A slightly above-par performance today, given my expectations going into it. Fortunately we were able to sneak on the east-side linesman's flag as our twelfth man.
Here are my ratings:
Schmeichel: 4 - Kept Chilwell out, and that was about the best of it.
Amartey: 7 - Actually did some decent work amongst it all, and drew an acrobatic save out of Mendy from range.
Evans: 6 - Left to marshall a backline with no protection. Did what he could.
Soyuncu: 5 - Doesn't look dominant in the way that used to. Starting to look suspiciously like he doesn't want to be on the pitch. Got played around and through quite a bit.
Albrighton: 7 - Didn't get everything right by a long chalk but his effort levels were shining bright for all to see, and frankly embarrassed some of the others. My choice for our MOTM, mostly for attitude.
Ndidi: 5 - Largely the victim of atrocious team tactics that had him scampering up the pitch on a badly-operated and badly-judged press that got constantly played around, leaving a big gap in midfield where he once was.
Soumare: 2 - A big gap in midfield. Frankly most of the 2 is for a few bright moments in the second half, because in the first he was beyond atrocious. Doesn't look like he has a clue what he should be doing, nor has the will to figure it out. Hid. Awful.
Castagne: 5 - Patrolled his wing; didn't contribute a lot.
Lookman: 6 - Looked keen at least. He's visibly trying, although his final ball often leaves something to be desired.
Barnes: 4 - Just looks hesitant these days, lacking that drive he once had to properly get hold of the ball and drive at back-pedalling defences.
Vardy: 6 - Didn't get a sniff but when we have no midfield it's unlikely that will happen anyway. Tried hard to lead the press with tempo.
Maddison: 7 - Managed to get us back in the game for a while with determination to try to get on the ball and dictate.
Iheanacho: 5 - Tried to make something happen, but largely shut out of the game.
Dewsbury-Hall: 3 - Delivered two awful corners late on and contributed very little to the middle of the park as we got completely overrun toward the end. Not up to this level unfortunately and shouldn't be here longer than this season. Championship standard.
It's worth remembering that we were up against the team who are probably going to win the league. That said, we're making every team look good against us right now anyway because we're so easy to play against. The execution of the press is consistently terrible, meaning we constantly end up with a wave of opponents running at an exposed backline with Ndidi up the field and Soumare picking his nose somewhere until he figures he should make a token effort.
The situation at Manchester United undoubtedly lingers over all of this, and I hope that the board finally decide to shoot their lame duck at some point soon so we can clarify the situation. That said, even if they do do that and don't want Rodgers, he has a big problem here to sort out, because there was little evidence of any actual training sessions on display here; there's no look of working as a team, or realising that the press isn't even close to working and opting for different, maybe easier tactics. Instead it was just a rabble, some of whom threw everything they had at the match and some of whom watched them doing it.
Player ratings vs. Chelsea
posted on 21/11/21
comment by Nickasaurus (U9257)
posted 4 minutes ago
Hard luck yesterday chaps. I was expecting a very tough game but we could have been out of sight at half time. Your players were all over the shop defensively. Not sure if just international hangover or Brendan just got it all wrong. The kante goal he had free reign of the whole pitch
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We’ve been all over the place for a while now. It’s worrying.
posted on 21/11/21
Very honest assessment DM. Agree with nearly all of it.
I think you might have been a bit harsh on Kasper and Castagne. They both put the effort in and, apart from one appalling pass out, Kasper did OK.
Thought Amartey had a good game and whilst Albrighton really shoiuld not be starting games for us his effort was a shining beacon of light on an otherwise dull afternoon.
WTF have we done signing Soumare?
posted on 21/11/21
Regarding Soumare have you seen his stats at Lille. In 84 games he had the grand total of 2 assists and 1 goal. They say he is not a defensive midfielder so I am not sure what he brings to the side.
posted on 21/11/21
Overly generous with 2 for Soumare. Frankly, it is arguable that we would have been better off with ten men, which would have led to a higher work rate from the others. Choudhury would have been a better selection from the off - more mobile and aggressive, but no improvement if you were looking to be creative. Maddison could have done that though. We’d have needed a back four though. Mmm!
posted on 21/11/21
Ah yes back 4 but Brendan can remember a game where the back 5 worked 3 blue moons on a Tuesday ago, why change a ‘winning’ tactic.
posted on 21/11/21
Ratings way too high for most but agree with the sevens
posted on 21/11/21
agree with most markings A poor performance all round..The problem we have defending corners has been an issue since Morgan and Huth last played.One manager after another failed to grasp it.. At the moment it is getting worse. When we defend a corner Vardy stands at the near post and contributes nothing.He has even scored an own goal and one just over the bar with Schmeichell nowhere.He should be standing outside the penalty area keeping at least one center defender back..Gabriel and Ruddeger have scored recently. I dont know what they are dong at this million pound new training ground but defending corners doesnt seem to be on the agenda.Is it down to Bredan or tourre his defensive coach.If any manager is playing Leicester in the coming weeks i would tell their players dont do any running and exercises just take 40 corners from the left and the same from the right and come back tommorow and do the same Easy 3 points.
posted on 21/11/21
With set pieces, I’d rather we left three up front at this point. We’re conceding anyway, so let’s put some pressure on our opponents to get it right.
posted on 21/11/21
comment by The_Dungeon_Master (U4830)
posted 1 hour, 19 minutes ago
With set pieces, I’d rather we left three up front at this point. We’re conceding anyway, so let’s put some pressure on our opponents to get it right.
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Too right Dunge. We used to do that under Claudio, but we also had Morgan and Huth winning most of the balls coming in. Currently, even if we get a head on it, it comes straight back because there's nobody to pick it up and move it forward.
posted on 21/11/21
Interesting point. I've always thought Vardy should be near the half way line defending corners. If I'm an opposition defender, I'd be delighted to see him in his own box. Not much of a threat there.