The only player in the squad last August with recent PL experience was Albrighton who has become the Leper of Leicester. The squad does not know how to succeed at this level and there is only one man to blaim for that.

I wouldn't say they've given up though Nev, just simply demoralised and unsure tactically.

We got what we deserved. Pearson has for so long shown himself to be out of his depth at this level, it was no surprise to see 3 CB's on the pitch in a must win game, I think it was 10 wasted minutes after Huddlestones red that he decided to take Morgan off.

Lots of us have been saying this would happen for months. I posted an article in November saying we will be relegated with Pearson in charge because he simply doesnt know his best team, best formation and how to utilise what he has.

The shocking summer investment and Pearsons misguided belief that this squad would be good enough cost us up until January. There was time to fix this in the window - while the signings were sound, Pearson has wasted the likes of Kramaric who has made little difference to our predicament for £9m...

The one nigel pearson brigade are starting to scratch their heads as they realise the chance has come and gone and for the first time they can see that the players know that as well.

NP has been a great manager for us in many ways, but ultimately the owners will pay the price for not doing what Southampton did with Atkins - be ruthless for the sake of PL survival..

Anyone got a clue what formation we were playing yesterday? Looking at the team sheet I was quite excited about Mahrez behind two strikers but it didn't pan out like that.

Mahrez seemed to be wide like he would be in a 442 and Kramarić was in a strange 19590s style inside forward. It left us short in midfield, short out wide and the only striker who looks like scoring too far away from the goal.

Is Kramarić the latest addition to Pearson's strikers graveyard? I feel sorry for him as he looks quality but the way he's being used is similar to a goldfish in a tank of bleach

The owners must be fuming at the collective waste of money for Ulloa and Kramaric. Yet given the right support, played to their strengths, they could have made a real impact.

When Kramaric moves on I think we'll see how he could have been used

Looked like 3-5-1-1 to me Donington although it was fairly confusing as to exactly what Kramaric and Vardy's role were.

I just don't understand the criticism of Pearson for yesterday. He went more attacking with wing backs but kept 5 to go like for like with Hull and not get exposed in midfield and in the wide areas. Right decision for me.

He then made more and more attacking subs as the game went on which culminated with us having all of our strikers on the pitch and no defenders!!!

What more could he have done?

The thing that let us down yesterday was the players. Too many of them have off days and to Nev's point, we just didn't look up for it.

Blackstarr - I fully agree on Ulloa and Krammy. Two excellent players with different qualities and we've just not played to their strengths at all.

Mersey seriously!?

5 at the back with 2 wing backs is still 5 at the back. Yes, having RDL and Schlupp makes it more attacking than a flat back 5 but this formation is once again suited to counter attacking football. When the onus is on us to create and attack then its easily stifled as Hull showed yesterday. 5 at the back means you sacrifice something in midfield or attack to accommodate 3 centre backs in a must win game.

The 3 CB's shows that Pearsons primary objective was not to concede - even AFTER they were down to 10 men. 10 whole minutes Mersey of still having 3 CBS on the pitch against 10 men - yet you cant see an issue with that?

Don't even get me started on team selection - Tom Lawrence instead of Marc Albrighton? You don't see this as a bad decision? What about Morgan playing again!?

The formation wasn't right. The team selection wasn't right. Its hardly a surprise the performance wasn't right - yet you cant make the link?

comment by Merseysidefox (U4842)
posted 4 minutes ago
Blackstarr - I fully agree on Ulloa and Krammy. Two excellent players with different qualities and we've just not played to their strengths at all.


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And the responsibility for playing them to their strengths comes down to the manager......

When you look back at how people have turned on pervious managers I can't believe people still back NP.

Were you at the game Merseyside? It was about as enjoyable as the time I had my wisdom teeth removed. 1st meaningful shot on target in 91st min. As BS says, that 10min spell after the red card showed that NP has lost it.

I was at the game Donington - have you seen anywhere where I've said it was anything but awful?

BS - we can go round in circles all day. Pearson has tried every formation going this year to try and get it to work but we've never found the balance of defence and attack.

To be clear, yesterday was woeful. I blame the players yesterday. The manager has to take responsibility across the season though, I know that.

What made me absolutely fume was his post-match interview with MOTD, where he laid all of the blame on the players. If they can't score goals, then I will have to change them.

Must win game - with five at the back and Kramaric isolated up front - again! If you can't see it Nige, your players clearly can and I think you have lost their respect.

At least Poyet had the dignity to take the blame for his team's poor display. Judging by the way he has conducted himself with the press in the past few months, I don't think dignity is in his vocabulary.

Cannot believe he is still in a job. The owners have the patience of a Bhuddist monk!

Great post lcfc. The owners have been like rabbits in the headlights rather than patient

comment by DoningtonBlue (U7476)
posted 25 minutes ago
When you look back at how people have turned on pervious managers I can't believe people still back NP.

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He's either going to keep us up (miracle required) in which case he deserves to stay, or we'll be faced with the Championship next year. In which case I don't see a better option (yes I know he may not be able to replicate last season).

If we get relegated we are probably OK with the parachute payments keeping the financial wolves from the door for a while, but it is clear that we need to be back in the Premiership sooner rather than later if we are to avoid problems. So we need someone who will give Championship success quickly.

Who exactly do you replace Pearson with if we are as seems likely relegated? Someone like Warburton or Howe may seem reasonable punts. They look pretty risky to me - just as likely to find them being sacked before the season end with us languishing in the bottom half of the league, and labelled as someone for whom Leicester were too 'big' a club. Remember they both have done well at clubs with low expectation levels. Lennon perhaps? Certainly has done OK at Celtic but is unproven in England.

Don't get me wrong, not saying there are no potentially good replacements, but for every one who might succeed with us, there are probably 10 Allen/Holloway/Levein/Sousa/Taylor disasters waiting to happen.

Be careful what you wish for!

when your strikers are having a tough time you need your midfielders to up their tempo. just look at ours they dont. cambiasso laid the ball back to james and he sliced it above the goal.how many have they scored all season.

The team sheet reads 5 at the back, actually it was 3 at the back 5 when required, nothing wrong with that in fact I gives us an extra man going forward. RDL and Schlupp sent most of the time going forward in the Hull half. Problem is the same as always when we get to the last third we are shocking, bad first touches, bad decision making, and the strikers don't attack the penalty spot in fact they don't attack anything including the new guy.

Oh and just plain bad finishing..

"Have the players given up"?
I think perhaps we all have.....

Maybe the players have given up on the manager although i thought it was funny with the guy from the press. If that is how the boss is when you do something he does not like its pretty intimidating and maybe you give up.
Is that another reason he sits in the stands as well ?

As for changing manager for bottom clubs it was worked for Villa,Palace and WBA although not for QPR but given the cash Harry mugged them for sorry spent on players they have other worries.

You're right about the formation Somebody, the problem was the players didn't use that width the wing backs gave them, RDL looked good when he got the ball but far too many times the ball was played in the middle rather than out wide.

I'm not sure if Schlupp even understood his role, he was either stagnant or came inside trying to play up front.

Still, makes the miracle escape even more enjoyable.

Kramaric dropped too deep all the time leaving us no target man, I know Ulloa didn't do too much when he came on but I'd like to see him and Kramaric together.

What plaudits there are go to Morgan and Vardy, both heavily criticised but played very well yesterday.

Altogether a bad day at the office and one we couldn't afford.

BS they mentioned on Radio Grandad that the pitch had been shortened and someone twitter mentioned it did you or anyone else notice it?

I didn't notice but if it was it didn't make any difference, Schwarzer still struggled to reach the half way line with his kicks..

I couldn't work out if that was 'tactics' or if he really did struggle to get it that far?

Sorry Merseyside, was a genuine enquiry rather than an aggressive question. ' Woeful' is spot on!

Agreed. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I thought 3-5-2 (or whatever slight variation on that it was) wa right but the players just didn't have a clue how to make it work.

We were far too narrow. Schlupp was playing left back or centre forward (very strange). Vardy was energetic and decent but I couldn't work out where he was playing. Kramaric needed to lead the line but kept dropping in.

Instead of 3-5-1-1 or 3-3-3-1 it ended up being 5-5-0.

It just didn't work. I don't know what happened in the training pitch but it looked like we'd never played that formation or any of those players together before!!

Maybe the coaching staff should take some blame for that, but still, the players out there were terrible yesterday.

I didn't notice it nev no