Post Match Bournemouth 1 Leicester 1

[homer]

Crikey. We're unbeaten, averaging two points a game and just got a hard fought point away from home to a dangerous side. And yet most I'm reading in the match thread is negativity about our players and manager?

But we're not reflecting on the previous three games, or the points yield from them. Nor are we considering what you might have thought was a tough game beforehand

We are reflecting on an abject performance, probably as bad as much of what we saw last year. It was awful. To say it wasn't is just a lie, or the product of a deluded mind

 

[FryattFox]

A fair point well made...though you must admit the 5 man midfield was a failed experiment in the first half.

Stupid selection and tactics from the off, and a complete failure to put things right

I didn't hear too many people moaning when we won our first two matches playing 4-4-2 (a formation none of us would have selected at the beginning of the season).

CR has only had 4 PL matches in charge, and we have a squad with 5 or 6 new players. In my book, he's deserved every right to try whatever formation/selection he sees fit, until I see repeated evidence to the contrary.

 

[camberwell fox]

They were good but our system for the first hour allowed them to be.

Mahrez was poor.

De Laet was woeful.

Schmeichel needs to learn to kick a ball.

Schlupp was sensational second half.

Vardy was tireless and very intelligently earned the penalty.

Referee was gash.

A very good point overall.

 

[bocadillo]

Bizarre change of a winning line-up...

Did we win our last game?

 

[Jeff]

Did we win our last game?

Yes. But CR only kept one player in the team from that game.

 

[fitz]

Did we win our last game?

Aye, we bury-ed them

 

[Brown Nose]

A fair point well made...though you must admit the 5 man midfield was a failed experiment in the first half.

I know what you're saying but I genuinely don't see that as a major factor. Okazaki came on second half and really didn't make much difference. Our extra man in midfield (Kante) was our best player second half alongside Schlupp.

Bournemouth have just won back to back games scoring four goals each time. They're at home and full of confidence and belief. An extra man in midfield and a hard fought point is bang on the money for me.

 

[NYC Fox]

Crikey. We're unbeaten, averaging two points a game and just got a hard fought point away from home to a dangerous side. And yet most I'm reading in the match thread is negativity about our players and manager?

We weren't good first half but we are in the Premier League folks and some opposition teams are going to cause us problems. I don't care who you are, sometimes you don't play at your best (Chelsea or Liverpool today anyone??). When this happens, the thing to do is hang in there and get something. We did that well today all things considered. I've have taken that result before the game.

Ranieri spent the interviews before today's game saying he was expecting a tough game against a team he had a lot of respect for. Shame we can't all recognise this.

Great post and good points. I'm not sure if you actually watched the game, but the half time score wasn't a reflection of Bournemouth's amazing pressing or incisive football, we were just awful. Mahrez was half asleep and deserved to be subbed, Drinkwater couldn't pass the ball anywhere, Kanté kept giving the ball away and our tactics seemed to be, pass it all the way back to the 'keeper and hoof it.

Second half a few things improved. Kanté improved a lot, Vardy got more support so started running at the defense, and Drinkwater started pressing (although his passing didn't really improve).

As for our record... well we had a relatively easy opening to the season (including this game) so we really need the points now. Villa should be a win, but then it starts to get really tough.

 

[fitz]

4 (5) games unbeaten so far this season. **** any negativity, we were shit for most of last season and the fact we've managed this with a change of manager is worth praise IMO. Some will continue to pine, but this is a good return.

 

[londonfox]

I knew that would be a tough game

I think in Kante we've found an excellent left winger. He and Schlupp were FANTASTIC in the 2nd half.

I though Drinkwater was poor and King was anonymous. I hope (and expect) Inler to start and make the place his own after the international break.

Ready pleased for Dodoo. The half hour passed him by but great for him to come on after Tuesday.

I applaud Ranieri for taking off Mahrez and Albrighton. They have arguably been our two standout players thus far this season, but they struggled today and taking them off was the right call.

We NEED a new right-back before the window closes. De Laet wasn't good enough last season and he hasn't improved. Is also like to see a new central midfielder come in so Drinkwater and King are on the bench at best.

Benalouane does look rash in the challenge but I'll wait till he plays 90 mins at centre-half before forming a firm opinion on him.

I'm disappointed not to get three points but the pragmatic side of me says 2 wins and 2 draws is a very encouraging start. I'm very pleased with Ranieri. I'm sure there'll be those who criticize him for "tinkering" with the formation today. But he tried something, he saw it wasn't working, and he made the right changes to rectify it.

I think we should have had a 2nd penalty when Vardy was fouled on the edge of the box. It was interesting to see everyone's favorites Bournemouth diving around at the end winning free kicks and trying to win penalties.

 

[FryattFox]

Great post and good points. I'm not sure if you actually watched the game, but the half time score wasn't a reflection of Bournemouth's amazing pressing or incisive football, we were just awful. Mahrez was half asleep and deserved to be subbed, Drinkwater couldn't pass the ball anywhere, Kanté kept giving the ball away and our tactics seemed to be, pass it all the way back to the 'keeper and hoof it.

Second half a few things improved. Kanté improved a lot, Vardy got more support so started running at the defense, and Drinkwater started pressing (although his passing didn't really improve).

As for our record... well we had a relatively easy opening to the season (including this game) so we really need the points now. Villa should be a win, but then it starts to get really tough.

Everything you've said here points to the players being the issue.

 

[FryattFox]

Benalouane does look rash in the challenge but I'll wait till he plays 90 mins at centre-half before forming a firm opinion on him.

I watched him play 90 mins on Tuesday. Looks like a solid defender, but gave away numerous needless fouls.

 

[Micky]

I know I am always negative in my pre match predictions but that's just my lucky (or unlucky) omen. However, I really did think that today's game was going to be very tough. They were on a roll from last week and are a better team that most perhaps realise. Before the game I would have gratefully taken a point.
When I heard that Kante was starting in place of Okazaki I was not surprised and thought it may be a good move. As it turned out, it was perhaps the wrong choice. Can anyone comment? (I didn't see the game). Were we poor in terms of individual errors or did the system not allow us to impose ourselves on the game?

 

[Miles Away]

Certainly we've picked up more than we did in corresponding fixtures last year.

While we were very poor for stretches I can't remember Kasper having to do much. And again, we should have had a second penalty which would have seen us nicking all the points.

It just looked very static and a lot of route one from Kasper (who is kicking poorly).

 

[Micky]

I think Benalouane looks rash but he also looks like a very good athlete and he also looks technically good. I get the impression that he is the type of player that needs a strong coach who can keep him calm. I could quite imagine him being outstanding one minute and then absolute car crash the next. Finally, to add, I thought his challenge at the end was never a free-kick and also the penalty claim against him was not a foul.

 

[Brown Nose]

We are reflecting on an abject performance, probably as bad as much of what we saw last year. It was awful. To say it wasn't is just a lie, or the product of a deluded mind

I watched the stream of the match and I saw a typical 'Championship' style game. The sort of match we played a lot last season against the poorer sides; Burnley, Hull, etc. Against this sort of team, we're not yet good enough to rise above this sort of ding-dong match where possession is momentary and mistakes are routine.

I'll accept that we did rise above this against QPR at the end of last season, but that was a freak match. Today's game really wasn't unexpected. It was nothing to do with our team selection or formation. It was just always likely to be that type of match.

In addition, Bournemouth have only lost one of their last twelve at home and that was an unlucky defeat to Villa. A point is an excellent return from today's game.

 

[camberwell fox]

A lot better teams than us will struggle to get any points at Bournemouth

 

[Durham Fox]

Totally woeful first half due in no small part to a ludicrous formation. The only positive from it was that we got to see Kante for a full game and he showed he's a step up from King and Drinkwater who were both complete shite. Ludicrous decision to drag Mahrez at half time, should have been King or Drinky.

De Laet had an absolute stinker but Benalouane doesn't look any improvement at all currently. Schlupp played well second half.

A flash of brilliance from Vardy saves our blushes.

 

[Mawsley]

Did we win our last game?

Adjective: charming, engaging, pleasing

 

[homer]

Today's game really wasn't unexpected. It was nothing to do with our team selection or formation. It was just always likely to be that type of match.

I really mean no offence, BN, but that is complete and utter horseshit