Leicester away 05/09/20 match report

[seventwo]

When I saw the team sheet I couldn't recall a poorer first team and feared the worst.
However, after a quiet start, Rovers were the better team throughout.

Another goalkeepers clanger gave Leicester their goal and later in the game he nearly gave them another. He can't play again.
But Fisher apart very well played.

Nyambe showed yet again that under a different manager he'd be playing every week.

[AucklandRover]

Well, it was a bit of a mission to watch that. I had to sign up to Leicester City!
I was generally impressed.
One or two errors, of course, but the Williams-Magloire combination looked better than most of the other centre-back partnerships we've tried!
Rankin-Costello and Nyambe are going to be worth fortunes in two years, while Buckley and Chapman both looked good in the final quarter. I really believe Chapman can make an impact if he's used in the same way as when we had him on loan.
Bell is so much better when we're on the front foot.
Let's hope Kaminski hits the ground running.
I don't think goal-scoring is going to be an issue this season. We just need a couple of extra defenders.

[champs95]

Well, it was a bit of a mission to watch that. I had to sign up to Leicester City!
I was generally impressed.
One or two errors, of course, but the Williams-Magloire combination looked better than most of the other centre-back partnerships we've tried!
Rankin-Costello and Nyambe are going to be worth fortunes in two years, while Buckley and Chapman both looked good in the final quarter. I really believe Chapman can make an impact if he's used in the same way as when we had him on loan.
Bell is so much better when we're on the front foot.
Let's hope Kaminski hits the ground running.
I don't think goal-scoring is going to be an issue this season. We just need a couple of extra defenders.

The one player who has impressed me the most is Holtby. Who now appears to have settled for the first time. And found a position. We cannot hit the ball up to Danny Graham anymore. We have to play football. Especially if Dolan plays up front. Personally I see Dolan as a number 10. But can play either left or right. Armstrong in the middle and either Brereton or Gallagher out wide. Or JRC or Chapman. Who looked decent again yesterday. But where Downing was a complete waste of time last season with his 20 touches before he passed it and slowed us down too much, Holbty can be more effective in midfield than Downing ever was. His passing is much better. He is faster. And sees a pass faster. Even under pressure. He can only play alongside Evan's and Travis though. Johnson is way too slow, overweight and poor. I do believe we will play 4-3-3. I'd have Holbty in midfield over Dack. He passes the ball better. Holbty could be possibly the most important player Rovers have next season. He is the key to getting out forward 3 in good positions.
I do not see a place for Rothwell. Not sure he will even get on the bench. This will be an unpopular opinion, but I actually don't see where Dack fits in? Young adaptable fast players are what we need. Like Dolan. Holby is a better bet in midfield. Where does Dack play? Up front? Instead of Armstrong? No. Out wide? No. You can't have a side playing 4-3-3 with both Dack & Armstrong. With 3 additional forwards aswell. You cant have him in midfield with Holbty, Evan's and Travis. So I'm unsure.
You cant play 4-4-2 as it doesnt suit the players we have. You can only play the system to suit the players. Hence my anger why we kept DG last season. As DG can only do one thing. Meaning Rovers could only play one way. And it had been sussed. We tried to repeat that style with other players, and it failed.
This is how I think we will set up.

Kaminski - GK
Nyambe - RB
Lenihan- RCB
William's- LCB
Bell - LB.
Travis CM
Evan's DCM
Holtby - play maker in CM.
Brereton - LF
Armstrong - CF
JRC - RF

Subs -
Wharton
Davenport
Buckley
Gallagher
Dolan
Another GK (not fkng Fisher!)

Thats before Dack returns. Only room for one impact player, which for me is Dolan. Meaning Chapman misses out. And Rothwell. Waste of time. And Johnson. He cant play. And Buckley is much better.
It's either or for Brereton or SG.
It's either Dolan or Chapman instead of JRC.
With so many players missing out, its hard to see where Dack actually plays? We need pace to front. And we have better passers of the ball in midfield. I guess he offers way more goals than Brereton & Gally. But I also feel they both bring more balance to our side. There is nothing to suggest Dack will come back the same player. So we will have to wait and see. I just feel we have more options up front. And can move past that archaic bang the ball up to DG and hope for a knock down that had its limits.

[robinrover]

Again champs a very good analysis of the current situation.
Imagine if we got a proper left back in.

[champs95]

Again champs a very good analysis of the current situation.
Imagine if we got a proper left back in.

If they got Cunningham back, a solid Champ standard Centre half and an experienced back-up keeper like Rob Elliott I do feel they are ok. Even if Williams then decided to leave. And Dack comes back and is effective. I would say that side would have a good chance of top 10 definitely and if they got no real injuries they could have a real go at the play off's.
The mental thing this season is the time we start, next Sat, until the end of Oct is a long time!! And lots of clubs will look different to how they begin next week.

You simply couldn't make any kind of prediction at this early stage with the way things are. And that's with any side. Look at Brentford. They have 2 of their best players due to leave at any moment. If they stayed then that would change their chances ten fold I would say. Are we playing Bournemouth at a good or bad time? Are we in decent of bad form?

[AucklandRover]

I think I'd like to see Dack in action again before I can even think about selecting anything approaching a "best XI".
We all know how talented Armstrong is, but he still has anonymous games.
I've been wondering for a while how we're going to fit everyone in, as far as the front six are concerned, and the emergence of Dolan doesn't make that any easier. (On the official site, incidentally, Dolan is shown as having been born in 1901! No wonder Preston got rid of him.)
Holtby looks much improved, but he was another who flattered without delivering too much last season.
I agree with Champs that it's hard to start without the known qualities of Travis and Evans.
Effectively, with everybody fit, that means we are choosing four from Holtby, Davenport, Buckley, Johnson, Bennett, Rothwell, Chapman, Rankin-Costello, Dolan, Dack, Armstrong, Brereton and Gallagher. (I can't really see Vale and Butterworth getting a look-in).
I'm glad I'm not the manager!
There are numerous duplications of position, of course, so the bench shouldn't be a problem. I must admit, though, I don't have a clue as to what the most effective front three would be. For example, would it be feasible to have Dack and Armstrong as twin No. 10s - playing either side of Brereton or Gallagher? If it was Brereton, we would - in effect - have three front players who like to run at defenders, so we would have to play the ball on the ground virtually all the time, or get to the byline, via the full-backs. Gallagher might be usable as a target-man in some games, but he hasn't been entirely convincing. Still time for him, I think.
TM has been accused of tinkering, but I still reckon a squad like ours isn't suitable for the concept of one, consistent, unquestionable "best team".
As Robin says, I wish we were equally spoiled for choice in defence.
One other point. If not many go out on loan, we are going to have a very strong U-23 squad.
In theory, we could put out a team of:
Fisher
Rankin-Costello Wharton Magloire Thompson
Chapman Buckley Mols Dolan
Vale Butterworth.

And we'd still have a hell of a bench!