

 

When we won the title, we had an away game at Arsenal, which we lost! But in that game, despite going a man down and then conceding for 1-1, the team played like lions. Players literally throwing themselves at the ball, Schmeichel in full brick wall mode. Even after the game Thierry Henry an Arsenal legend said that Leicester were the team that played like Champions, despite losing. Today for 44 minutes I felt we also played like Champions, going away to a local rival in amazing form and a raucous atmosphere, kept our heads and took the lead through playing our way of playing. But afterwards, we didn't play with belief. Enzo himself looked like he was shitting bricks on the sideline.

 

All that said, to instil such belief is extremely hard. I do a lot of coaching myself and I can't say it's something I'm able to instil, and I have tried it! Is it more a case of building a team of the right mental characteristics, like Simeone at Atletico? I am sure wiser men that men will have an opinion!

 

 

Quite simply put, it is the same with Rodgers. He emphasised “control” as well though he is even more conservative than Enzo. I don’t want us to go down the same path as Rodgers took us mentally.

 

You used Klopp as an example and I agree with that. He once said something to the effect that he never wants his team to take the foot off the pedal. Winning or losing, he wants them to play the same way because it is important to build mentality and consistency. This is why I really don’t like it when people speak of learning how to “grind” games off when we are winning - that is actually building towards a loser mentality. Play your football and let the rest take care of itself.

 

If we start having to “manage” games when winning, we are learning to switch off. If we overdo this, we learn to be afraid. That then eats into your mentality - see Rodgers.

[justfoxes]

5 hours ago, DJ Barry Hammond said:

I was saying at half-time… what do we do here? 
 

My hunch was Mav right, KDH left, in a 4 man midfield. 
 

The lack of striker on the bench was an issue - even with 11 vs 11 you’ll likely want to change Cannon at some point. 
 

I feel the McAteer sub ended up just reducing his options further still.

I thought Mavadidi could double up as a striker would of preferred him slightly upfront in a middle 4 Albrighton coming on for cas would have given us a bit more ability to cross those pin perfect crosses bought Coady or Doyle on to sure up defence maybe replaced JJ but thought we could have done something more positive ?

 

 

[WoodyFox]

Thought it was a bit odd he didn't go with Choudhury against Ipswich to help see the game out but brought him on for our only attacking player at 1-1 on Saturday.

[Finnegan]

8 minutes ago, WoodyFox said:

Thought it was a bit odd he didn't go with Choudhury against Ipswich to help see the game out but brought him on for our only attacking player at 1-1 on Saturday.

 

It's not odd at all, it's over correcting. Lots of us do it all the time. 

 

You make a mistake so you swing a hard opposite the other way to adjust and make another mistake. 

 

Brendan Rodgers used to do it all the time. Maresca didn't bring Hamza on, we concede a late goal, so now we're under pressure so brings on Hamza and goes far too defensive without an out and invites the pressure. 

 

The difference, hopefully, is that Rodgers was a seasoned and experienced manager who should have known better where as Maresca is a rookie manager who has currently been with us longer than he's been in any other senior managerial position. 

 

I've got no issue with people fvcking up, whoever they are and whatever they do. It's the inability to learn that frustrates. If Enzo keeps making mistakes like that every time he faces pressure he'll have a difficult career. But he seems like a very intelligent and very studious man so hopefully that won't be the case. 

 

Edited 15 January by Finnegan

[Blanchflower78]

We'd defended well up until the first goal. However it was a half literally of defending, felt at times like little desire to try and search for a second which was most dissapointing for me. Faes also despite having a great game sadly stood off Ohare instead of closing him down leaving a simple strike at goal. Noise levels whipped up and we were on the ropes. 

 

Have to agree though with those stating we looked second best for the most part in first 45. Loving the Enzo season were having but it's very passive and quite predictable now. Just hope second half of season doesn't see us being combated much easier as could make what many think is a formality much more challenging. 

[fuchsntf]

1 hour ago, Finnegan said:

 

It's not odd at all, it's over correcting. Lots of us do it all the time. 

 

You make a mistake so you swing a hard opposite the other way to adjust and make another mistake. 

 

Brendan Rodgers used to do it all the time. Maresca didn't bring Hamza on, we concede a late goal, so now we're under pressure so brings on Hamza and goes far too defensive without an out and invites the pressure. 

 

The difference, hopefully, is that Rodgers was a seasoned and experienced manager who should have known better where as Maresca is a rookie manager who has currently been with us longer than he's been in any other senior managerial position. 

 

I've got no issue with people fvcking up, whoever they are and whatever they do. It's the inability to learn that frustrates. If Enzo keeps making mistakes like that every time he faces pressure he'll have a difficult career. But he seems like a very intelligent and very studious man so hopefully that won't be the case. 

 

 most balanced post of the weekend, though others have  also lent in this direction.. 

The part on the Rookie manager is what all fans have to hold and keep in our minds...

Guys like e colleion of L'pool managers, and Revie took that moment and has they say, 

"the rest is history" 

 

Even if we still have a few bumps before us.. His first season has been

fantastic, if one wants to go there.

Even oveachieved.. 

Those of us that ride in the positive lane, couldn't forsee this ride Marasca

has given us.. The System idea, the Squad, Enzo molding the squad into the system and getting an immediate transition, the players knit in has a team and individuals, and Enzo oversaw that every squad member and slotting in Academy players, that all got gametime.

 

Nobody a failure, Enzo nurtured and nursed the ones that needed more gametime. The challenges and tests are far from over we are just in the middle of the beginning, and Leicester with Enzo could be in the midst of the mist at the borders of a new Era for club and his Career.. 

 

For me, we should relax sit back and enjoy... Though it shouldn't stop fans, questioning, even throwing in GameDay critic, opinions, or perspectives. So long as they hold a balance and accept we are far away from being the finished product... Plus our future financial situation, will play a massive role. 

 

Let's first enjoy the challenge of getting the job seen to, and not underestimate, our present players for  future challenges... 

 

Edited 15 January by fuchsntf

[SecretPro]

Can't understand why Maresca won't give 90% of the stadium what they want

 

LUMP IT FORWARD

 

HIT IT

 

GET RID OF IT

 

It's not like we are top of the league with a potentially record breaking points total on the horizon or anything.

[Mark]

I can’t express enough how much I hate this new tactic of the defender passing the goalkeeper the ball and everyone stands and watches. Can’t wait till some opposition finds a solution that everyone copies and it ends

[Tuna]

I wouldn't have taken Cannon off personally, and I would have taken McAteer off sooner, he should have scored a tap in to make it 2-0 and we win.

[LFox99]

Keeping Choudhury on for this long is just suicide, he won't ever get you out of trouble with a clever pass or a cute dribble when we're under pressure.

[Blue-fox]

Poor in game management. Again. We were crying out for fresh legs 

[honeybradger]

1 minute ago, Mark said:

I can’t express enough how much I hate this new tactic of the defender passing the goalkeeper the ball and everyone stands and watches. Can’t wait till some opposition finds a solution that everyone copies and it ends

Ispwich used it as an opportunity to line up their press. We think we're "inviting them on to us" but 5 seconds later theyre breathing on Hermansen's neck with no passes available to him.