Not a classic, perhaps, but the match deserved more than one goal in it. Still, if chances will be wasted...
Here are my ratings for it:
Schmeichel: 6 - Shot stopping looking solid; other things not so much. His kicking's still not really on it and he's still flapping at crosses.
Simpson: 6 - Continues to develop the more adventurous side of his game, although this doesn't look like it will ever be any more than a work in progress. Defended decently overall without standing out.
Morgan: 7 - Assured with his defensive duties and helped out in attack at times too.
Maguire: 7 - Continues to show a fine ability on the ball but the defensive niggles continue as well. This time it was losing his man from corners again. He needs to be more aggressive when defending these set pieces.
Chilwell: 6 - Carried on a penchant for forward runs but did get caught out in dangerous places a couple of times in the process.
Mahrez: 8 - Got involved more and more as the match progressed and always looked a danger on the ball. The Burnley defence had to be on alert and highly organised to deny him. And if the new blonde do doesn't attract Wenger's attention, what will? Marginally my choice for our MOTM.
Iborra: 6 - Perhaps it was the fact it was his third game in (just over) a week that made him more anonymous today, and combined with Burnley's work rate in closing down. But he still held his position and gave others confidence to play.
Ndidi: 8 - Got through a heck of a lot of good work off the ball, particularly tackling and covering. Growing in confidence all the time.
Albrighton: 8 - Another with high work rate who kept going throughout the match. Drifted around the pitch and kept popping up in gaps to deliver questioning balls into the Burnley box.
Gray: 6 - Brave for the goal but for me he looked a bit lost at times in the number 10 role, particularly defensively where he was really exposed. Has much studying to do if Puel wants to continue with him in that role.
Vardy: 6 - Let down by the sloppiness to teammates' possession in the first half hour, but generally didn't have much room against a deep set Burnley defence.
Okazaki: n/a - Came on and did Shinji stuff for 10 minutes or so. I wonder how much he can be left out before it starts to affect his position in the Japan team with the World Cup now looming?
Burnley, they were very organised and motivated, not allowing us a lot of time. Ultimately what they lack appears to be pace, but their tight defending has been the key to them being where they are. It'll be interesting to see what they end up fighting for come the end of the season but one would think it would be a top 10 finish.
Player ratings vs. Burnley
posted on 3/12/17
Nuneaton - I'm not sure there's much I can add to my original comments about Iborra. He didn't have a bad game as such, just didn't exert control on it like some previous ones. It's partly because Burnley were high-pressing and outnumbering us in midfield and partly because he's been playing a lot of high-intensity football of late. He's still invaluable in being able to play out from the back though: Aside from possibly Mahrez, nobody else is calm enough to get us to do it.
posted on 3/12/17
And no body mentioned the elephant on the pitch
Taking corners
I imagine that training sessions at the moment are concentrating on formations and ticky tacky football
Maybe a little time spent on defending and taking corners wouldn't be a bad idea,
posted on 3/12/17
I missed Fuchs's long throw-ins yesterday. I don't know how difficult it is to do them, it would be nice if somebody else could be trained up to do them as well.
Apart from that, I really enjoyed the match, there wasn't a dull part in it. I would have liked Shinji to have been brought on a lot earlier.
posted on 3/12/17
I actually don’t think we played poorly over the course of the whole game. The first half was poor and our passing was wayward, but we didn’t really let Burnley get a foothold in the game despite their business and intent.
Second half I think we played quite well and could, and probably should, won a lot more comfortably against a side that have done very well this season. As I say the highlight for me over the past few games has been the development of Iborra and his developing partnership with N’didi. It really does expose our limited options before they came together and Silva may add some depth here.
Linking Vardy or our attack with the midfield has been a problem forever (with the exception of 15/16) so Puel won’t solve it overnight.
posted on 3/12/17
I'm wondering whether we'll see Iborra moved forwards when Silva arrives. He was playing the no 10 for Sevilla to some effect before his move, having been moved forwards from his more defensive role. I'm wondering if that was a plan in the move by us.
I think we were pretty ropey at set pieces even in the winning season, we always looked a little suspect especially when teams had a go at us with an aerial barrage towards the end of games (Villa springs to mind), our team wasn't the tallest ( Drinky, Kante, Albrighton, Okazaki) and Fuchs was often caught with the ball going over his head as he tucked tight into the centre back. Hence Ulloa being as an asset for helping to close out games.
I think last season with the new 'handling in the box' rules and this season with Huth missing it's highlighted Kasper needing to come off his line to claim rather than relying on his defence. Essentially he was getting away with it as the defence covered that aspect of his game (as we did across the team). West Ham this season he should have come for it, winning season Huth would have had that. Stoke, Ulloa would have been on and helping out.
It's another sum of the parts issue. But it's one of the many questions CP needs to answer. We look better going forwards and playing out with Maguire but we lose Huth (if fit) covering Kasper in the air. But could we get another keeper with Kapsers amazing shot stopping, that has stopped many a goal the last few seasons, and aerial command? I don't think so.
posted on 3/12/17
comment by The_Dungeon_Master (U4830)
posted 2 hours, 10 minutes ago
Nuneaton - I'm not sure there's much I can add to my original comments about Iborra. He didn't have a bad game as such, just didn't exert control on it like some previous ones. It's partly because Burnley were high-pressing and outnumbering us in midfield and partly because he's been playing a lot of high-intensity football of late. He's still invaluable in being able to play out from the back though: Aside from possibly Mahrez, nobody else is calm enough to get us to do it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't think you're giving him enough credit for the speed at which Ndidi is developing, he was excellent yesterday. If the midfield had been King and Ndidi I don't think he'd have played as well.
posted on 3/12/17
comment by Black Starr (U12353)
posted 2 hours, 30 minutes ago
Nuneaton we have been atrocious from set pieces since the title win. It's going to take weeks and possibly a change of personnel to sort that out. It's the same week on week and its been the same since ranieris dreaded second season.
The important thing yesterday is that we won while playing poorly. We played exceptionally well for long periods against Spurs only on Tuesday night so anyone expecting a repeat against one of the toughest sides in the league only a few days later needs their heads checking
Yet again, rather than positive praise for a change in team selection which paid off it's the same old on here. Save it for when we turn in a truly duff performance and get hit for 6 - like against Spurs last season at home. Or have some of you forgotten what it was like at times under Shakey??
Miserable bastewards
--------------------------------------------------------------------
I'm with Mersey rather than you on this BS, don't see anything particularly critical about the team. We only played poorly in the first half and I can't argue with the team change as Gray put himself in a place to get hurt to score his goal and came close to bagging a second.
I'm beginning to doubt you know many LCFC supporters, otherwise you would surely know that the standard situation for them is despair and misery?
posted on 3/12/17
Yeah I know lots of Leicester fans - the older generation to tend to be a pessimistic bunch, still thinking the wheels will fall off and I actually fall into that group.
What we seem to have now though is a new generation of fans who aren't satisfied unless we beating teams comfortably week in week out, challenging for Europe with everyone running the length of the moon during every game.
No doubt we will get there, but the damn squib of a reaction on here after what's been a terrific week is pretty telling
posted on 3/12/17
Nuneaton - however much Iborra's presence is helping Ndidi (and it is), I'm not going to give him points for Ndidi's performance. And just because I gave him a 6 doesn't mean I'm calling for King to start in his place.
posted on 3/12/17
Going on MOTD highlights only, this game and a couple of others...........
........... Maguire didn't seem as positive when cutting out shots, crosses or headers as he usually is. Or was it that MOTD were not showing his good spells? I'm a fan of Harry Maguire, but the last 2 or 3 games he's looking slightly sluggish, heavy legged. When he first signed for us he looked sharper. Since he returned from England duty i'd say?
The other noticeable thing is that Kasper needs to catch or take far more balls cleanly than trying to put his fist through it. Could it be that the modern goalkeeping gloves are much more padded for hand protection which makes them almost cumbersome when catching a ball?
Not many keepers want to catch or stop a shot with 2 hands like they used to. Or do some keepers put their fist through it as a mental sign to opposing players that if they want to get in the way of a hammer - feel free?
Sometimes a blistering shot caught by a goalkeeper makes the opposing player look tame. It also can instill solid belief in the goalkeeper's defenders that they have a brick wall behind them.
This is not a parting shot at Schmeichel as i do like him, although he is having the odd hot potato moment.
Mahrez we are going to miss if he goes in Jan. Recently, he has been brilliant at taking on and opening up opposing midfields and defences.
I do think he will become breath-taking in a big,big side.
If we can somehow hold onto him in January, when Silva arrives, it could enhance Mahrez and the midfield loads. Would be an exciting 2nd half to the season, i'm sure of it.
On the whole, i'm quite pleased with how things are going under Puel. And i still think Robert Huth will play a part this season too. But for who?