Not for the first time this season, I find myself confused and bewildered by Ranieri's tactics and team selections.
I'll firstly state that I haven't seen the match and listened to it on the radio. But this is what I found strange about tonight's showing:
The initial 3-5-2 formation. Not a particularly bad line-up although Morgan seemed initially uncomfortable in a slightly wider position. I was also unsure why we went with Vardy and Musa upfront when they haven't played well together at all this season. But all in all, an OK line-up (albeit minus one of our most creative players, Gray) and an OK first half.
Then the weird stuff started. Firstly, Okazaki for Huth. Eh? So Huth had a bad game, but he's still one of our main threats from set pieces (not that we've done well with those this season). Plus it meant we had two left backs and only one centre back on the pitch, meaning Fuchs went into central defence for a while.
Unless Huth was injured, I genuinely don't see what the purpose of this was suppose to be. It left us looking unbalanced and unstable and didn't benefit us at all.
Then, after going 3-0 down, we finally bring on Gray for Musa, who was ineffective, and go back to 3 at the back with Ndidi slotting in to the back 3.
Just to compound it, we then decide to use our last substitution to bring on Simpson for Albrighton. By this point the game was over, which seems an odd time to decide to shore things up at the back. I appreciate that his options on the bench were rather limited, but again I struggle to see what the purpose of this substitution was suppose to be. And just to finish off, we end the match with Ndidi in a centre back 2, Fuchs back at LB and Chilwell at left wing. Phew.
All in all, a very strange and, ultimately, pointless tactical display from Ranieri tonight. We might as well have gone 4-5-1, kept our defensive solidity, brought Gray into the side and try to ground them out. Instead, we ended up with a messy, unworkable formation with players out of position. No wonder some seemed like they didn't have a clue what was going on.
A waste of time, effort and sanity.
Well, that was strange
posted on 15/1/17
Yeah, well done for pointing out what I and every othet Leicester fan already knows. What's that got to do with out manager facking up the tactics today?
posted on 15/1/17
Three at the back is suicide when you have both Huth and Morgan in there. They are old school centre backs, and are not nearly mobile enough.
Chelsee play that way, and although Cahill is their slowest defender he is still far more mobile than either. Luiz and Azpilicueta are quick across the ground too.
Spurs have also played like it recently, but Dier, Alderweireld and Vertonghen are all competent fullbacks. Quick across the ground, on the turn and good on the ball.
Leicester need to play to their strengths. The defence was solid last season, and hard to break down. There are lots of points to be gained from.the bottom half sides. A 442, or a 4411, depending on opposition. The top 6 are blowing the rest of the division away this season, 7 to 20 is where the battle will be won.
posted on 15/1/17
Vertonghen a full-back?
posted on 15/1/17
Yes, he played there often for us in his first season, and both he and Alderweireld are often played there for Belgium
posted on 15/1/17
All of our three can and have played as fullbacks. Wimmer does so for Austria too at times. When asked to play in a three, they understand the role and are comfortable with it.
posted on 15/1/17
That's good. I never saw him (Verts) in that role, nor the other lads. Excellent for emergency situations such as when injuries occur to Rose or Walker.
posted on 15/1/17
I obviously do not see much of you, but somethimg like this I would back to beat most sides outside the top 6
...........................KS
Simpson..Morgan...Huth...Chilwell
Albrighton..Ndidi...Drinkwater....Mahrez
........................Okazaki
...........................Vardy
Your strengths are what they are, it is not far removed from last season, but a bit more adventure from the left back
posted on 15/1/17
comment by HRH King Ledley (U20095)
posted 9 minutes ago
I obviously do not see much of you, but somethimg like this I would back to beat most sides outside the top 6
...........................KS
Simpson..Morgan...Huth...Chilwell
Albrighton..Ndidi...Drinkwater....Mahrez
........................Okazaki
...........................Vardy
Your strengths are what they are, it is not far removed from last season, but a bit more adventure from the left back
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It's a good line up and there's promise that Ndidi could allow us to play like that, he looks a real talent. If he can do the job Kante did and allow Drinky to do the job he did last season instead of having to cover more defensively, then it could work.
Okazaki is the best partner for Vardy and if we're going to play two in the middle then his energy and work rate is needed.
I think with the players we have there are plenty of options but we haven't got the right mixes yet. We can play 4-2-3-1/4-3-3/4-5-1 with Chilwell to give us more attacking threat, Mendy, Ndidi and Drinky across the middle and a choice of two from Albrighton, Musa, Gray and Mahrez with Vardy ahead. I like Mahrez in the no.10 role behind either Vardy or Slimani but if Slimani plays then we need width and Albrighton.
We can play a number of formations as long as we have the right players on the pitch but we need the energy and intensity back, that's the most important thing, though we do need to set up properly to give ourselves a chance.
posted on 15/1/17
It seems crazy to talk in such a way, but it is all about suvival now.
Get some points on the board, enjoy the CL tie(s) and look to next season.
Imagine if you win the CL
posted on 15/1/17
comment by HRH King Ledley (U20095)
posted 3 hours, 36 minutes ago
It seems crazy to talk in such a way, but it is all about suvival now.
Get some points on the board, enjoy the CL tie(s) and look to next season.
Imagine if you win the CL
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To be fair survival was always the first priority but we did expect to be a bit closer than we are.
I'm not too concerned though, new players coming in will help fill the gaps which have helped hinder the first half of the season, players we signed in the summer should start to gel and I don't think it will be too long before Ranieri works out the right formulas.
It's frustrating because we know what they can do but at the same time that also helps stay calm, at least it helps me others not so much. They've shown they have the character and ability to get themselves out of any mess they get themselves into.
Ndidi has hopefully answered the Kante question, we're looking for another attacking player possibly Brady, Ramirez or Cafu which will add some creativity we've been missing and another centre half, not heard too many rumours and nothing recently but Acerbi and Keane were heavily mentioned and that will help our defence become a bit more solid.
There are reasons to be positive about us improving I just hope it comes before we play Sevilla because we'll need to be firing to beat them. I'm confident that if we turn up we could go through, they have an awful away record in Europe so if we can go and do our thing over there and get them back to the KP we have a chance. On our day we're a match for anyone but those days are less frequent.