Tactics Under Maresca

[Trav Le Bleu]

12 hours ago, StriderHiryu said:

 

Here's more of the move for that incredible second goal. This needs to be shown to all the dinosaurs in our fan base that want it kicked forward as soon as possible.

 

• Winks stands on the ball at the start of the move doing... nothing. He's trying to provoke the Watford player to come and press him.
• He plays a bounce pass with Ricardo, then Winks plays it... backwards.
• Mads plays a cool, measured ball with his instep into KDH
• KDH has come deep to receive the ball to drag his marker with him, and lays it off to Winks.
• Winks, who is now facing towards the opposition goal can make a first time forward pass through the lines to Ricardo, who is now totally free because his marker jumped to try and follow Winks, because Winks' marker is trying to press the goalkeeper. Passing backwards has taken Watford players out of the game.
• Ricardo spins and drives forwards with the ball. KDH sprints from his deep position to support the attack. It's now 5 v 4 in our favour and Ricardo can pick his pass.
• He lays it off to Fatawu with a simple pass. Fatawu could have cut in and lashed a shot at goal. But instead he waits a split second to commit his man, then plays a simple return pass.
• Ricardo can then just pass it into the back of the net for an incredible team goal.

 

Why pass it sideways? Backwards? Do nothing at all? You've got to see the bigger picture. Don't force the game, make the opposition come to you. Manoeuvre them around and create the space that way, then exploit it ruthlessly. This is peak Enzo-ball. You won't see many, if any, team goals better than this across Europe. Incredible.

 

 

 

I find it absolutely staggering how many people don't get it. It's majestic.

[HighPeakFox]

3 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

I find it absolutely staggering how many people don't get it. It's majestic.

They choose not to, because they've already made their minds up, often before the fact. 

[Matt]

I've had alot on this weekend which has put things into perspective, but i'm not sure what's wrong my thinking - normally i'd be going shit crazy about the goal we conceded and how/why we conceded it but I feel quite indifferent about it.  

 

I'll be back no doubt.   

 

Edited 11 February by Matt

[Chelmofox]

2 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

I find it absolutely staggering how many people don't get it. It's majestic.

When they 'bite' and get drawn forward, if you can get the ball through the lines the amount of space you end up with is ridiculous. I also love watching it when it doesn't quite come off, because you know whats likely coming......

[ARM1968]

11 minutes ago, HighPeakFox said:

They choose not to, because they've already made their minds up, often before the fact. 

You’re not speaking for other people are you? Just asking for a friend 🤣🤣

[HighPeakFox]

2 minutes ago, ARM1968 said:

You’re not speaking for other people are you? Just asking for a friend 🤣🤣

I know you're kidding, but I am quite clearly speaking on my own behalf. No use of the assumptive 'we', please note. 

 

I await jokes about assumptive weeing... 

[BertFill]

31 minutes ago, Trav Le Bleu said:

I find it absolutely staggering how many people don't get it. It's majestic.

It's superb. And it's not easy to defend the people who don't get it, but - in their defence we don't do that every single time we have the ball... 

 

It's just that the English football way has always been kick and rush, hit and hope, big man up front, get it in the mixer. It's very deeply ingrained. And so if you're not doing all that it feels like you're not really trying!

[ARM1968]

3 hours ago, BertFill said:

It's superb. And it's not easy to defend the people who don't get it, but - in their defence we don't do that every single time we have the ball... 

 

It's just that the English football way has always been kick and rush, hit and hope, big man up front, get it in the mixer. It's very deeply ingrained. And so if you're not doing all that it feels like you're not really trying!

Totally agree with this. I also feel that we sometimes fail to exploit obvious spaces our build up play has created and that too causes frustration. In general our play is awesome, so it’s more of a learning curve and also better players will see these openings more clearly, IF we can afford any. 

Edited 11 February by ARM1968

[Lillehamring]

16 hours ago, moore_94 said:

But Doyle isn't even our player so why does it really matter how much younger he is?

 

If it was Nelson I would understand but so far based on this season I wouldn't be happy with spending the £10m+ it is likely going to cost us to get Doyle

Just going on the fairly strong reports that we already tried to buy him in the summer and that he is enzo's top boy so more than likely we'll return for him in the summer.

[Lillehamring]

2 hours ago, BertFill said:

It's superb. And it's not easy to defend the people who don't get it, but - in their defence we don't do that every single time we have the ball... 

 

It's just that the English football way has always been kick and rush, hit and hope, big man up front, get it in the mixer. It's very deeply ingrained. And so if you're not doing all that it feels like you're not really trying!

That's not really a very strong argument because we actually do it a LOT, it's just we're not always the best at finishing these moves off - that's really what the problem is - if it can be classed as a problem, certainly we could be better, we've wasted many such attacks where we have a big overload.

 

[BertFill]

6 minutes ago, Lillehamring said:

That's not really a very strong argument because we actually do it a LOT, it's just we're not always the best at finishing these moves off - that's really what the problem is - if it can be classed as a problem, certainly we could be better, we've wasted many such attacks where we have a big overload.

 

Well I did say it's not easy to defend the people who don't get it...

[Jobyfox]

I’ve been watching Leicester since 1986 so have seen many different styles of play. If I’m honest the only type of football that excites me is winning football.

 

I loved the way we played in 2015/16 as we had a clear identity and method. It was really amusing to see how teams tried to cope with it. 
 

I think this season is probably the first since 15/16 that we have a clear way of playing that everyone can identify. There is a lot of passing, but it’s progressive and you can see what we are trying to achieve. 
 

I can honestly say that I’ve never found it boring this season. Like any style sometimes it works better than other days. Against Watford it was interesting to see how much they stood off us in the first half and were reluctant to commit. I think we missed Vestergaard as the quarterback against this approach. 

 

I enjoy the analysis of those that study the game and break it down. It’s actually a lot more interesting than a ‘kick and rush’ approach in terms of the tactical breakdown. If we weren’t winning on a regular basis I might think differently but, so far so good, we are! 

[Lesta2014]

The thing that frustrates me is the apparent messing about passing at the back when we are 1-0 up and being pressed. Yesterday was prime of example of how we should do it and sometimes I feel we aren’t comfortable enough to take that risk (winks pass to break the line) and go safe until we are squeezed into an error and therefore puts pressure on us when we should be in total control. Second goal yesterday is one of the best coached moves I’ve ever seen us score. Long may that continue. 

[Dahnsouff]

Maybe not, but yesterday showed exactly what we want to be in part and it’s all about the risk and reward approach. 

Perhaps it should be called jeopardy and jubilation instead. 

[Dahnsouff]

I can see why people get anxious when we are passing around at the back, not making progress up the field, with the opponents increasing their intensity, getting ever closer to stealing the ball, intercepting the increasingly  more desperate seeming passing.

 

This is the point though isn’t it? To get get them close, get them near our box in numbers, then spring the trap, the overloads are on, a goal ever more likely.

 

As in football, as in life, buttock clenching discomfort leads to sweet sweet relief.

[Milo]

12 minutes ago, Dahnsouff said:

as in life, buttock clenching discomfort leads to sweet sweet relief

Can I join you on your next night out, please? 

[Dahnsouff]

8 minutes ago, Milo said:

Can I join you on your next night out, please? 

You find your own “thing” young man

[Spudulike]

This Enzo way is a bit crap, init. FORWARDS!! 

 

 

[DesertFox]

1 hour ago, Spudulike said:

This Enzo way is a bit crap, init. FORWARDS!! 

 

 

That video is boring as ****! Boo!

[fuchsntf]

12 hours ago, Lesta2014 said:

The thing that frustrates me is the apparent messing about passing at the back when we are 1-0 up and being pressed. Yesterday was prime of example of how we should do it and sometimes I feel we aren’t comfortable enough to take that risk (winks pass to break the line) and go safe until we are squeezed into an error and therefore puts pressure on us when we should be in total control. Second goal yesterday is one of the best coached moves I’ve ever seen us score. Long may that continue. 

You also have to understand, that presumed open space is not the line breaker,so it

will get recycled back,to start again,and because there is also an opposition that can also think

One waits, the probing,pressing,retire,recycle, is always on going,finding that trigger is not always immediate,or just based on moving those extra yards forwards,often

falls down or through empty alleys.

Thats why I like to see the occasional drives from

Faes ,Vestergaard or deep lying FB..

[The_77]

On 11/02/2024 at 00:48, StriderHiryu said:

 

Here's more of the move for that incredible second goal. This needs to be shown to all the dinosaurs in our fan base that want it kicked forward as soon as possible.

 

• Winks stands on the ball at the start of the move doing... nothing. He's trying to provoke the Watford player to come and press him.
• He plays a bounce pass with Ricardo, then Winks plays it... backwards.
• Mads plays a cool, measured ball with his instep into KDH
• KDH has come deep to receive the ball to drag his marker with him, and lays it off to Winks.
• Winks, who is now facing towards the opposition goal can make a first time forward pass through the lines to Ricardo, who is now totally free because his marker jumped to try and follow Winks, because Winks' marker is trying to press the goalkeeper. Passing backwards has taken Watford players out of the game.
• Ricardo spins and drives forwards with the ball. KDH sprints from his deep position to support the attack. It's now 5 v 4 in our favour and Ricardo can pick his pass.
• He lays it off to Fatawu with a simple pass. Fatawu could have cut in and lashed a shot at goal. But instead he waits a split second to commit his man, then plays a simple return pass.
• Ricardo can then just pass it into the back of the net for an incredible team goal.

 

Why pass it sideways? Backwards? Do nothing at all? You've got to see the bigger picture. Don't force the game, make the opposition come to you. Manoeuvre them around and create the space that way, then exploit it ruthlessly. This is peak Enzo-ball. You won't see many, if any, team goals better than this across Europe. Incredible.

 

 

 

Flew in overnight from NYC and went pretty much straight to Watford on no sleep after landing. This play alone was worth every second and mile of the journey. 

[messerschmitt]

17 hours ago, ARM1968 said:

Totally agree with this. I also feel that we sometimes fail to exploit obvious spaces our build up play has created and that too causes frustration. In general our play is awesome, so it’s more of a learning curve and also better players will see these openings more clearly, IF we can afford any. 

Hopefully, that gets better with experience and better decision-making

There was one occasion on Saturday when Daka dropped deep to get a pass from Hermansen, did a great turn to get past his man then played a good pass to put Dewsbury Hall through.

Dewsbury Hall took the ball forward drawing three defenders around him.

He moved the ball to his left a hit a long shot high and wide under pressure however Ricardo was in space to his right and Fatawu was in ten yards of space in front of the goal.

A pass to Fatawu or Ricardo and then Fatawu and it would have been an even better goal than our second.

Have a look at the replay if you get a chance.

[teblin]

It’s the team we play against that make it seem dull and boring at times.

 

They just sit in and don’t do anything other than a low block. It about patience and sometimes people just don’t have that.

[Trav Le Bleu]

11 hours ago, teblin said:

It’s the team we play against that make it seem dull and boring at times.

 

They just sit in and don’t do anything other than a low block. It about patience and sometimes people just don’t have that.

Yeah, some teams take longer to bite, but they all do eventually.

[st albans fox]

Remember how we used to struggle against any team that played a low block against us at home ?

 

the way we now play means that we don’t just play side to side across the back thirty yards from our goal and then back from the full backs into the centre backs to do the same.  That does nothing to upset the opposition low block 

 

we move the ball around up and down - that moves the opposition around, we work it back to mads - that draws them forwards a bit and the theory is to make the pitch big which creates spaces for two on ones to bear fruit.  Yes it’s often a struggle to watch - but you can see that it’s part of a plan. if we go up then next season will be a lot more interesting as opponents won’t  have that respect for us and could be quite a ride!