Leicester 1 United 0 - view from the sofa
Will not do a full report tonight…watched from the sofa again….but brief summary
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We lost but we gave it a decent go and the performance was decent. Leicester showed most of the moments of quality but never really totally ripped us open and had to really work for the win. United were disciplined and well organised and despite having a number of players in who would not be considered first choice, we did well and I felt restricted them.
First half we started with a good shape and were able to keep it when we could and limit their chances. 15 minutes had gone and they had not offered much but slowly they started to push us back but did not have lots of clear chances. Mahrez and Vardy showed some moments and the former was a handful throughout. Vardy had two chances first half but shot narrowly wide and then had another well saved. Both were good chances. They had a few other half chances and Iborra nearly got in. We had one Wilson cross shot and then a really good chance for Stevens but he took too long. Still at 0-0 at half time we were right in the game. The defence had been good, we had been good without the ball albeit sloppy with it and the front two had not seen the ball stuck.
Second half Wilder saw the same as me with Wilson (unless he was injured) and Brooks came on. He looked lively from the off but Leicester forced us back and started to move it quicker. Still they did not have any real chances until another moment of class from Mahrez saw him float a cross over and Basham lost Vardy who nodded intelligently back and over Blackman giving him no chance. The keeper then made a good save from a long-range effort and at this stage we just had to stay in it. After this we had a bit of a go and Baldock had a great chance well saved by Schmeichel and the Carruthers sliced wide after a decent move. After this Vardy had one disallowed for a narrow offside but United were still very much in it. Brooks had a few slalom runs and then Duffy and Evans came on we did not create that much in the final stages despite seeing more of the ball. We won a few late corners but nothing materialised and Leicester did enough to hold on.
United – Decent performance. We were not kamikaze at all and were well organised and had a good shape. Even some of the players who were sloppy with the ball did a decent job at the defending and covering (the midfield trio). The defence played well and other than a few times Vardy beat the offside trap; we kept them to a minimum of chances although Vardy easily could have had two. Stevens had a really good chance but took too long. After the half time you knew they would up it but not sure they really did. I think if we could have kept it 0-0 for another 10 minutes, they would have started to panic more but scored at the perfect time. It was a well-made goal but too easy – a routine cross and header. At that level you have to make them work harder for a goal. After this we had a good chance and Baldock maybe should have scored after a nice move. Brooks also had a few runs and drove at them. We gave it a go but other than that one chance cannot remember any other saves Schmeichel made all game.
We had 5 players in the forward positions that would not normally play on current form and normal starting side and throw in Wright and we had effectively only 5 starters and 4 of them were defender and the keeper is maybe only back in due to Moore so maybe only 4? Leicester had pretty much the first team out and had all their exciting forwards and players like Ineanacho cost 25 million which is probably about 20 million more than our whole team cost combined. That shows the level of talent we were up against.
Stlll it was a creditable performance but ultimately a losing one and I suppose it matters little whether you lose 4-0 like Hull or 1-0 like us; both teams are out of the cup. However, I was pleased that we were solid and commited and had some chances. It is an odd one though as with the team we had out you are kind of pleased but think if we had some more of the 1st teamers out we could have beat them. They did not look that great and I feel we could have got at least a draw if we had started wih Clarke, Sharp and Duffy. Still had little choice with the midfield with the suspended and cup tied players.
With Brooks back and Duffy/Holmes etc we have an exciting end to the season to look forward to. We have 2 games now that we have to try and win. QPR and Hull are sides we have to put away if we are serious about any attempt for the top 6.
Leicester – Not scintillating but showed flashes through their two stars and those two ultimately won the game. Vardy was always a threat but Mahrez made the tick. Like a world class Duffy! He put some great balls through. I felt the rest of the side were mixed. Maguire and Morgan were not tested that much and the midfield lads were a bit hit and miss. Chilwell was a real threat. I felt that Ineanacho barely touched the ball and was poor. Gray showed a few moments but he too has played much better.
Opposition Man of the Match: Mahrez was the prompter and prober all game and the one player I feared when he got it. We did a good job on him at times but the few times he got away led to one on on ones and then the winner.
Opposition Weak link: Ineancho was really poor. He barely touched the ball and looked very languid. I was moaning about Wilson but at least he did not cost 25 million!
Blackman 8/10 – Really good game. Made 2 or 3 good saves; a few were regulation but a good one from Vardy and then a long ranger tipped round the post. His handling was faultless and he took everything. Looked very commanding and assured.
Baldock 7/10 – At times Chilwell gave him a tough game forcing him back and I felt he did not get much help from Carruthers at times but he kept going and then started to get forward a bit more and was unlucky with the shot although a yard further to the left and it goes in.
Stevens 6.5/10 – Decent at times and put in 2 great balls for chances where he really picked men out. Dithered a bit on the chance first half. Maybe did not press Mahrez enough on the goal but it was a floated cross from a long way out so even with pressure on the ball not sure it would stop that sort of ball. Been better recently.
Basham 7/10 –Thought he had a good game and defended sensibly and used ball ok when he had it but was ball watching a few times and left Vardy but he is so hard to pick up. The goal he knew he had fallen asleep by his reaction as he held his head and even if he is 2 or 3 yards closer or can lean on him; he would not score but it was free header. Shame as he had played quite well.
O’Connell 8/10 – Excellent. Our best out field player. Some great tackles, interceptions and blocks. Carried the ball out and generally looked very imposing. On that performance he is someone who if can cut out some of the daft mistakes (Leeds for example) could maybe even step up the Premier League. Really impressive performance.
Wright 7/10 – Steady-ish. Got beat a few times just by sheer skill and touch in the middle of the field and a few times got caught trying to play offside and Vardy timed his run well. He never massively lets us down and he was decent again.
Lafferty 6/10 – First half he had a nightmare and gave the ball away time after time. He was really poor and set them on the way to 3 attacks but he stuck at it and covered and ran back to stop runners. Slowly he got better and I felt second half he was much better with the ball and was more assured. Not sure he is good enough to be more than the odd fill in for games like that and he may move on this summer.
Lundstram 6/10 – Thought he was the inverse of Lafferty. Did well first half and kept it simple and broke things up but he missed a few tackles (so weak for a big man) and then second half he gave it away a lot and looked leggy and lucky not to get booked. He put one superb ball out with the outside of his foot but overall, he did not do enough for me and for a big, powerful bloke does not get his foot in or impose himself enough.
Carruthers 5.5/10 – It was not the worst he has played this season but then I think back and not sure how many positive things he did. He gave away some silly free kicks, had a few runs where he just ran the ball into their men and was poor in his passing. He does not protect the defence and does not really look a threat running through or with the ball. He did keep going and did some ok defensive things in terms of covering and tracking back but clearly not the answer and unlikely we will see much of him now and expect him to find a new club by season end. Now with 5 or 6 midfielders ahead of him too.
Donaldson 6.5/10 – Plugged away but did not hold it up enough and it shot off him too much. He did have a few moments where he played others in but too often he was ploughing a lone furrow. He took a few whacks and tried to link but both Wilson and Brooks were miles off him. Think he will play bits and pieces towards the end of the season but expect Sharp and Clarke to keep the shirts for a period now.
Wilson 5/10 – Had one cross shot but other than that barely involved. Looks completely disinterested to me. He and Donaldson had little service and had to feed off scraps but you need to keep it better or chase the ball down and pressure defenders. Clayton at least tried in this regard but to see Wilson barely even breaking into a jog as the ball was knocked about between the defence and midfield infuriated me. I know it is not all about running around but as Wilder says ‘it should be a given that players run around and put effort in.’ Not sure he has done that fully. I would even rather see Evans maybe for a cameo from the bench than him at the moment. Fair to say I have not been impressed. Anyone else see anything in him I have not?
