Pre Match Leicester vs Hull

[FIF]

This is it. Can we keep the momentum of the last 1 and a half matches going?

This is the real test of our champions.

Same line-up as the Liverpool game I guess though personally I'd put Chilwell in for Fuchs, Amartey in for Morgan and Gray in for Mahrez.

 

[City Fan]

Same team, but with Gray in for Mahrez.

 

[FIF]

This really is a must win game isn't it ( not literally before the pedants jump in)? We're at home against a team in the bottom 3, We're on a high and it's just before our chance to make the last 8 in the Champion's league.

If we can't win this what chance of winning any other matches this season?

A loss here, or even a draw, would be a devastating and depressing result.

Leicester to win 2-0 with Vardy bagging another.

 

[Blaarev]

3-1 Leicester. Nugent (3).

 

[homer]

Sneaky snakes 5 motheaten tigers 0

 

[yackandandah]

I'd have Gray in for Mahrez too. Although Gray was ineffectual against Liverpool in the limited time he had, there's any number of reasons for that. Point is, Mahrez is struggling. He can't even beat a player at the moment and often seems reluctant to even try. A number of times last night, his uncertainty/hesitancy slowed us up and cost us possession. He needs bench time to hopefully inspire him to fight for his place in the starting line up. We need him at his offensive best otherwise we're carrying him.

Otherwise unchanged. Fuchs showed us he can still do it, Huth and Morgan (with Ndidi and Drinkwater in front of them) looked largely untroubled. A change I would consider though is Slimani for Vardy - a tactical change. I don't think Vardy will get the space to play his natural game and I think Slimani has more of an aerial and physical presence. If Albrighton has his crossing boots on, we might see Slimani at his best - but I suspect we'll start with Vardy, for continuities sake if nothing else.

 

[Lako42]

Fuchs played better (not difficult) but he is a liability at the back, constantly out of position so he has to dive in all over the please, missing tackles and leaving gaping holes.

The alternative has a goal causing mistake in him every game so I suppose we have no option other than to hope Fuchs gets better and nearer his old self.

Mahrez looks finished at Leicester. If he couldn't get himself fully up for last night then he never will do. We need to allow Gray to play in this new-old team, he deserves it more anyway.

The rest remains the same.

 

[FIF]

Fuchs played better (not difficult) but he is a liability at the back, constantly out of position so he has to dive in all over the please, missing tackles and leaving gaping holes.

The alternative has a goal causing mistake in him every game so I suppose we have no option other than to hope Fuchs gets better and nearer his old self.

Mahrez looks finished at Leicester. If he couldn't get himself fully up for last night then he never will do. We need to allow Gray to play in this new-old team, he deserves it more anyway.

The rest remains the same.

I think like with Gray we need to give chilwell the chance to grow in the team. He is our future at LB. Fuchs is the past. Play Fuchs as LM if we want his attacking ability and long throws, Albrighton could play in his more natural position replacing Mahrez. Personally I'd have Gray in Okazaki's position but I don't think most fans will agree with me there.

 

[yackandandah]

Fuchs played better (not difficult) but he is a liability at the back, constantly out of position so he has to dive in all over the please, missing tackles and leaving gaping holes.

I know what you're saying. We almost have to play Albrighton in front of him just to cover Fuch's positional short comings. I must admit too that I am concerned whenever he gets involved with an opposition player near the penalty error. He's often on the wrong side and is prone to diving in. His forward passing though can be incisive. I guess I'm just a little uncertain that Chilwell has the same presence at fullback. Fuchs, for all his limitations, is perhaps a more intimidating prospect for opposition wingers - precisely because he is more likely to clatter them. But I admit it's a close call for me.

 

[Brown Nose]

Unchanged team + unchanged bench + unchanged attitude = unchanged result.

 

[pork pie fox]

I cannot see the lineup being any different to last night.

 

[dpjfox]

I think Hull will be tougher to crack than Liverpool, i doubt Vardy will be given space behind their defence. Iwould eventually like Armartey to play in one of the centre back positions, but if the defence is protected as good as last night then keep the same back 4. I would play Slimani up front to give Hull a different type of threat they wont be expecting. If Hull are adventurous then put Vardy on from the bench to exploit space behind them. Tough game but if players desire/attitude remains high then we could win this and really boost confifence. Im hoping for a 2-1 win Slimani Mahrez

 

[FIF]

I think Hull will be tougher to crack than Liverpool, i doubt Vardy will be given space behind their defence. Iwould eventually like Armartey to play in one of the centre back positions, but if the defence is protected as good as last night then keep the same back 4. I would play Slimani up front to give Hull a different type of threat they wont be expecting. If Hull are adventurous then put Vardy on from the bench to exploit space behind them. Tough game but if players desire/attitude remains high then we could win this and really boost confifence. Im hoping for a 2-1 win Slimani Mahrez

Hull have been one of the three worst teams over the course of this prem season. Surely we should beat them as we are playing at home. It should be easier than Liverpool.

As always this season, first goal wins.

 

[Miles Away]

Really don't understand the Mahrez criticism from last night, and I'm a bit more forgiving of his form generally.

He had three moments of brilliant skill that no other player in blue would have been capable of.

1. The lead up to the 3rd goal, where the defender stood off him scared shitless, and then Mahrez played a wonderful 1-2 with Fuchs via a great flick
2. The slalom run at 3-0 into the box where he could easily have gone down for a penalty, but instead laid it off to Drinkwater who promptly thrashed it over the bar
3. The reverse ball midway through the first half to Vardy that drug their entire back four out. Vardy made a poor first touch, back-heeled it to N'Didi who got a shot off

While I can understand people wanting to see more of Gray, he is nowhere near the quality of Mahrez, particularly when it comes to final ball. Gray, currently reminds me of a young Ronaldo. All sizzle and not enough steak. He's a young man, so it isn't a criticism. If he develops the deadliness that Mahrez has, he'll be a brilliant player. Mahrez already is.

It's also hard for Mahrez as he definitely is dealing with man-marking and doubling in, so hard for him to directly impact games as consistently. He was never a "Hume" figure and always looked a wee bit half-arsed. That's part of his game. That isn't to say his form hasn't dropped, it has...but it is to say he remains our best player, a wonderful talent and shown flashes last night of his ability to completely turn a game.

 

[yackandandah]

a wonderful talent and shown flashes last night of his ability to completely turn a game.

I agree entirely. I have a kind of love/hate thing tbh. I know what he can do. His ability to control a ball, stop it dead, cushion a perfect pass, change direction, curl a shot.... I recognise all of that. It's just the waiting for him to do that - and that he's so half arsed whilst we wait, and that's when he's not a defensive liability. As I've said, if he's not bang on form then I debate his being on the pitch. I think I'd rather see a player of half his ability delivering throughout the match than him coasting for 70% of the game. Ah, but yes, he can turn a match.... I dunno, how do you solve a problem like Mahrez? How do you catch a cloud and pin it down? (to reference The Sound of Music)

Our style of game (when it materialises) requires everyone to put in a shift. That's just not Mahrez's style and never really will be. I find that contradiction difficult to embrace.

 

[Miles Away]

Our style of game (when it materialises) requires everyone to put in a shift. That's just not Mahrez's style and never really will be. I find that contradiction difficult to embrace.

Well...it seemed to work last year pretty well to be fair. I love flair players and find "graft" an overrated trait amongst fans. You need grafters to allow players like Mahrez to play. Reminds of Ginola.

 

[M17TT C]

Unchanged team + unchanged bench + unchanged attitude = unchanged result.

Precisely and why the **** would you change a team that has just won their first game in God knows how many!?!

I can understand calls for Gray in for Mahrez as I was expecting that to be the substitution last night and not Albrighton but after last night, anything other than an unchanged team would be barmey and Mahrez is still our best player so always worth a place.

 

[H T B]

Mahrez has the ability to be our best player, but hasn't been for some time

 

[yackandandah]

Well...it seemed to work last year pretty well to be fair. I love flair players and find "graft" an overrated trait amongst fans. You need grafters to allow players like Mahrez to play. Reminds of Ginola.

I can understand that. I like flair players too. It's not that I'm old school or anything in my desire for work ethic. It's just that I see others having to cover for him defensively, be it Simpson or Drinkwater/Ndidi or Okazaki even. Mahrez doesn't close players down as a rule... but I shouldn't really comment because I know I'm not really being fair to him. I think I have a problem with Mahrez himself rather than flair players generally. Even last season, when he was doing his stuff, I was thinking 'yes but'... I don't know why, I guess I react in a contrary fashion to people saying 'Mahrez is a genius' type stuff. My problem really. I'll try to be more open minded in future, promise

Precisely and why the **** would you change a team that has just won their first game in God knows how many!?!

For me, it would be simply because Hull are a different proposition. I think we'll start with the same 11 but it'd not surprise me in the least to see a tactical substitution because we're unable to break Hull's defence.

 

[Brown Nose]

Hull are not Real Madrid. They're a piss poor bunch with a decent manager.

If we play anything like last night, we'll beat them.