Whatever works for them I guess.
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There is a bit of a difference in the two things, isn’t there?
It’s a fair straight forward thing to worry about a year of watching football and coming away from a battering every week if we continue like we did on Saturday, and prefer a year of being at the sharper end of a league.
Ask Leicester fans how this season has gone compared to last season.
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Continue like what? Being 3rd in the table with a playoff place guaranteed? Taking 6 points in a week? Having a head coach with a record of W6 D4 L3? We would not be battered every week if we continue like that in the Championship. I get that some people want us to go back to our early season goal scoring form, but that is unrealistic at this stage when results are all that matter. I doubt many Leicester fans were hoping they didn’t get promoted to the PL.
Can’t agree with that I’m afraid.
In the last 5 games of this important stage of the season the contenders for second place have scored the following number of goals…
Stockport - 10
Charlton - 9
Wrexham - 8
Wycombe - 3
I think it’s reasonable to just accept that our style of play has become super-cautious and that some supporters aren’t enjoying it whilst simultaneously wanting the team to succeed as always.
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No one is denying that we’ve become more cautious and it’s interesting to note that of the teams you have mentioned we have the best goals against record in those 5 games (just one conceded, a questionable penalty at Reading). Also, we’ve won 3 of those games, the same as Wrexham and Charlton (Stockport have won 4). We still have the best GD in the division and only Birmingham have scored more this season. Many posters have said that they would be happy with 4 more 1-0 wins and I agree with them although it certainly isn’t good for the blood pressure!
Just a reminder, there were 29 attempts on goal against Shrewsbury, 21 i the next, not I think the performance of an overly defensive set up. We have lost the goal-scoring of early season, not the chance creation.
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Some potentially relevant analysis from a recent Premier League game. The players have been told to play a certain way and I think we just need trust that they know what they’re doing.
IF. IF. IF. IF. All Big if’s.
If we continue being 2nd or 3rd every week, with the head coaches record he has today We could be in the champions league by the summer of 2027.
The pragmatic thinking of us know that the step up to from League 1 to the championship will be a huge one. And, if we play as we did on Saturday - which was at times very hesitant - for a a whole season at a much higher level, we will struggle.
You just have to listen to Gary Linekars Pod cast where he has mentioned that while they wouldn’t have turned down promotion, last season was a much more enjoyable watch when they weren’t being beaten every week and is kinda looking forward to being back in a league they can compete in.
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I used the word ‘if’ just once to quote a post which said ‘if we continue to play like that in the Championship we would get battered every week.’ The poster was referring to one game under MD who has overseen a return of 22 points from 13 games, and a similar return would see us in a comfortable position in the Championship. I didn’t say I expected a similar return, I didn’t mention us winning the Champions League, I simply pointed out that our points return under MD is excellent Who knows how we would play if we were promoted and if he was able to introduce a brand of football different to the one he employs now? We could have a very different looking squad to the present one. Lineker doesn’t speak for your average fan and Leicester sold out their home games every week in the PL and will return to the Championship with better players and a better bank balance than they have now. Would the pragmatists prefer us to be in League Two or the National League where we would likely win more games?
What makes you think that’s likely?
What makes you think that’s unlikely? Let’s not forget that he came in over halfway through the season and inherited a squad of players he wasn’t familiar with and had to hit the ground running as we were bidding for promotion. He didn’t have the luxury of experimenting with different styles and tactics in pre-season so we won’t know his preferred brand of football until he has had the chance to implement it. Had he gone gung ho and lost more games than he’s won the criticism of his pragmatic approach would have been even greater.
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I never said I thought it was unlikely.
Fair point.
It was me that used those words @glasshalffull1 and I wasn’t referring to one particular game, ie: Stevenage. It has been a build up from several games under MD. The play has been slow and ponderous, we have the players to make much quicker passes and through the midfield, hence for a period of roughly three months we were scoring for fun. I also appreciate that teams now show us far more respect and come to Adams Park employing smothering tactics. This does not preclude us from being quicker in mind and passing. Passing along the back line and back again to the keeper is far from entertaining. Wins with some coming in extra time, (I can think of Stevenage & Mansfield and I am reasonably sure there are other games with last minute winners), will not carry on for ever. It is both frustrating and boring in equal measure, plus is a view shared by many others around me which I expressed on this very forum. That doesn’t mean I do not support my team both home and some away games and always encourage, never boo or vocally voice my disappointment. However, lately it has become a “chore” to watch my team rather than something I look forward to. Other opinions are available, this is mine and No, I don’t want to watch my team get battered every week, leave at 4.30 when we are 2/3 down just to avoid the mass exodus, which as I stated, “if we play like that every week” and I certainly think we will.
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Dodds has said, in a post-match interview a few weeks back, that this isn’t the way he wants to play in the long-term, i.e. beyond this season. Was I the only one who heard that?
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People hear what they want to hear @our_frank and there are plenty here who don’t want to hear anything that suggests Dodds might be the right man.
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He did also say he wasn’t going to change what was already working though, which he rather comprehensively has done. Not saying that’s a bad thing, it’s getting him results.
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Like who?
Could be worse. We could be in the Championship
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The Championship will be a (possibly better attended) chore for the first season as it was the last time, but I’m not sure anyone has said they want to be relegated instead.