Sunday travel again meant I was unable to comment post game but I have enjoyed catching up with posts. Often with amazement at match comments and ratings and sometimes aghast at the effrontery displayed.
Typical of this was out correspondent in the Antipodes who seems to balance himself on a number of different horses and then decides which one he prefers after the match.
This week prior to match he advocated an all out assault on Arsenal suggesting man for man our midfield was superior all round than our opponents and this combined with speed and attacking flair would result in a win for our team. He also managed as usual to add vitriol to his message by an attack on Wiltshire- a young player ravaged by a series of injuries which threaten his career.
He also chose exactly the team CR selected with the exception of Okazaki for Dyer. Reading his comments post match one would be hard pushed to recognise the same poster.
In fact, as well accepted by football in general, if you play an attack based strategy against Arsenal they will murder you with the accuracy , speed, skill and passing of their midfield on the break. We should have picked Fuchs- stifled their midfield and included Inler in the midfield five and when they got frustrated and took risks –Vardy and Mahrez could have attacked them.
CR got his tactics and original selection wrong and compounded it by introducing King at half time- which would I am sure have delighted at least Ramsey who is well aware of his limitations. He has been a great servant to Leicester and remains a good clubman and a model pro- but not a player who will assert any dominance or personality on a game.
There was recently a Horizon program explaining that there are likely existing duplicate universes which mirror our own. Strikes me that King might have realised from there but their time zone is 2 seconds behind our own which is why he is so often just unable to make the tackle, or make the interception –add to this his one paced speed – a head rolling jog and his nature to pass the ball sideways or backwards not to create openings but seemingly to pass the buck along with the ball.
It is time for Ranieri to perhaps stop concentrating at being Mr Nice guy and make the changes we must have to improve our defensive structure even if it means leaving out previously established players and systems.
Catching up ..
posted on 1/10/15
CR prefers a strict zonal defensive system based on back four with midfield minder in front similar to role he had Makele fill at Chelsea.
There is a midfield four in addition when opposition on possession - two central - two wider -one striker .
This changes rapidly when possession won with one wide midfield and one midfield specified to support striker. Kante holding midfield and Mahrez both key to this with Inler and Drinkwater central.
It surely needs Fuchs to understand and have ability to fulfil disciplined back four zonal needs
posted on 1/10/15
It's interesting that you mention that John, because we saw that very formation at times during the second halves of the West Ham and Arsenal games. However, so far he hasn't got it to work and the players look like they don't quite know what their roles are within it.
Also, I suspect that Inler would probably be best suited as the holding midfielder in that situation. Once he's up to speed, he looks like someone who will be disciplined and really get his hands on the game and control it. Kante's got great bustle and can make a tackle stick, but so far he's done well stealing the ball a bit further up the pitch and not worrying so much about positioning.
posted on 1/10/15
That's why Dunge he has to assert very strict control on the training pitch. I understand Benetti may not be
readily accepted by all current staff
posted on 1/10/15
Arro attacks Wilshere = bad
JG attacks King = good
posted on 1/10/15
Benetti V Stowell i believe.
posted on 1/10/15
And everyone attacks RDL
posted on 1/10/15
Cdubya - suggest you read his description of Wiltshire before you make such a comparison-
posted on 1/10/15
Actually JG you're completely wrong because I never said we would win, I said I don't know what will happen and that any result was possible so get your facts straight!
I also did not want us to go all out attack for 90 mins, I wanted us to have a go at them early doors, which we did and we got the goal as I thought we would but then I wanted us to tighten up and properly hit them on the break. We didn't!
I wanted us to play 4-2-3-1 to give the defence more protection, this didn't happen and we got punished! I also wanted Mahrez in a central role because I thought he would be nullified out wide and he was!
At half time he should have changed the defence, we should have gone 3-5-2 to soak up pressure and then hit them late on but again we didn't do this.
What we did replace Okazaki for King which did nothing but halt our effectiveness going forward! Okazaki didn't do the job needed and if playing 4-4-2, which we never ever should have against Arsenal, I would have played Ulloa not Okazaki!
I called Wilshere a fairy because on the pitch that's exactly what he is! He dangles a foot in a challenge and always tries to nick a ball away rather than getting stuck in and well he gets injured because of it!
Drinky was better than Ramsay on the day and I will stand by my opinion that Drinky will become a top player. That ball he played to Vardy was class and if it had been Beckham everyone would have been all over it. He's a class player and every bit as good as Ramsay!
I said Mahrez on current form Mahrez was as good as Ozil right now but he was back to form unfortunately and Mahrez was nullified out wide!
I think Kante is better than Flamini.
I don't particularly rate Oxlade-Chamberlain, never seen him do anything. I'd rather have Dyer, Mahrez, Schlupp and Albrighton.
So that's our midfield for theirs but we didn't line up how I wanted us to so we'll never know how we would have coped with Kante, Drinky and Mahrez in the middle instead of Kante and Drinky up against three with Mahrez doubled up on.
posted on 2/10/15
"I understand Benetti may not be
readily accepted by all current staff". And how the hell would you know that John Gee?? Lol
posted on 2/10/15
Away for weekend so haven't contributed. Shame as for once I disagreed with Dunge on some key points, although others covered my issues.
I'm happy with where we are at present, who wouldn't be with 3W3D1L. I could comment about the defence/ tactics etc but in the end it's results and points that count.
We'll see where the new gung Ho approach takes us. Starting with a difficult away trip tomorrow.