Blackburn 1-4 Foxes - Post Match Thread

[foxile5]

13 minutes ago, Unabomber said:

You still don’t think we’re playing good football?

Sometimes we do - yes.

 

The second goal was amazing and we were in control for large chunks.

 

There are issues that are getting looked past in the way we play though. Our players are good enough to negate the errors but we need to be mindful. Maresca needs to stop the keeper ****ing about with the ball. It's nearly cost us in a good few games where our quality has just edged it.

 

However, if you point that out 'its the process' has become the go to response for people who think it's seen outstanding rhetorical move. It's the process. A nebulous and hard to define concept unless you've been to football University. Which, of course, I'm being highly sarcastic about.

 

You can't raise legitimate criticism at the minute without someone metaphorically adjusting their glasses, clearing their throat, and shutting you right up with 'it's the process'. Nobody can ever actually explain why continually making errors that will get harshly punished in the premier League fit into this mythical process.

 

It's like the days of Rodgers when people felt smug by never ever ever criticising him and if you pointed out room for improvement they'd tell you 'trust the system'.

 

So, Una, I'm being intentionally silly to mock the above.

[grobyfox1990]

3 minutes ago, iancognito said:

Let's be honest it's always been a bunfight. There's been exceptions where the likes of us Newcastle and Reading have piled over 100pts but it gets billed as the most competitive league for a reason - all the teams are much of a muchness and no-one stands out. Boro were in the play offs last season and are down with the deadmen this year.

Spot on. The ‘hugely competitive teams’ the previous poster alluded to are all turd. That’s why it’s a competitive league, made up of loads of mediocre teams scrapping with each other. We aren’t mediocre and 20% of the season in haven’t had to lift a finger 

[Noahfence]

Whilst I was pissed off about conceding a gift of a goal we need to accept every now and then we’re going to concede a howler playing this way. To be fair after they scored we did go long a fair few times. 

[LCFCJohn]

6 minutes ago, Unabomber said:

Can’t argue with the facts so far though. Lighten up and enjoy it 

I get their point. If we were looking at another teams forum awarding themselves the title after 9 games, we’d be saying how arrogant they are and want their comments putting up in the teams changing rooms etc.

 

You can absolutely enjoy each game as it comes and love each win without being arrogant. You don’t get extra ‘being the bestest fan’ points for claiming we have won the league already. 
 

I do think we are the best side with the best squad. I think others are good and haven’t shown their capabilities yet, but we absolutely should win the league. But, we should have finished in the top 4 twice and lightening struck twice. If we can avoid any more lengthy injuries to key players, we will be ok. But last week Doyle and now McAteer. The thing that worries me is losing a Winks or Ricardo for a period of time and with our injury record, it’s never far from the mind. If we can get through to January and strengthen in a couple of positions that we are a bit lighter in numbers in, I’ll feel a lot more relaxed about this side of things!

Edited 1 October 2023 by LCFCJohn

[Royston.]

5 minutes ago, ARM1968 said:

People still questioning the intricate passing at the back. Have they not noticed that it draws the opposition in, this stretching their lines and making it easier for us to break through?  Sure there will be mistakes, like today, but those will be far outweighed by the chances playing like this provides. 

It pays dividends when leading as the away team and the home fans are getting frustrated with their own players.

 

The way I see it we wasted so much time under Rodgers where we were passing backwards and sideways for the sake of it whereas now there is a plan and system and players in the right position to execute the plan.

[Jattdogg]

Keep grinding the wins out lads they don't have to be sexy.  Let's not get complacent.

 

[kingkisnorbo]

I’d level that we haven’t actually played well once this season and we’re still top. The standard is dire.

[ARM1968]

14 minutes ago, Unabomber said:

Those questioning it seem to be the old school “forwards!” 442 advocates (no offence to them) who don’t know anything about modern football.

It does appear that way. I mean the frustration with the intricate passing and the odd mistake is understandable, but you have to see the bigger picture. 

[The Horse's Mouth]

I get reservations that this won’t work in the prem and I kinda am on same page with that we will need to adapt, but **** me why are we looking that far, its 2nd of October let’s enjoy twatting *****.

[kristianity77]

1 minute ago, foxile5 said:

I wouldn't mind but you get nothing beyond 'it's the process' which means utterly **** all. It's a weird mantra like 'trust the system' when anyone dared to suggest that Rodgers tactics were too slow and ponderous.

 

Just a weird thing amongst our fan base. If you criticise the system then you're an idiot that cannot understand 'the process'. 

I think the way we play football at the minute certainly has its risks in that the ball could be turned over near to our goal and occasionally we will be punished for it and agreed, that is a frustrating thing to see.  But on the other side of the coin it allows us to almost attack at will, no matter who we play in this division.  It's a trade off that's absolutely working.

 

Yes, in the premier league that won't work against higher quality players.  But if we go up you'd like to think we would negate that somewhat by bringing in new players that our championship status right now doesn't allow us to.

[foxile5]

Just now, ARM1968 said:

It does appear that way. I mean the frustration with the intricate passing and the odd mistake is understandable, but you have to see the bigger picture. 

ItS tHe PrOcEsS

 

How is ****ing about with the ball as the attackers pressure is part of a big system that nobody can see?

 

Possession at the back is intended to draw teams out of their position to take advantage. Today the attackers were positioned on our defenders back knowing that we would play that way. It nearly cost us. What picture does that fit into?

 

Fans are utterly entitled, even if are winning, to point out that a slavish dedication to playing one way and one way only led us to ruin very recently.

 

[MGLCFC]

3 minutes ago, The Horse's Mouth said:

I get reservations that this won’t work in the prem and I kinda am on same page with that we will need to adapt, but **** me why are we looking that far, its 2nd of October let’s enjoy twatting *****.

Agree - let's enjoy the ride. However, looking ahead, I'm sure we'll buy better players if we are promoted to make the system more effective in the prem.

Edited 1 October 2023 by MGLCFC

[Tuna]

Who cares about the Premier League? Let's worry about that if and when we're promoted.

[foxes_rule1978]

I had to miss this game, got to catch the highlights great result though 

[Corky]

Maresca will continue to play out from the back and he absolutely should. 

[Chelmofox]

Just now, The Horse's Mouth said:

I get reservations that this won’t work in the prem and I kinda am on same page with that we will need to adapt, but **** me why are we looking that far, its 2nd of October let’s enjoy twatting *****.

Look at Villa and Brighton. Its taken time and there have been bumps along the way (including us exploiting it against Villa early in Emry's tenure). 

 

If promoted, it's going to take a difficult season and additional rebuilds before we can make it comfortably work. The big question will be if we end up where Burnley are and if we can cope with that wobble. 

[ARTY_FOX]

Played well and a good win. On we go. 

[ARM1968]

4 minutes ago, foxile5 said:

ItS tHe PrOcEsS

 

How is ****ing about with the ball as the attackers pressure is part of a big system that nobody can see?

 

Possession at the back is intended to draw teams out of their position to take advantage. Today the attackers were positioned on our defenders back knowing that we would play that way. It nearly cost us. What picture does that fit into?

 

Fans are utterly entitled, even if are winning, to point out that a slavish dedication to playing one way and one way only led us to ruin very recently.

 

Like I said, I understand the frustration, but we are learning every game. And yes, it is the process. That process also involves learning when and when not to play so intricately. Patience Anakin. 

[J. James]

Life is sweet atm and now we build one of these...

[Gerard]

1 hour ago, Fightforever said:

I am worried for the state of English football. All the promoted teams looking like they are going to be relegated from the premier league and the championship just seems to be rubbish. 

 

None of the opposition players have stood out in any games we have played apart from maybe Gustavo Hamer who went to the premier league in the end anyway.

 

The year before all three promoted clubs stayed up.

[foxile5]

1 minute ago, ARM1968 said:

Like I said, I understand the frustration, but we are learning every game. And yes, it is the process. That process also involves learning when and when not to play so intricately. Patience Anakin. 

What's the process then? Everyone mentions it. What is it?

 

Is it like Brendan's system that everyone referenced but couldn't adequately explain.

 

Just outline why it's essential that our keeper must pass to the defenders even if they're under pressure and we don't deviate to that all how, what the process actually is, and how the two meet?

 

Perhaps then I'll understand why my saying 'that needs to change' is dangerous.

[brookfox]

21 minutes ago, Noahfence said:

To be fair after they scored we did go long a fair few times. 

I felt like us going long was as much a response to Blackburn putting pressure on Winks and Ricardo in the centre and going narrow. Particularly for periods in the second half they seemed to up the pressing of our defenders while closing off the pass into midfield. Even if it did make it's way through they were good at getting a leg in and nicking it off us. As a result we went long a lot more. Haven't seen the stats (and could well be wrong!) but felt like Winks was less of a dominating force as a result.

[Bilo]

How many points did Reading get in their record season again? 😎

[ARM1968]

5 minutes ago, foxile5 said:

What's the process then? Everyone mentions it. What is it?

 

Is it like Brendan's system that everyone referenced but couldn't adequately explain.

 

Just outline why it's essential that our keeper must pass to the defenders even if they're under pressure and we don't deviate to that all how, what the process actually is, and how the two meet?

 

Perhaps then I'll understand why my saying 'that needs to change' is dangerous.

I said they need to learn when and when not. Stop being pedantic. The passing under pressure has happened in a number of games. Close control and slick passing then opens up the opposition. Sometimes it isn’t wise. THAT is a learning process. 
 

Anyway, you’d have to say it’s going ok. 

[LFox99]

9 minutes ago, foxile5 said:

What's the process then? Everyone mentions it. What is it?

 

Is it like Brendan's system that everyone referenced but couldn't adequately explain.

 

Just outline why it's essential that our keeper must pass to the defenders even if they're under pressure and we don't deviate to that all how, what the process actually is, and how the two meet?

 

Perhaps then I'll understand why my saying 'that needs to change' is dangerous.

The process everyone mentions is the process of our players steadily learning how to play the system Enzo brought in. Maresca said a month ago that, at that point, we were only about 20% there in terms of how he wanted us to be able to play. This passing out the back stuff isn't something you manage to get down within a week or two, it needs time. And as evidenced time and time again in our recent games, it works - even if you don't actually understand it because you're too busy whinging about why we didn't pump it long. 

Now, as you have so vehemently pointed out, mistakes still happen - and those very mistakes are the ones we're trying to stamp out by improving the way we play and the only way we can improve the way we play is by keeping on playing it. You don't get better at playing the piano by stopping to practise and instead switching to cleaning the bathroom. Our players will become more aware and will (should) be able to play around any deviations from the norm that might occur, such as the opponent marking our defenders, the opponent going man to man and whatnot.

It's essential the keeper pass it to our defenders because in theory that lets us build and sustain attacks compared to pumping it up the pitch which is a gamble as to whether we can win the first and second ball and whether there are players in the right place to play it to, to advance play. 

But clearly 24 points out of 27 is not good enough and a sign Enzo has gotten his tactics woefully wrong.
"Getting away with it" and winning one game is a fluke, winning 8 out of 9 isn't.

Edited 1 October 2023 by LFox99