Leicester City (H) League 1 Tuesday 3/2/09.

[saddlerken]

Delves, seriously, your expectations need some attention

Christ knows what their team is worth in terms of wages, there is NO way on earth we can compete with them without players still missing

Very one sided game, they were a class above, at least the players know they wont have a harder game for the rest of the season

[Graydon48]

Leicester were miles better but even they probably couldn't have believed their luck at our dreadful defending.
It was shocking schoolboy stuff.
Class teams like Leicester don't need a helping hand but all four goals were down to our comical defending not their brilliance.

[WFC_Rob]

Let's put tonight's game into context first. We were facing a side who stood 10 points clear at the top of the table going into the game, have quality all over their side, and have the finance at their disposal to ensure that injury crises like the one we're just stating to get over don't dent their season.

In terms of the performance, we just weren't quick enough to the ball when it fell loose and good enough to keep the ball when we had it. That was how we lost the game. Leicester's midfield and front two had the edge mentally and physically over anyone in our side.
The thing is, I genuinely don't feel too strongly that any of our side under-performed. Gerrard barely won a header against Howard who would give most centre halves outside of the Premier League a tough time, Palmer was cut to shreds by Dyer, and Taundry found himself chasing shadows all evening. The only players who I felt imposed themselves on the game in any way were Mattis, Zaaboub & Jabo. Mattis looked to put his foot on the ball and keep things composed when everyone around him seemed to panic, Zaaboub at least looked to provide some sort of attacking threat in the way he ran forward with the ball and Jabo tried to hold the ball up as well as he could. The players around them however just didn't have the capacity to compete with Leicester. The problem was, I felt they went into the game with that attitude from the first whistle. Having beaten Leeds, anything against Leicester would have been a bonus - that was their attitude, and that is one of the reasons why we are where we are.

In contrast to matches under Mullen such as the beating we suffered against MK Dons, I didn't come away from tonights game feeling angry or even particularly frustrated. We generally tried to keep the ball on the floor and pass it. Leicester were just much better at doing that than we were. It's to Hutchings & O'Connor's credit that we stuck to our guns right until the end, rather than letting our heads drop and hoofing aimless long balls.
I think the respective quality available to the likes of Deeney, Nicholls, Taundry and Palmer was found wanting massively tonight. In the majority of matches, hard work can be enough to get by. Against the top sides at this level however, a lack of quality throughout the side is just brushed aside and taken advantage of.

[mel58]

Well beaten by a better team - though I thought Howard was off-side when the ball was played to him at the start of the move which led to their 4th goal.

Nothing much else to say really - one positive point from the game is that we now seem to attempt to play the ball on the deck when we can. Zaboub was MOTM for me. I thought he worked really hard tonight.

[Delves Saddler]

Delves, seriously, your expectations need some attention

Christ knows what their team is worth in terms of wages, there is NO way on earth we can compete with them without players still missing

Very one sided game, they were a class above, at least the players know they wont have a harder game for the rest of the season

I fully expected them to beat us comfortably and like I said there is no shame in losing to a better team, but I seriously felt that the team looked like they gave up as soon as the first ball was kicked, yes they did out class us but nothing stopped them from trying to give it a good go, like i said, we seemed to do it after we had scored but it was little too late. Chris Hutchings said that the team looked leggy and I for one cannot accept that as an excuse for playing poorly because they are paid professionals and it is their job to be fit enough to at least play 90 minutes of football regardless of how close matches are. Either way it shows that not enough effort is being put in somewhere, if thats on the training pitch or on the pitch on matchday. I hope the new management team get them working hard and getting them fit especially the defense, because we all know it is the area tht needs strengthening. I don't think it is too much to expect the players to at least go out and match the other team for effort, we did that against leeds but we simply didn't do it today.

[Exile]

We've said all season that fitness has been an issue. Can't turn that around in a fortnight.

[WFC_Rob]

We've said all season that fitness has been an issue. Can't turn that around in a fortnight.

I don't think it's a simple case of working on fitness though.
One of the main reasons why there are so many tired legs on the pitch for the final 10 minutes of matches is because they've spent large parts chasing shadows. As with a lot of young players, they need to learn the ways of the game rather than simply getting the mileage in their legs and lungs on the training ground.

[latviancheese]

We've said all season that fitness has been an issue. Can't turn that around in a fortnight.

I don't think it's a simple case of working on fitness though.
One of the main reasons why there are so many tired legs on the pitch for the final 10 minutes of matches is because they've spent large parts chasing shadows. As with a lot of young players, they need to learn the ways of the game rather than simply getting the mileage in their legs and lungs on the training ground.

I agree, it was Jorge Leitaos downfall.

But if a team like leicester is on top of their game, passing the ball around well, its hard not to chase shadows and get tired. Otherwise they will keep the ball all night,

[Bristol Fan]

There were a few problems tonight, but if I had to pick out the main two then I would say (i) we weren't very good and (ii) they were extremely good. Easily the best team we've played against since our relegation from the Championship, I'd say. A reality check after Saturday and let's hope Ricketts, Hughes and Roberts get back for the next game, but the good news is that we won't have to play anyone remotely as good as Leicester again. We might literally be in the same league as them, but figuratively we're nowhere near. In terms of personnel available and tactics, there was nothing that Hutchings could have done - we were simply up against a team with far, far better players.

I really enjoyed their fans. Good-natured, witty chants, and lots of them (in both senses).

[WFC_Rob]

We've said all season that fitness has been an issue. Can't turn that around in a fortnight.

I don't think it's a simple case of working on fitness though.
One of the main reasons why there are so many tired legs on the pitch for the final 10 minutes of matches is because they've spent large parts chasing shadows. As with a lot of young players, they need to learn the ways of the game rather than simply getting the mileage in their legs and lungs on the training ground.

I agree, it was Jorge Leitaos downfall.

But if a team like leicester is on top of their game, passing the ball around well, its hard not to chase shadows and get tired. Otherwise they will keep the ball all night,

Of course.

But against the likes of Hartlepool, you get the opportunity to keep the ball and make it do the work. Instead, we decided to constantly give it away and let them come back into the game. Obviously Leicester are a different proposition, but the same principles apply. They just give you less opportunity to do so.

[Asps]

Delves, seriously, your expectations need some attention

Christ knows what their team is worth in terms of wages, there is NO way on earth we can compete with them without players still missing

Very one sided game, they were a class above, at least the players know they wont have a harder game for the rest of the season

I fully expected them to beat us comfortably and like I said there is no shame in losing to a better team, but I seriously felt that the team looked like they gave up as soon as the first ball was kicked, yes they did out class us but nothing stopped them from trying to give it a good go, like i said, we seemed to do it after we had scored but it was little too late. Chris Hutchings said that the team looked leggy and I for one cannot accept that as an excuse for playing poorly because they are paid professionals and it is their job to be fit enough to at least play 90 minutes of football regardless of how close matches are. Either way it shows that not enough effort is being put in somewhere, if thats on the training pitch or on the pitch on matchday. I hope the new management team get them working hard and getting them fit especially the defense, because we all know it is the area tht needs strengthening. I don't think it is too much to expect the players to at least go out and match the other team for effort, we did that against leeds but we simply didn't do it today.

Totally agree with you Delves, what a let down. Looked to me like we expected the match to be off and just weren't mentally right. Leicester were a better team, but we just didn't turn up tonight and it was a gutless performance.

Saturday was a flash in the pan performance imo against a Leeds team on an off day.Still think we're going to be in big trouble this season.

[Tyldesley_saddler]

On a different subject, I see this at the bottom of the page "Users browsing this forum: Ben Lowe, Bomoh, Dave Gittins, Whitters and 3 guests"
However Exile and Bath are clearly on line?

It's called the choice of being hidden !
Not worked it out yet !
I am always on here "hidden" but that's not because i have anything to hide, but because i dont want certain people knowing i am online ! Do exactly the same with my Facebook and Hotmail !

[Canuck]

On a different subject, I see this at the bottom of the page "Users browsing this forum: Ben Lowe, Bomoh, Dave Gittins, Whitters and 3 guests"
However Exile and Bath are clearly on line?

It's called the choice of being hidden !
Not worked it out yet !
I am always on here "hidden" but that's not because i have anything to hide, but because i dont want certain people knowing i am online ! Do exactly the same with my Facebook and Hotmail !

It may also be that while they are on-line at the time, and logged in to UTS, they are not necessarily browsing this forum. They may be elsewhere on UTS at the time.
I don't know this for certain, just a guess.

[SWS1]

eartha happens. Let's get over it. Excelsior!

[SWS1]

Sorry! I meant eartha happens. Etc Philosophical.
Amen.


[modded - language]

[Dynamo Zuffle]

Well Leicester were the best team I have seen this season there movement on and off the ball was fantastic and left us chasing shadows all night.

They seamed to have an extra man on the field through there passing. It was a pleasure to watch. They did exactly what we did to Leeds on Saturday and started right from the off and didn’t let us get into any rhythm at all.

I think I can safely say that Leicester will be back in the Championship next season and have a very good chance of going up as champions I cannot see many if any teams matching them this season.

Fryatt showed how good he is at this level with his movement on and off the ball it was also nice to see him not celebrating when he scored the goal like some ex-players do. He just took the plaudits from his team mates and then got on with the game. It was also nice to see that he got clapped off the pitch by all four sided of the game.

It was also a good job that Phil had left the ground by the time the man of the match was awarded I mean Chris Palmer man of the match when he was responsible for the second goal and had a hand in another of their goals.

[Mr Sid]

Leicester definately had more class up front, but as soon as we put them under some pressure it showed up their weaknesses at the back. The problem was we had no one able to put their foot on the ball and keep possesion. With Ricketts, Hughes and Roberts fit I think we could have made a match of it.

Fryatt looked good, but Howard ran the show for them and it had the same feel as the second half against Hartlepool. They decided to put everything onto Howard's head and Dyer and Fryatt were just running along side hoping for a quality flick over the top. Why on earth we allowed them to push across to our right so that Howard was continually against Palmer for the header is beyond me. Surely Gerrard or Weston should have drop across more for the goal kicks.

This highlighted again that we need the players back fit asap and we need a stronger/taller right back and centre half to prevent our lack of height being used time and time again.

Main positive from tonight was the performance of Troy Deeney, whether it is the influence of the new management or him being played in the right position he looked a different player again tonight. I think with some more games and a bit more strength/fitness he will be a very good centre forward.

Okay maybe we lost 1-4, but you could see potential last night where as under Mullen it was a shambles.

Think positive.

UTS.

[Maverick]

Totally outclassed by a team that is far too good in this division.

That said I must say how disheartened I was to see the empty seats again ???,following the performance on Saturday it must have been as depressing for the players as it was for me.

[saddlerken]

Delves, Asps, look at their bench, imagine the salary of their squad against some cacky journey men and young lads who have barely had enough expenrience and maybe for the first time in a while getting some decent coaching, on the back of a monumental effort against Leeds

Not to mention how good Leiceter were (comfortably mid-table championship side), how can you call it gutless when we cant get near them because their players are easily the standard of a higher division?

Give them a break, I think you are calling it gutless because we weren't getting as stuck in as you like but you can't get stuck in when you can't get anywhere near them

[philthesaddler]

It was also a good job that Phil had left the ground by the time the man of the match was awarded I mean Chris Palmer man of the match when he was responsible for the second goal and had a hand in another of their goals.

Palmer got man of the match ? Never heard anything so proposterous.

He was at fault for both the first two goals. The first one he let his man just walz past him, so he had to recover and concede a corner. From the corner we conceded. The 2nd, he just let his man go, bring the ball down and place a shot. He's an awful, awful defender, and he's not much better going forwards.

Anyway, Leicester were a very good side, so no qualms about them taking the points, just wish we'd have put up more of a fight. I don't think any one of our players can hold their heads up high and say they gave their all.

[saddlerken]

Leicester have:

2 Liverpool players on loan
1 Arsenal player on loan
1 Man U player on loan
3 other former Premiership players
and a load of others who have cost plenty of cash

add to that, after speaking to a Leicester fan at work, that's the best they have played for some time

you can give your all and sometimes its just not good enough

[StonnallFan]

The last time Leicester visited Walsall was February 2003 when they also won 4-1. Walsall's scorer was....Martyn O'Connor!

[BathSaddler]

The last time Leicester visited Walsall was February 2003 when they also won 4-1. Walsall's scorer was....Martyn O'Connor!

Yep, and we were 4-0 down before Martyn scored too!

Spooky

[adjisaddler]

yep its happened so now we've just got to move on put it behind us and look to the hartlepool ame who should be easier than leicester.


UTS


Adj

[Asps]

Delves, Asps, look at their bench, imagine the salary of their squad against some cacky journey men and young lads who have barely had enough expenrience and maybe for the first time in a while getting some decent coaching, on the back of a monumental effort against Leeds

Not to mention how good Leiceter were (comfortably mid-table championship side), how can you call it gutless when we cant get near them because their players are easily the standard of a higher division?

Give them a break, I think you are calling it gutless because we weren't getting as stuck in as you like but you can't get stuck in when you can't get anywhere near them

I agree re how much better Leicester are compared to us, however except for a 5 to 10 minute spell in the second half did our players give their all in my opinion. During that period Leicester did creak.

I don't mind seeing us lose to a better team, but expect 100% effort from our players and that was sadly missing last night. Fitness level of the squad appears to be one issue Hutch & MOC need to address.

[Duke]

How many would have taken 3 points from our last 2 home games .
Leicester are by far the best team in league 1 .
.

[Maverick]

How many would have taken 3 points from our last 2 home games .
Leicester are by far the best team in league 1 .
.

Yes I would have taken 3 points Duke,but as a few have stated above we didn't generate the same 'get up and at em' type tempo and atmosphere from the word go last night.

[Cueball]

Clearly Leicester were a vastly superior team who according to many of their fans hit top form against us. They could have scored 6 or 7 had they taken their chances and then not took their foot off the gas with 30 mins still to play. But despite how good they were, I still wish that we could have taken Saturday's performance into the game. We didn't. I could see right from the first whistle that the tempo wasn't there. It wasn't because we couldn't get near them, it was because we didn't play with the same intensity.

Fair play to Hutch who has said we need to get some consistency in our play, because this performance and the Leeds game were miles apart. Regarding the poor attendance, I was amazed how hard we tried to get this game on. I'm sure there were a lot of fans (from Walsall and Leicester) who thought better of sitting in a freezing stadium and then traveling on icy roads. I'm really not having a pop at the club (because they did fantastic and the pitch was brilliant) but if they were expecting a bumper crowd, then they are divorced from winter reality...

[DanWalsallFC]

Just got in, I'm sorry and others may disagree with me but i felt that was a completely gutless performance. I know there is no shame in losing to a much better team but seriously, I couldn't see a single player that seemed interested at all bar Zaaboub, who tried and tried to get the ball forward and make positive runs, but no-one helped him, so he ended up having to go from side to side, which allowed the Leicester players time to get back. After the goal we looked slightly interested in giving it a go, but by then it was far too late. I'm just shocked to see that 3 days ago we were closing down and whole heartedly outplaying a team that is supposedly of similar quality. It even seemed like Jabo and Deeney couldn't be bothered, saying that they still worked harder than anyone else. I'm quite frankly shocked at the massive difference in performances after such a short space of time, it is quite unbelievable. I am absolutely gutted and I hope Hutchings and O'Connor give them the roasting they deserve because it was just poor tonight.

Totally agree. I think Zaaboub, Boertien and Palmer were our best players, Nicholls was dreadful, rip up his contract along with Deeneys.
Its back to reality now for us, we've got 2 tough games against Hartlepool and Colchester, these wont be easy at all! Im going for a total of 1 point from our next 2 games, thatll come against Hartlepool, im dreading the visit of Colchester, they're on form. We could be down there after these 2 games.

[Cueball]

Just got in, I'm sorry and others may disagree with me but i felt that was a completely gutless performance. I know there is no shame in losing to a much better team but seriously, I couldn't see a single player that seemed interested at all bar Zaaboub, who tried and tried to get the ball forward and make positive runs, but no-one helped him, so he ended up having to go from side to side, which allowed the Leicester players time to get back. After the goal we looked slightly interested in giving it a go, but by then it was far too late. I'm just shocked to see that 3 days ago we were closing down and whole heartedly outplaying a team that is supposedly of similar quality. It even seemed like Jabo and Deeney couldn't be bothered, saying that they still worked harder than anyone else. I'm quite frankly shocked at the massive difference in performances after such a short space of time, it is quite unbelievable. I am absolutely gutted and I hope Hutchings and O'Connor give them the roasting they deserve because it was just poor tonight.

Totally agree. I think Zaaboub, Boertien and Palmer were our best players, Nicholls was dreadful, rip up his contract along with Deeneys.
Its back to reality now for us, we've got 2 tough games against Hartlepool and Colchester, these wont be easy at all! Im going for a total of 1 point from our next 2 games, thatll come against Hartlepool, im dreading the visit of Colchester, they're on form. We could be down there after these 2 games.

One question. Were you at the Leeds game?