Leicester 2 Coventry 1 post match thread

[Lillehamring]

2 hours ago, James_lcfc said:

Yep.

Neither can recover, and it was pretty alarming today. Add that to the fact that they both get caught out of position a lot and you have a problem. Very poor from Cov to only get one goal today if we’re being honest.
 

I think we need a CB who can run with this system. If we could offload Vestergaard I reckon we would go back into the market for one.

 

Faes should be OK at this level as he can pass and is combative but we could do with some pace alongside him. 

I mentioned this elsewhere, but i'd be inclined to argue that they weren't caught OUT of position, but that they were caught IN position.  The way we play means that the back 3 are playing very high, that's the way it works - knowing this, it's the responsibility of the forwards and midfielders to protect the ball better and if we lose it, to recover the ball better - if they don't do that, no defender, even the super fast stand much chance, you don't want to have to defend running back towards your own goal - and this is what was happening, giving coventry the opportunities to hit those acres of space - much like we did against liverpool (for a bit).  

 

What maresca will ned to do is to improve that element so we don't put our slow backline in these positions.  It worked for 45 minutes, so it can work for 90.

[Lillehamring]

1 hour ago, The Doctor said:

It's simply that so much of their threat came through his side. Now to play devil's advocate, maybe that's because he was on Doyle's side, and Doyle is a known quantity to them, they know his strengths and limitations and so focused down that side and Vestergaard was just unlucky to be that side of the centre back pairing, but given how often he ended up in foot races, I feel confident saying that Coventry were targeting him because he was the weak link 

but when we got caught we were in a back 3, so vestergaard's 'side' was straight up the middle, which is where robins has his overload, so of course everything came to him predominantly.

[Lillehamring]

16 minutes ago, FOXSE said:

I'm sorry, but when fully recovered from injury, Justin is quality.

Based on half a good season when the team was top class?  Sorry, i've not seen anything from him to suggest he's likely to get much game time this season, even at this level.  I'm sure he still has potential but there's a reason beyond his injuries that has pushed him down to 4th choice left back and 3rd choice right back.  Nice lad, good attitude, but he peaked a long while ago and has never looked close to rediscovering it.

[James_lcfc]

3 minutes ago, Lillehamring said:

I mentioned this elsewhere, but i'd be inclined to argue that they weren't caught OUT of position, but that they were caught IN position.  The way we play means that the back 3 are playing very high, that's the way it works - knowing this, it's the responsibility of the forwards and midfielders to protect the ball better and if we lose it, to recover the ball better - if they don't do that, no defender, even the super fast stand much chance, you don't want to have to defend running back towards your own goal - and this is what was happening, giving coventry the opportunities to hit those acres of space - much like we did against liverpool (for a bit).  

 

What maresca will ned to do is to improve that element so we don't put our slow backline in these positions.  It worked for 45 minutes, so it can work for 90..

Hmm. 
 

It’s difficult with the standard of players we have and can attract in the Championship. They are always going to make mistakes in possession and you don’t always have the opportunity to recover when that happens. Only the very top teams have players who are almost perfect for 90 minutes. 

 

Without the ability to recover at CB, we are going to be extremely vulnerable in the transitions. As I said, we were extremely fortunate not to concede a couple more today against a team that actually looked pretty poor to me.

 

If that’s the way EM wants to play with that back three then fair enough - We’ll have to trust him I guess. There will be a lot of squeaky bum games like today if he does!

 

 

[Jattdogg]

4 hours ago, Filberts lovechild said:

We’ll learn over the season so to get a result after a silly pre-season Vs one of the favourites for the top 6 is excellent. They were on top of their game and our quality showed.

 

key points for me. Vardy is gone. Ndidi shouldn’t start. Warming to Vesty 🤢

 ".....leaving the club for someone who can defend better" ?

[Lillehamring]

4 minutes ago, James_lcfc said:

Hmm. 
 

It’s difficult with the standard of players we have and can attract in the Championship. They are always going to make mistakes in possession and you don’t always have the opportunity to recover when that happens. Only the very top teams have players who are almost perfect for 90 minutes. 

 

Without the ability to recover at CB, we are going to be extremely vulnerable in the transitions. As I said, we were extremely fortunate not to concede a couple more today against a team that actually looked pretty poor to me.

 

If that’s the way EM wants to play with that back three then fair enough - We’ll have to trust him I guess. There will be a lot of squeaky bum games like today if he does!

 

 

Ok, well maybe not 90 minutes, but there is certainly room for improvement in that area...  certainly as far as recovery is concerned.

[OntarioFox]

It was nice to actually see the clock still running when we hit 90 minutes, too. Is that another bit of Premier League diktat we don't have to follow now, or were our clueless matchday media staff just incapable of programming a stoppage time clock before today? To be fair, I've never paid much attention to it on away days, so it could have just been our lot dropping the ball all this time.

Either way, a welcome change to having to look at my watch / phone constantly during injury time, and having to work out in my head what minute our loss that week would be confirmed. 

[CosbehFox]

48 minutes ago, Lillehamring said:

I feel like the Vestergaard contumely is a bit much - it's feeling like you've all just decided that he's got no ability and is to blame for everything (a new amartey, if you will).

 

But there were other defenders on the pitch who were left equally exposed by coventry's counter attack.

 

Also, I think a lot of you are missing the fact that a lot of the blame for the counter attacks should fall on the front and midfield players, they know we're playing a high line so they need to protect the ball better, and other than winks, didn't seem in that much of a rush to track back.

 

I don't think he's a long term option, but to single him out for the reason why we were so poor is unfair.

I watched him get out jumped by someone five inches smaller than him. 
 

His yellow card was so lazy. Got completely mugged off and then tripped him over. 

[CosbehFox]

42 minutes ago, filbertway said:

Until that attack out of nowhere which resulted in KDH's first goal I actually couldn't believe how close it was panning out to how I'd called it haha.

 

We really ought to have been 2 or 3-0 down by that point as well.

 

Like you say, it feels like at least 2 bonus points if not 3 today. There's so much more work that needs doing to the squad and it's really poor we're still nowhere near there.  

 

The system definitely works, the amount of promising positions we found ourselves in high up the pitch was wild. I fully accept that we'll leave the door open at the back as well, this way of playing is so brave and so fun to watch. It'll be even more fun with actual footballers taking up the attacking positions. 

 

Massive credit to Enzo and his staff, still very early but the signs so far look so promising. So glad we didn't try and settle on an average appointment like Parker or Farke. I still don't understand where the Enzo shout came from because it definitely didn't come from within this club

 

When the phone rings and it’s the same agent as Vardy and Barnes 

[Langston]

1 minute ago, CosbehFox said:

I watched him get out jumped by someone five inches smaller than him. 
 

His yellow card was so lazy. Got completely mugged off and then tripped him over. 

 

It's incredible that someone of his size is so easily brushed aside. You'd assume strength would be a pre-requisite but he's like Chris Wood in that regard. 

 

Really like Maresca but Vestergaard over Souttar isn't quite the one, for me.

[CosbehFox]

We have an issue to iron out in midfield. When KDH and Wilf failed to take up good positions, Winks often had to go forward by a good twenty yrs carrying the ball. No one covered for him and left a huge gap in the middle of the park. 
 

As for the second half, I think it’s slightly too easy to label Cov as solely counter attacking because they were getting joy going direct eventually. The two centre backs a bit all over the shop at times when the ball went in the channel. One of Cov’s chances originated from route 1 - goal kick, into Wright, flicked on, chance 

[westernpark]

I really enjoyed today, wasn’t  perfect . Also it was a positive after only three players from current squad wanted to stay at end of season.

[Bilo]

Lots of upset Coventry fans from losing their cup final on social media.

 

Marvellous to see. Inject it.

[shen]

1 hour ago, Tuna said:

Sounds like Sean "pound notes" Dyche.

Our bench today was obscene at Championship level. It highlights our poor recruitment recently, but also the massive financial gulf between the PL and Championship.

[Countesthorpe Fox 1884 12]

Observations

Hermansen is ultra confident on the ball as being well out of his area, no problem with that as long as the rest of the team are and it didn't seem that way.

Ndidi isn't an attacking player in terms of creativity a threw balls, but, he looked good in my opinion when doing what he's best at. Keep but move.

If we are playing to number 9 who collects from deepish that's not Vardy, as much as I love him Kelechi is far better at that.

 

Mcateer for me looked very isolated as Ricardo joined CM when we had the ball, i don't dislike the tactic, I just think we need a new player there to facilitate that.

 

The difference between the Championship and Premier League was evident in their finishing, they could have had at least four. We have to tighten up.

The transition from Defence to Attack was excellent at times.

 

[oz was my hero]

Will take the 3 points.  1st half dominated the ball but with little effect.  Missing that ball playing no 10 to unlock a defense. Ndidi is not the player to be trying to make things happen. He struggles to pass wind.winks had a good debut and looked a class act and thought  stephy also had a good debut but I'll reserve judgement  for a few weeks as tete had a debut where I thought we'd  signed Ronald  dinho but turns out more Ronald  macdonald.  Times we are so open to a counter it's frightening.  Vestergaard is utter shit. Looked far better with praet and Kel on the park. Would like to see Kel play between  the lines as he showed again with the ball across the box in the dieing minutes he can create things. 

[Nicolo Barella]

Surely Souttar can do a better job than Vesty next week - especially seeing as last ditch defending is something he showed he excels at in the World Cup

Edited 6 August 2023 by Nicolo Barella

[Simmo86]

1 hour ago, filbertway said:

Until that attack out of nowhere which resulted in KDH's first goal I actually couldn't believe how close it was panning out to how I'd called it haha.

 

We really ought to have been 2 or 3-0 down by that point as well.

 

Like you say, it feels like at least 2 bonus points if not 3 today. There's so much more work that needs doing to the squad and it's really poor we're still nowhere near there.  

 

The system definitely works, the amount of promising positions we found ourselves in high up the pitch was wild. I fully accept that we'll leave the door open at the back as well, this way of playing is so brave and so fun to watch. It'll be even more fun with actual footballers taking up the attacking positions. 

 

Massive credit to Enzo and his staff, still very early but the signs so far look so promising. So glad we didn't try and settle on an average appointment like Parker or Farke. I still don't understand where the Enzo shout came from because it definitely didn't come from within this club

 

Again, bit dramatic. Casadei and Rak-Sakyi coming in this week which completes the starting eleven. So that kinda of blows the ‘Squad is really poor, nowhere near there’ argument out of the water. After that a few more depth players and we’re all set. 

[David Lowe]

1 hour ago, OntarioFox said:

It was nice to actually see the clock still running when we hit 90 minutes, too. Is that another bit of Premier League diktat we don't have to follow now, or were our clueless matchday media staff just incapable of programming a stoppage time clock before today? To be fair, I've never paid much attention to it on away days, so it could have just been our lot dropping the ball all this time.

Either way, a welcome change to having to look at my watch / phone constantly during injury time, and having to work out in my head what minute our loss that week would be confirmed. 

The clock will continue to run at all grounds, it’s a new thing for this season.

[Costello]

3 points, move on. Could’ve, should’ve, would’ve. 

[TJB-fox]

1 hour ago, Bilo said:

Lots of upset Coventry fans from losing their cup final on social media.

 

Marvellous to see. Inject it.

I’ve also seen a lot of positivity from their fans which makes me realise how different our standards are. ‘If we play like that we’ll be right up there come end of the season’ etc type comments.  
 

They’ve come into today on the back of their best season for years, sat back and tried to hit us on the counter, been gifted a few chances by our shite defence and are buzzing with their performance. 
 

We’ve rocked up on the back of relegation, played well for about a 1/3 of the game and still turned them over. 
 

Poor pathetic club, went out with a whimper on their big day out. 

[Bptiger]

For gods sake the manager has to see that vesty is the worst defender we have , he is slower than my great grandmother , and in the last 10 minutes he really didn’t even try to chase back when he was beaten. 
not sold on our two wingers they just didn’t look like they had the skills to go pass defenders . 
ricardo was great in his new roll , but we really need a class midfielder, and I hate to say it because he has been my champion for a long time , but vardy needs to go . 
KDH was massive has a great engine . 
glad for the 3 points but we will need to improve if we want to go back up 

[sacreblueits442]

10 hours ago, Tielemans63 said:

My one concern is that other teams watching that we'll see that we're very vulnerable on the break. Teams with a pacy forward line will be licking their lips. Cov really should have scored 3 or 4. Vestergaard in particular was caught out numerous times. He's so slow, it's criminal.

...I said the same after the Liverpool game, the consensus was that it was against Liverpool, and we should judge it that way!!!

We need to score whilst we are on top, as we are at a slower tempo at the start of games. As soon as Coventry raised the tempo, we were struggling. It is the higher tempo that defeats us.

[Gamble92]

3 hours ago, OntarioFox said:

It was nice to actually see the clock still running when we hit 90 minutes, too. Is that another bit of Premier League diktat we don't have to follow now, or were our clueless matchday media staff just incapable of programming a stoppage time clock before today? To be fair, I've never paid much attention to it on away days, so it could have just been our lot dropping the ball all this time.

Either way, a welcome change to having to look at my watch / phone constantly during injury time, and having to work out in my head what minute our loss that week would be confirmed. 

It's a new initiative for all leagues including Premier League apparently. Part of the new stoppage time plans in general.

[UPinCarolina]

Great start to a long campaign. Tensions will run high all season, no doubt. I appreciate the veteran leadership of guys like Albrighton and Vardy more now than ever, even if it was KDH who rightfully takes the bow for this opening victory.