Are we bottling it?

[Brown Nose]

After our game at Newcastle on New Years Day, we stood second in the league with 45 points from 21 matches. Since then, we've played 10 matches and picked up 10 points. W2 D4 L4. Watford have done better.

The two sides that are chasing down the top four are Man Utd (18 points in their last 10) and Wolves (19 points in their last 10).

If we maintain this form for the rest of the season, we'll finish with 62 points. If Man Utd and Wolves continue with their form until the end of the season, they'll finish with 62 points each. If Chelsea maintain their form, they'll end on 64 points.

I really couldn't see us choking our situation until now. But it looks as though we've really got our work cut out to hang onto a place in the top four. Our trajectory is going only one way.

We have only 13 goals in our last 10 matches. This is the difference. We've stopped scoring. Have we been found out or have our attacking players reverted to their normal levels after an unusually strong spell? Our creativity has gone. No goals or assists from Maddison since New Years Day. Tielemans, no goals and two assists. Perez two goals and no assists. Gray no goals and one assist. Albrighton no goals and two assists. Iheanacho no goals and one assist. Vardy two goals and one assist.

The only one making a decent contribution is Barnes, with five goals and one assist. And he's gone back into his shell since the return.

With our players lacking energy and ideas and the players and management very quiet and lacking aggression, I can't help feeling that we're sleepwalking into 6th place. Our manager doesn't appear to be addressing this slump at all. It seems as though he thinks that if he just carries on, it will get better. I hope he's right.

 

[H T B]

Our Goal difference is +30, Man U has +17, Wolves +10.
If all on 62 points, we are 4th.
Where's the problem?

 

[SilverFox]

Yes. Yes we are.

 

[Skitzo]

No, but like always our fan base can’t wait to start bed wetting and panicking

 

[SilverFox]

6 points the gap. 24 points up for grabs. One of those games is Man U.

where is the next win coming from? We are frittering this away.

 

[SilverFox]

No, but like always our fan base can’t wait to start bed wetting and panicking

on last nights display I would say with some justification.

 

[homer]

We look like a team without a single idea of how to win a game of football

Not helped by the utterly insane team selection in the last game, but we are utterly clueless

We are screwed imo

 

[pork pie fox]

I think we just need to get a win from anywhere, to settle things down a bit. A 92nd minute winner off someone’s arse would be fine.

 

[Lako42]

Despite what the blind and those with Rose tinted specs on will tell you, we are very clearly bottling it.

Results aside, which are poor, our performances are lacklustre and our manager seems to be allowing it to happen.

Genuinely think we'll piss it all away, and to those ****s from Manchester of all teams.

 

[Graz]

I think we just need to get a win from anywhere, to settle things down a bit. A 92nd minute winner off someone’s arse would be fine.

I kind of agree... But we've also only gone 2 games without a win. And didn't lose either of those...

It's a shame the Covid stop happened when it did, because we were great in the last game against Villa and it felt like what was needed.

The team just needs a bit of a spark to get going.

My worry is that Ricardo is a huge loss to our attacking play. Our 4 wingers are all very average, so we rely too much on Maddison and/or Vardy to do a lot by themselves.

I was nervous about the restart because we're in a position with something to lose. But I still think for now we could be okay, but we need to find some form and some leaders need to step forward.

 

[mabrah]

Bottling it? No. We haven't even looked like a team that even cares enough to call it bottling. Bottling it suggests buckling under pressure or fear. To me, it doesn't look like we give a shit, just bantz innit.

After Chilwell's goal at Watford, it was all smiles and stroke my buttocks. The fact there was a game on, a goal lead to defend and an up-and-at'em team that would predictably throw the clichéd kitchen sink, we stood around feeling pleased with ourselves. We'd be on the beach if it wasn't for travel restrictions.

 

[Brown Nose]

Isn't there an element here where several players confidence seems to have gone?

We've a young group who look good when the going is good but disappear when things get difficult.

The under-performing is too widespread for it to be attitude related in my opinion. Too many players don't want the ball now.

This takes me back to the manager and coaching staff. They really don't seem to be able to make a difference and that concerns me.

 

[Miles Away]

We look ****ed to me.

 

[City Fan]

We’ve been mostly shite since the turn of the year. It almost feels a bit like the 12/13 season where we dropped a cliff and then made the playoffs by the skin of our teeth. Hopefully we’ll do the same but with a Champions League place rather than playoffs.

 

[artic fox]

We will turn this around and push on

 

[Skitzo]

the most annoying thing is without the 3 month break I think we would have hammered both Watford and Brighton coming off that Villa game

 

[homer]

the most annoying thing is without the 3 month break I think we would have hammered both Watford and Brighton coming off that Villa game

Which means that our preparation for, and overall approach to, Project Restart was and is a complete shower compared to theirs

 

[Skitzo]

Which means that our preparation for, and overall approach to, Project Restart was and is a complete shower compared to theirs

it does seem that way, the question then becomes did out sports science staff not provide the right plan or do the players not follow it correctly

 

[Lako42]

Or do they lack the desire now? Do they care enough? It doesn't feel like they want it as much.

 

[Feriol]

Fitness isn't the problem. Remember these are professional footballers, so unfit is a relative term.

With the break we have had you can understand a lack of sharpness, this is seen in being slow off the mark, a bit loose controlling the ball or a mistimed challenge.

I can also understand being tired later in the game.

What I have seen from Leicester (and most other teams but that's no excuse) is a lack of desire, they are not trying to make runs or close down.

The change in circumstances has given the players an excuse to under perform, and many are making the most of it.

Yes some allowances have to made, but you shouldn't make allowances for not trying.