Tactics Under Maresca

[kingfox]

Thought he sounded far too comfortable in his post match interview with Sky last night, came across as borderline arrogance with a “Everything will be fine” approach, something which we saw last season with certain players, that ended up biting us on the arse. 
 

What I did agree with though is him pinpointing the midfield out as being “tired”. He stated we needed something different in the midfield in the last 10-15 minutes, we needed to refresh it and find a solution. 
 

It was pretty evident in the latter part of the game that Winks & Ricardo were getting overrun. Even though Ipswich weren’t still creating a lot, the warning signs were there that an equaliser was potentially coming. Faes & Vestergaard were starting to get more exposed too, as Ipswich began to play through our midfield far too easily. 
 

I said on the post match thread last night, from 70 minutes onwards we well and truly saw our weak points. If we end up getting promoted, those weak points would become even more exposed in the Premier League. 
 

This is where the midfield comes into question and with what Enzo highlighted, finding a different solution.

 

Is Sensi the simple answer to the problem or do we need more?
 

As good as Winks has been, especially in possession, do we need an alternative to him? The more I watch him in the latter part of games, the more I think that we won’t get away with him as the DM should we get promoted. 

[Lionator]

If Casadei was there last night then we win that. The first 70 minutes was great because we didn't give them a sniff in midfield. Then the fresh legs came on and Ricardo and Winks were chasing shadows. We needed that extra man and didn't have it. It's why getting Sensi in before Swansea (preferbly Birmingham) is imperative.

[Haywood_6]

The last 20 minutes of that game last night - we looked knackered. We had a slender lead but we were running out of steam. Why not bring on another defender to help see the game out? Why not take off Hamzah or Winks when they are flagging? I do like Enzo and he's done a great job so far but why is he so reluctant to use all of his substitutions.  The fact Ndidi is out for the season with his energy and ability to get around the pitch is a massive loss. We need to bring at least one midfielder in to try and prevent getting overrun in midfield.  We're still in a great position but I wouldn't be surprised if we lose a bit of ground and the promotion race goes down to the wire.

[Beachyboy]

19 minutes ago, Lionator said:

If Casadei was there last night then we win that. The first 70 minutes was great because we didn't give them a sniff in midfield. Then the fresh legs came on and Ricardo and Winks were chasing shadows. We needed that extra man and didn't have it. It's why getting Sensi in before Swansea (preferbly Birmingham) is imperative.

That'll be the same Casadei that came on that failed to track the runner for the boxing day equaliser I presume?

[LVFox]

I thought we were excellent first half yesterday. Enzo went man for man on Ipswich and it completely worked. They are a team that try to create spaces and we completely stopped that. It was hugely impressive.

 

2nd half, McKenna also showed why he's highly rated and bravely decided to go super aggressive on the press.

 

We didn't cope with this, we went aimlessly long far too many times and lacked the balls to back ourselves and play through it. It completely gave control of the 2nd half to Ipswich.

 

McKenna also played his subs wisely and this is an area that Enzo needs to improve. I can understand him not trusting our depth, but he has to do so in these situations. Ricardo, Winks and Hamza looked shot from about the 70th minute and they clogged the midfield by operating without a striker.

 

Enzo, like our entire side, is a work in progress, but I still see far more to get excited about than to be worried of. I'm still convinced he's working with a squad that doesn't fully operate his ideas to their potential. 

[Gazza M]

We look knackered in the last 20 mins of recent matches because we have been challenged and had to chase the ball more.

 

For me the midfield needs a fresh injection, but the defence is far from sound recently also. 

 

I would put Faes back on his comfortable right and drop Vestergaard and Justin who is only in to accommodate the Vestergaard lack of pace. I would bring in Coady to play the quarterback role and Doyle in as a natural left footed CB for Birmingham and carry it on to Swansea if all goes well.

 

And FFS think outside of the box once in a while Enzo. It's as though we are a table football side at times. 

 

Finally the club has been shite in the last Jan windows. We need a couple of midfield reinforcements this week. 

 

 

[Aleksz]

12 minutes ago, Gazza M said:

We look knackered in the last 20 mins of recent matches because we have been challenged and had to chase the ball more.

 

For me the midfield needs a fresh injection, but the defence is far from sound recently also. 

 

I would put Faes back on his comfortable right and drop Vestergaard and Justin who is only in to accommodate the Vestergaard lack of pace. I would bring in Coady to play the quarterback role and Doyle in as a natural left footed CB for Birmingham and carry it on to Swansea if all goes well.

 

And FFS think outside of the box once in a while Enzo. It's as though we are a table football side at times. 

 

Finally the club has been shite in the last Jan windows. We need a couple of midfield reinforcements this week. 

 

 

Literally the best player on the pitch last night. Christ this thread can be mind numbing after we even remotely drop points.

Edited 23 January by Aleksz

[Clever Fox]

After a superb first half what disappoints me is Enzo's failure to adjust the team tactically for the second half.

 

He has to learn to anticipate what the opposition might or might not do in the second half as that's where our problems lay recently.

 

It's nieve to think that the opposition wont adapt and try something new when they've been outplayed first half.

 

We definitely need new Blood to insure we get over the line.

[JJD_LCFC]

Enzo has a modern mindset of coaching about him. I have to be mindful that the game has changed a lot over the last 35 years since I have been watching. But modern day coaches now seem to only have a plan A and stick to this. All is great when plan A works but when it is not successful there are clear areas for concern.

 

The Subs - Why are the subs always like for like?

Why do we always have to play out from the back to invite pressure when winning? This invites more pressure and we have conceded late goals in 7 matches this season.

What has happened to playing with 2 strikers, or giving the opposition something to think about.

Why can't we play a channel ball anymore and possibly win a throw in just to relieve pressure for a few moments. 

Defenders and even goal keepers are not primarily defenders or goal keepers any more. They are thought of as the first line of attack to build up the play. Which in theory is great but the ultimate role is to defend and keep a clean sheet. A good block, dominant defensive header, tackling, all seems to be secondary to the ability to passing the ball. 

 

We are still in a great position but Enzo has a lot to learn, Pep can get away with these things because every player is worth 50 million in his team, we will not have that luxury.  

 

 

 

 

[moore_94]

Disappointing to see a few speaking so certain about Enzo and that he will never change etc.

 

He hasn’t even managed 50 senior games in his career yet, of course he is going to be making some mistakes, it absolutely does not mean that it is it for him and he will forever continue to make those mistakes

 

Going to be very interesting if/when we go up and if we go into a sticky patch - stick with him through it or rip everything up and have to start again completely (I already know there are people who will call for his head very quickly anyway unfortunately)

Edited 23 January by moore_94

[davieG]

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/match-reports/enzo-maresca-knows-what-wrong-9052090

 

Enzo Maresca knows what is wrong for Leicester City but transfer issue blurs troubling trend
Analysis of Leicester City's 1-1 draw with Ipswich, looking at Maresca's post-match comments, another late goal conceded, the performance as a whole, and the Championship promotion race

ByJordan Blackwell
11:31, 23 JAN 2024UPDATED13:04, 23 JAN 2024

Enzo Maresca didn’t explicitly say Leicester City drew with Ipswich because they’ve not signed a midfielder but he very clearly implied that’s what he thought.

City were tired in midfield in the final 15 minutes, he said, and it was from a central area that Ipswich forced their 89th-minute equaliser. He expressed his surprise that Cesare Casadei had been recalled by Chelsea and hoped for a replacement in the transfer window. He spoke of needing “something different in the middle”, a “solution” to refresh his team.

All of the pieces of the jigsaw were there for those reading and listening to his comments to come to the conclusion that, had City been active in the transfer market before now, they’d be sitting 10 points clear at the top of the Championship table having just beaten one of their promotion rivals.

 

Maresca is right that a loss of control in midfield made a difference. City’s possession in the first 75 minutes stood at 58 per cent. For the final 15 minutes, it dropped to 48 per cent. The game was being stretched and the defenders were having to make last-ditch blocks and clearances.

When on the ball, the midfielders weren’t making themselves an option for the back four, meaning City were finding it more difficult to break out of their own half. In the first 75 minutes, 29 per cent of City’s passes were to men in their own defensive third. That figure rose to 38 per cent in the final 15 minutes. It’s a subtle difference, but one that shows why Ipswich were able to build more pressure late on.

Maresca recognised all of this, but his point seemed to be that he could not do anything about it. Ipswich had made a raft of changes to freshen up their side, Kieran McKenna having changed four of his front six with 20 minutes still to play. Maresca didn’t make a substitute until the 81st minute.

Even then, it felt like he reluctantly brought Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall off. The midfielder, who had been an injury concern prior to the match, was allowed to reach a point where he was totally flagging before being withdrawn. Without Wilfred Ndidi or Casadei to call upon, Maresca brought on Yunus Akgun, a tidy player who scurries around with enthusiasm, but who doesn’t impose himself on matches. That perhaps explains why Maresca took so long to make the change.

City could still win enough games to get promoted even if they don’t sign any players before the month’s out, but to win every match, as many expect them to, they need to have a manager who totally trusts his squad and feels he has the players to cope with any scenario. Unless they sign a new midfielder – and it’s Stefano Sensi that Maresca really wants – then they don’t have that.

 

 

Concerning trend blurred – but no definitive explanation
But is this all a convenient excuse, designed to blur the fact it’s another late goal conceded? Maybe. Certainly, there’s a concerning trend, one that has come out of the blue.

In the first 15 Championship games of the season, City didn’t concede a goal in the final half-hour of matches, never mind the final 15 minutes. When it came to the latter stages, their dominance of the ball only grew, and the tiredness of the opposition allowed them to profit.

In the 13 league fixtures since then, nine of the 13 goals they’ve let in have come in the final quarter of an hour. In five of the past six matches in which they’ve led by a goal going into the 75th minute, they have conceded an equaliser. It equates to nine dropped points.

For Maresca, this time was different. After the late goal conceded at West Brom (a game in which City were able to score an even later winner), he said his team needed to be more “gritty” as the final whistle approached. Asked on Monday night if that was again the problem, he said not. At Sheffield Wednesday, at West Brom, and in the reverse fixture against Ipswich it was the issue, but Maresca reiterated that midfield tiredness was at fault this time.

That seems fair. All of City’s back four put in a flying block in the latter stages. They could not have been accused of wilting or lacking determination.

Maybe game management is the issue. Supporters have been expressing concerns with how Maresca has handled the late stages of games in recent weeks. The style of play has been called into question, with frustrations over a lack of attacking endeavour and a seeming preference for seeing out victories with incessant passing at the back that has led to joy for the opposition when they press high.

But there’s no suggestion Maresca wants his team to play that way. Yes, he would rather them keep the ball than punt it up the pitch, but he would also rather his team move it into forward areas.

It’s not as if City sat back on their lead for the whole of the second half. They had six shots to the visitors’ eight after the interval, but they had a higher number of big chances. Both teams had three shots on target in the second half, and that doesn’t include the James Justin header that was cleared off the line.

There have been concerns too about Maresca’s substitutes. While he may not have the trust in his squad he would like, and the Ipswich equaliser may have only come after the subs were made, it did feel like he could have been more proactive in his changes.

Yunus is not the ideal man to bring on in midfield in a battle like that, but he was only introduced once the momentum had swung Ipswich’s way. Maresca was reacting, rather than anticipating. That’s not always a problem, but it was here.

Maybe Marc Albrighton could have been introduced earlier. Kasey McAteer had gone down with cramp and still played on for more than five minutes before he was taken off. What about Dennis Praet? Could he not have been called upon?

Maybe it’s all psychological. Having conceded a last-minute equaliser at Sheffield Wednesday at the end of November, perhaps the ghosts of seasons past are now haunting City players and nerves are getting the better of them.

Perhaps it’s arrogance. Maybe City have won so many games this season that they feel they can confidently sit on a one-goal advantage and get to the final whistle unscathed.

There’s not any one reason that stands out as being the definitive explanation, but that it’s become a trend does suggest it’s a problem that needs addressing. Maresca and his players do need to look inward and analyse themselves.

 

 

Late goal shouldn't overshadow very good performance
All of the above should have been irrelevant though. Because City deserved to be out of sight before they wobbled in the final 15 minutes.

They produced one of their best opening halves of the season, controlling possession and territory, crafting a lovely goal, and pushing for more. The narrative appears to be that City dropped off completely in the second period, but for half an hour, they were still the better team. Justin and Stephy Mavididi had efforts blocked near the goal-line, Tom Cannon volleyed over and stung the fingertips of Vaclav Hladky, the man-of-the-match goalkeeper diving at the feet of McAteer to deny the winger as well.

They did go for it. To say they took the lead and then thought one goal would be enough ignores the 45 minutes after Leif Davis’s own goal where City pushed for a second.

It did feel like deja vu and a repeat of events at Portman Road. But on Boxing Day, City were second-best throughout the second half. They allowed Ipswich to build pressure over a longer period. Here, they were comfortably the better team for 75 minutes, when it all then got a little ragged and a little frantic in midfield and at the back. Even then, they only conceded two shots on target in the final 15 minutes, the goal and the effort that led to it.

Analyse the whole match, and this was the good performance in a big game that fans have been craving. It just didn’t end in victory.

 

 

No need to analyse City by Premier League standards
So often when City have failed to win this season, and even in some cases where they have grabbed three points, there have been suggestions that they will get torn to shreds in the Premier League playing the way they are. But that’s a worry for another day.

City’s performances in the Championship cannot be considered on Premier League terms. If City do go up, there are likely to be a good handful of transfers that will mean the line-up looks rather different next season. With a full summer to work with his players, Maresca may tweak his gameplan for a more difficult league.

Right now, the objective is to win the Championship, not to get ready for the Premier League. There’s three months to do that if and when they do have a P next to their name in the standings.

City still in charge of table despite dropped points
And it still looks rather good for City. Yes, the cushion to Southampton in third has been cut by five points in the space of two matches, but across the whole of the Saints’ 20-game unbeaten run, they have only picked up three more points than City have. If both teams record the same results over the final 18 matches, City still finish above them.

The gap to Ipswich remains at seven points. That’s one more than it was after the Boxing Day draw with the Tractor Boys.

Even with the nine points City have dropped in the final 15 minutes of games since late November, they have still comfortably held on to top spot in the division. There is definitely no need for panic.

[Chelmofox]

9 minutes ago, moore_94 said:

Disappointing to see a few speaking so certain about Enzo and that he will never change etc.

 

He hasn’t even managed 50 senior games in his career yet, of course he is going to be making some mistakes, it absolutely does not mean that it is for him and he will forever continue to make those mistakes

 

Going to be very interesting if/when we go up and if we go into a sticky patch - stick with him through it or rip everything up and have to start again completely (I already know there are people who will call for his head very quickly anyway unfortunately)

He has shown plenty of times how he has been able to tweak and adapt, but the 'change' part is usually referring to ripping up the process and doing something else entirely. As fans we are too quick to assume that 'something else' is always the answer.  I genuinely didn't think Ipswich would score yesterday, but wasn't surprised (and was pissed off!) when they did. We can argue about late, or like for like subs, but at the end of the day that manager is calling this is a scenario where it was working.  Overly tinker at 60 mins and its likely his assumption is that its makes the situation worse. This is where he is learning, and sometimes there isn't a right answer. 

 

I do feel he doesn't trust the bench too much. It slightly peterbs me that he isn't playing Coady at all in the league, but then replacing Vesty for him likely wouldn't change anything and its his prerogative to play what he thinks is the strongest line up.

 

What i find odd is saying the last 2 games is  'the wheels coming off'. Can you imagine this forum if we had Leeds form over the christmas period!

[Number 6]

Agree on the points regarding looking a bit tired. Enzo rotated players much more early on in the season but seems to have found his preferred 11 that he will select if available. Perhaps needs to look at minor, regular rotation, rather than 5 or 6 players at a time when there are 2 games in a few days. 

[An Away Move]

1 hour ago, moore_94 said:

Disappointing to see a few speaking so certain about Enzo and that he will never change etc.

 

He hasn’t even managed 50 senior games in his career yet, of course he is going to be making some mistakes, it absolutely does not mean that it is it for him and he will forever continue to make those mistakes

 

Going to be very interesting if/when we go up and if we go into a sticky patch - stick with him through it or rip everything up and have to start again completely (I already know there are people who will call for his head very quickly anyway unfortunately)

I’ve seen enough from our fan base to know that they won’t show Enzo any patience through a Premier League sticky patch. Loads of them are on his back after a start beyond their wildest dreams in terms of results. Hopefully the owners will stick with him long term because firing him after investing so much in him will be a disaster. 

Edited 23 January by An Away Move

[john ridley]

Regarding  form ,look at Ipswich over the last 6/7games .Can you imagine  on here if we'd  had that .I think it'll be  close from now and till the end of the season but I think we'll jus have enough based on our first half season form .

[An Away Move]

1 hour ago, Chelmofox said:

He has shown plenty of times how he has been able to tweak and adapt, but the 'change' part is usually referring to ripping up the process and doing something else entirely. As fans we are too quick to assume that 'something else' is always the answer.  I genuinely didn't think Ipswich would score yesterday, but wasn't surprised (and was pissed off!) when they did. We can argue about late, or like for like subs, but at the end of the day that manager is calling this is a scenario where it was working.  Overly tinker at 60 mins and its likely his assumption is that its makes the situation worse. This is where he is learning, and sometimes there isn't a right answer. 

 

I do feel he doesn't trust the bench too much. It slightly peterbs me that he isn't playing Coady at all in the league, but then replacing Vesty for him likely wouldn't change anything and its his prerogative to play what he thinks is the strongest line up.

 

What i find odd is saying the last 2 games is  'the wheels coming off'. Can you imagine this forum if we had Leeds form over the christmas period!

Coady doesn’t look very good from what I’ve seen of him playing for us. 

[CrispinLA in Texas]

29 minutes ago, An Away Move said:

Coady doesn’t look very good from what I’ve seen of him playing for us. 

He was s**t on his loan to Everton.......no wonder Everton didn't want to buy him and Wolves didn't want to keep him 

[goose2010]

43 minutes ago, An Away Move said:

I’ve seen enough from our fan base to know that they won’t show Enzo any patience through a Premier League sticky patch. Loads of them are on his back after a start beyond their wildest dreams in terms of results. Hopefully the owners will stick with him long term because firing him after investing so much in him will be a disaster. 

i imagine if you surveyed our fan base there would be a lot that wouldnt care if he left tomorrow. 

 

He is setting the foundations for the club and like you said he needs backing by us the fans and by the board (where poss with FFP) it isn't his fault the club is in a mess financially. 

[Aleksz]

You've got to laugh at the moans and discontent as the ball goes backwards only to be all standing on their feet cheering 20 passes later.

[filbertway]

I'd have just started the clip on 1:58.

[Daggers]

1 hour ago, An Away Move said:

I’ve seen enough from our fan base to know that they won’t show Enzo any patience through a Premier League sticky patch. Loads of them are on his back after a start beyond their wildest dreams in terms of results. Hopefully the owners will stick with him long term because firing him after investing so much in him will be a disaster. 

Most never wanted to back him in the first place - just remember all the comments about booting it forward and attacking intent, I’m convinced most of our support actively want him to fail.

[lcfcsnow]

43 minutes ago, Aleksz said:

You've got to laugh at the moans and discontent as the ball goes backwards only to be all standing on their feet cheering 20 passes later.

Problem is we're always trying to score the perfect goal, all well and good keeping the ball but not every goal has to come after a certain amount of passes. We're limiting ourselves and turning down opportunities to score in different ways and lately being punished for it.

[Steve Earle]

I'm not a fan of playing with a left-footed right winger AND a left-footed inside right as we did last night. I don't think it suits KDH at all as he's only able to move, crab-like, across the pitch. Not once did he make the Ndidi run to the byline for McAteer, because (obviously) he wouldn't be able to cross the ball with his right if he did. And what on earth was the point of McAteer, apart from as a recycler of the ball (I'm not being rhetorical, and assume the answer is he was thought to be the best equipped players to deal with Davis), from an offensive perspective? I'm not going to get on Enzo's back, but to leave Albrighton on the bench until McAteer cramped seemed like a substitution 20-30 mins too late.

 

I don't think tactics was the issue last night but game management, and the limited ability of some players to execute, was. KDH, JJ and Hamza gave the ball away time and time again. None are lovers of the football, however much they offer in other areas.

Edited 23 January by Steve Earle

[DJ Barry Hammond]

4 minutes ago, lcfcsnow said:

Problem is we're always trying to score the perfect goal, all well and good keeping the ball but not every goal has to come after a certain amount of passes. We're limiting ourselves and turning down opportunities to score in different ways and lately being punished for it.

You could argue that within that sequence it’s disappointing that Faes plays a defence splitting pass to McAteer that gets him in behind Ipswich’s back line, only for Kasey to not really have any option other than to cut back inside. 
 

Even the goal at the end, we get in behind, have numbers in the box, but it’s only their defender that attacks the 6 yard box.

 

I personally felt we didn’t threaten Ipswich enough in that first half - they were very, very passive - and part of that seemed down to a lack of attacking plans in the final third.

[Aleksz]

4 minutes ago, Steve Earle said:

I'm not a fan of playing with a left-footed right winger AND a left-footed inside right as we did last night. I don't think it suits KDH at all as he's only able to move, crab-like, across the pitch. Not once did he make the Ndidi run to the byline for McAteer, because (obviously) he wouldn't be able to cross the ball with his right if he did. And what on earth was the point of McAteer, apart from as a recycler of the ball (I'm not being rhetorical, and assume the answer is he was thought to be the best equipped players to del with Davis), from an offensive perspective? I'm not going to get on Enzo's back, but to leave Albrighton on the bench until McAteer cramped seemed like a substitution 20-30 mins too late.

 

I don't think tactics was the issue last night but game management, and the limited ability of some players to execute, was. KDH, JJ and Hamza gave the ball away time and time again. None are lovers of the football, however much they offer in other areas.

Could not agree with this more. We’ve scored so many goals where the number 8 under laps the winger and sticks an across in for us to score. Baffles me when he switches KDH to the right side and sometimes Ndidi left.