Leicester City 4 - 0 Newcastle United (12/12/2021)

[Heron]

For me, in the upcoming games I think I'd be aiming to shut up shop a canny bit like. We simply cannot open up or it could demolish any positivity and semblance of unity within the team.

 

I'll be honest, I really don't know what's best with our squad. I don't see any real obvious qualities on a team level, only as individuals.

 

Something like;

 

Dubravka

 

RWB Manquillo

CB Lascelles

CB Schar

CB Fernandez

LWB Lewis

 

CM Hayden

CM Shelvey

CM Ritchie

 

CF Wilson

CF Almiron

 

In all honesty though I find it very difficult to pick. That midfield would perhapd not be very dynamic but Ritchie brings us some leadership and that's needed on the pitch at the moment. Also, if Lewis and Manquillo push on I feel Hayden and Ritchie could slot in to take up a defensive role as cover. By putting Miggy up top, he has a chance to eun the channels and get them turned around and combined with Wilson's determination, pressure and leadership might just alleviate some pressure.

 

It's sad that this is what it's become, but aye, ideally I wouldn't play like 8 of them.

[Alberto2005]

2 minutes ago, Heron said:

For me, in the upcoming games I think I'd be aiming to shut up shop a canny bit like. We simply cannot open up or it could demolish any positivity and semblance of unity within the team.

 

I'll be honest, I really don't know what's best with our squad. I don't see any real obvious qualities on a team level, only as individuals.

 

Something like;

 

Dubravka

 

RWB Manquillo

CB Lascelles

CB Schar

CB Fernandez

LWB Lewis

 

CM Hayden

CM Shelvey

CM Ritchie

 

CF Wilson

CF Almiron

 

In all honesty though I find it very difficult to pick. That midfield would perhapd not be very dynamic but Ritchie brings us some leadership and that's needed on the pitch at the moment. Also, if Lewis and Manquillo push on I feel Hayden and Ritchie could slot in to take up a defensive role as cover. By putting Miggy up top, he has a chance to eun the channels and get them turned around and combined with Wilson's determination, pressure and leadership might just alleviate some pressure.

 

It's sad that this is what it's become, but aye, ideally I wouldn't play like 8 of them.

What the hell is that.

[Fantail Breeze]

Dubravka

 

RWB Manquillo

CB Schar

CB Fernandez

LWB Lewis

 

CM Hayden

CM Shelvey

 

RAM ASM

CAM Big Jow

LAM Almiron

 

CF Wilson

[Jackie Broon]

12 minutes ago, The Prophet said:

If he drops Shelvey and Willock, who are the alternatives? I get moving to a midfield three, but depressingly they're our two most able midfielders. It's not a poor decision at all.

 

Shelvey shouldn't be dropped, but he needs a more defensive midfielder alongside / behind him. Willock should only be played in a more attacking midfield role, or behind Wilson, he's just not suited to playing in a two man midfield, or three man midfield without a more defensive midfielder in there. Hayden, Hendrick or even Schar could be options until January.

 

 

[Heron]

10 minutes ago, Alberto2005 said:

What the hell is that.

 

I honestly don't know who we have with the defensive qualities to shut up shop, but we absolutely need to. Happy to see alternatives...

 

ASM doesn't do the dirty work and Almiron is wasted out wide. Our CM's are lacking defensively and our CBs are overly exposed at present and not good enough, so there is some method to the madness.

 

That's purely for our next two.

 

Bring on your ASM or Willock or whoever if it's necessary after an hour.

 

The only one I'd feel shite on in that would be Joelinton, he's probably the second name on the sheet atm after Dubravka. 

[Heron]

11 minutes ago, Fantail Breeze said:

Dubravka

 

RWB Manquillo

CB Schar

CB Fernandez

LWB Lewis

 

CM Hayden

CM Shelvey

 

RAM ASM

CAM Big Jow

LAM Almiron

 

CF Wilson

This is decent. I'd probably start ASM at Liverpool me though, personally. 

[Alberto2005]

15 minutes ago, Heron said:

 

I honestly don't know who we have with the defensive qualities to shut up shop, but we absolutely need to. Happy to see alternatives...

 

ASM doesn't do the dirty work and Almiron is wasted out wide. Our CM's are lacking defensively and our CBs are overly exposed at present and not good enough, so there is some method to the madness.

 

That's purely for our next two.

 

Bring on your ASM or Willock or whoever if it's necessary after an hour.

 

The only one I'd feel shite on in that would be Joelinton, he's probably the second name on the sheet atm after Dubravka. 

The defence you suggested was fine if we were playing a back 5.

 

But playing Matt Ritchie in central midfield is silly when he's never played that role in his life.

 

You can't drop ASM, he might not work as hard as other players but along with Wilson he's the only match winner we have.

 

Almiron isn't a striker, maybe as a no 10.

 

I'd keep it as a back 4 for now and try 3 in midfield 2 holding with Willock Infront of them.

 

 

 

[Kid Icarus]

Glenn Murray reckons it's a pen and that Maddison didn't jump into Lascelles. Worm brains.

[Rafalove]

1 hour ago, Menace said:

Christ I forgot he played for us you know 

 

Think he said no too long ago that when we signed him the club wouldn’t let him play because it would cost more or something 

[Kanj]

We were shite today. Move on. Think we all got caught up in finally winning a match and some positivity. It’s going to be a long haul, thank fuck for the Jan window and hope we can announce deals quickly. 

[et tu brute]

2 hours ago, Fantail Breeze said:

The worst part of today is we didn’t look like scoring against a side shipping goals left, right and centre with a makeshift back four and a CM playing CB.

 

For all of our huff and puff, nobody looked like scoring.

 

Was also an issue against Norwich & Burnley. We stumbled across a goal in those games rather than making one.

 

Think we could still be playing and Leicester would have a clean sheet. 

The problem to me (and I appreciate that people have a soft spot for some of the players I’m going to mention), but we have three players in Max, Almiron and Joelington who cost over 80 million and yet their actual success rate on product created and goals scored is actually very poor. You then also have a non existent central midfield and an atrocious defence. I don’t get this thing about our squad being better than what it’s showing, it’s a very poor squad in my mind and will take a few years to replace nearly all of the players.

[Raconteur]

3 hours ago, Heron said:

This is decent. I'd probably start ASM at Liverpool me though, personally. 

I feel like we should start a Liverpool match thread, but TAA v ASM is asking for a five goal thrashing

[St1pe]

Still absolutely livid VAR spent about 10 minutes looking at our blatant penalty against Norwich yet the most obvious dive I’ve seen to win one against us since Salah wasn’t even looked at. 
 

I’m not claiming an agenda or VAR being the problem here rather the standard of refereeing is absolutely awful at times. 

[Heron]

7 hours ago, Alberto2005 said:

The defence you suggested was fine if we were playing a back 5.

 

But playing Matt Ritchie in central midfield is silly when he's never played that role in his life.

 

You can't drop ASM, he might not work as hard as other players but along with Wilson he's the only match winner we have.

 

Almiron isn't a striker, maybe as a no 10.

 

I'd keep it as a back 4 for now and try 3 in midfield 2 holding with Willock Infront of them.

 

 

 

That is my intention (Almiron like a 10) or on the shoulder of the last man. Also to have 5 at the back.

 

You absolutely can drop ASM. He's a luxury in games such as these and one we cannot afford.

[Heron]

4 hours ago, Raconteur said:

I feel like we should start a Liverpool match thread, but TAA v ASM is asking for a five goal thrashing

Aye, sorry I mistyped. I wouldn't start ASM was what I mesnt to say

[Lush Vlad]

Pretty pathetic showing after 2-0 yesterday. Really worrying that we got battered 4-0. As it was pretty competitive, despite us not offering much of a threat. we weren’t really troubled up until the penalty. 
 

The defending all over leaves a lot to be desired. The high pressing doesn’t work. Seems a bit stop and start and certain players go and others don’t. The midfield just gets played through. Shelvey is immobile and Willock still refuses to put a foot in. As for the defence….. well. I can’t say I remember seeing a team at this level concede 3 goals. Off what were fundamentally just 1-2’s and players running through unmarked like that. 

I wasn’t getting too carried away after Burnley. But the state Leicester are currently in. We should have been giving them a game. Yet despite looking ok for large parts. We didn’t lay a glove on them. We created fuck all and they’ve ended up scoring 4. Two of which they have basically walked into the net. 

 

We are in deep shit. I’m not particularly confident that we are going to spend loads in Jan. Or that we would be able to get the right players in, regardless. Due to our current predicament of being utter shite and in the bottom three. 

[Kid Icarus]

Let's be honest, both the Liverpool and Man City matches are about managing the goal difference in reality.

 

 

Edited December 13, 2021 by kisearch

[Guest reefatoon]

31 minutes ago, kisearch said:

Let's be honest, both the Liverpool and Man City matches are about managing the goal difference in reality.

 

 

 

It is, and that’s why it was so disappointing to ship in so many against a team that was in poor form prior to playing us. 

[TheGuv]

Have you ever seen a set of fans staying sat down for a penalty?

 

Fucking freaks man.

[Hanshithispantz]

1 hour ago, Heron said:

That is my intention (Almiron like a 10) or on the shoulder of the last man. Also to have 5 at the back.

 

You absolutely can drop ASM. He's a luxury in games such as these and one we cannot afford.

Aye, unless Howe magically gets us playing the forward thinking, pressing football he wants from us, against Liverpool of all teams, then ASM likely becomes anonymous. Could play him up top by himself for the pace on the counter but that would mean no Wilson so probably not. Almiron is far better suited in a game where we're going to have like 20% possession.

 

I would usually be against dropping our key players and essentially conceding all hope of actually playing football but we saw against Arsenal how pointless it is for us to set ourselves up to take it to them.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 13, 2021 by Hanshithispantz

[DebuchyAndTheBeast]

I thought that we looked good in patches with some good movement and give and goes however our weaknesses far outweigh our strengths. We tried to play from the back but with our poor passing we gave the ball away in dangerous areas. Our defence too was all over the place in the 2nd half. 

If we are to survive, Eddie will definitely have to sort the defence out and find a proper balance of attacking vs defending. We'll also need ASM and Willock to find their form and finishing of last season. 

[Darth Crooks]

2 hours ago, Lush Vlad said:

Pretty pathetic showing after 2-0 yesterday. Really worrying that we got battered 4-0. As it was pretty competitive, despite us not offering much of a threat. we weren’t really troubled up until the penalty. 
 

The defending all over leaves a lot to be desired. The high pressing doesn’t work. Seems a bit stop and start and certain players go and others don’t. The midfield just gets played through. Shelvey is immobile and Willock still refuses to put a foot in. As for the defence….. well. I can’t say I remember seeing a team at this level concede 3 goals. Off what were fundamentally just 1-2’s and players running through unmarked like that. 

I wasn’t getting too carried away after Burnley. But the state Leicester are currently in. We should have been giving them a game. Yet despite looking ok for large parts. We didn’t lay a glove on them. We created fuck all and they’ve ended up scoring 4. Two of which they have basically walked into the net. 

 

We are in deep shit. I’m not particularly confident that we are going to spend loads in Jan. Or that we would be able to get the right players in, regardless. Due to our current predicament of being utter shite and in the bottom three. 

Fair this. It was quite a weird game. Crowd bouncing at their goal music, the swiftness and ease of the goals shipped. Didn't play as badly as some similar scorelines we've and seemed to have much more the ball to no end product. If St Maxi had score of that keeping the ball in and that turn it would have gone down in history. Odd one.

[The Prophet]

Agree with the above. I thought we had the game under control until the penalty and actually kept the ball well for spells. We didn't offer much threat, but we were in the game.

 

After the penalty, we fell to bits, our heads totally went and we took a bit of a hiding. I don't think that'll be the last time either, with the way we set up under Howe, as long as they're few and far between.

[HaydnNUFC]

Great to be back in an away end yesterday, first time for me in years and the away end was top draw. Great support throughout and very few early leavers when the 3rd and 4th goals went in. If only we had a team to match it.

 

The first half was largely a non event, didn't really see the pen incident clearly at the time but now that I have, dunno what the point in VAR is when the refs are not being told to go and look at cons like that. 0-0 would've been reflective of the game in the first half, no clear cut chances for either side. 

 

They were able to just play on the break after as we don't have the nous to break teams down when the onus is on us, which is really disappointing given their defensive record. Felt like things could easily have turned if we equalised or got it back to 2-1. To collapse and lose 4-0 and not have the opposition play well to do so is really worrying and reeks of relegation. 

 

Massive opportunity missed as they were beatable and our upcoming fixtures are grim. Major changes needed, was really disappointed with Maxi yesterday as well, not just his performance which was completely ineffectual but just went straight down the tunnel at the end. May have to be used as an impact sub for the next few games.

 

 

Edited December 13, 2021 by HaydnNUFC

[Consortium of one]

                         Dubs

Manq      Schar    Fede    Lewis

   

                         Hayden

            Shelvey             Joe

 

Almiron                               ASM

                        Wilson

 

Willock's strength last year was ghosting into the box and finishing.  After his success last year, no one is going to let that happen again.  However Willock needs the vision to see where his cover is coming from and who (if anyone) moves into that space.  Shelvey has shown improvement but rather than being a net negative in the squad I think he's made himself a net zero.  He's picking out the longer pass a bit better but like most of the players is uncomfortable on the ball, has a dodgy first touch and his close range passing is poor.

 

As a whole the players lack vision, anticipation and a good feel for the ball.  Pretty damning I'd say.  

 

I'm convinced that most of the players we have come to appreciate (simply because the club has a dearth of talent) will be forced to the bench or off the squad entirely as we move forward.  Manq, Schar, Fede, Hayden, and Almiron are players I've really rooted for but won't have a place.

 

Dubs, Lewis, Joe (can you believe it???!!!), ASM, Willock and Wilson are the only players that really have a future here.  The rest are dreck. 

 

We need a CB, a RB, a CM and a back up CF, at least, in January.