Pre Match Leicester Vs West Ham

[Brown Nose]

I think we massively under-appreciate both Ricardo and Chilwell. The amount of running that they do is simply staggering. Most of the rest of the team would be knackered after 10 mins trying to do the same.

I don't blame either of them for occasionally being slow coming back. They are the two hardest working players we have.

There is a huge difference between their constant running with, and off, the ball, and the performance of Fuchs yesterday who just got it, looked up and hoofed it forward most of the time.

 

[H T B]

I think we massively under-appreciate both Ricardo and Chilwell. The amount of running that they do is simply staggering. Most of the rest of the team would be knackered after 10 mins trying to do the same.

I don't blame either of them for occasionally being slow coming back. They are the two hardest working players we have.

There is a huge difference between their constant running with, and off, the ball, and the performance of Fuchs yesterday who just got it, looked up and hoofed it forward most of the time.

Their first job is to defend.
If they struggle to get back, they should make sure they have cover before they go forward.
Lack of cover, cost us yesterday.

 

[Lako42]

Really not looking forward to this

I anticipate empty seats

 

[H T B]

Really not looking forward to this

I anticipate empty seats

From what minute?

 

[Brown Nose]

Their first job is to defend.
If they struggle to get back, they should make sure they have cover before they go forward.
Lack of cover, cost us yesterday.

They would never get picked by BR if they did that. The whole game plan relies on them offering the width and constantly moving up and down the pitch.

Yes, they are theoretically defenders but that is an outdated expectation. If you want them to play a different role, that's fine, but we have the wrong manager and tactics then.

 

[sparky79]

Schmeichel
Ricardon Soyuncu Evans Chilwell
Praet Hamza Tielemans
Maddison
Iheanacho Vardy

BOOM

 

[popillius]

They would never get picked by BR if they did that. The whole game plan relies on them offering the width and constantly moving up and down the pitch.

Yes, they are theoretically defenders but that is an outdated expectation. If you want them to play a different role, that's fine, but we have the wrong manager and tactics then.

I agree that they are not old fashioned full backs and that their role is not simply to defend which is why I think Ricardo has been exceptional. He is fantastic going forward but can defend when the chips are down albeit he isn't a fantastic defender. Unfortunately, it's not that Chilwell isn't primarily a defender, it's that he has proven consistently for 3 seasons now that he cannot defend, full stop; not even a little bit. He hasn't improved that part of his game at all despite time after time after time getting caught out and made to look a fool when trying to defend. I think he offers us a lot going forward when he can be bothered but I'd be prepared to sacrifice that for someone who could at least try to stop a cross coming in or clear a ball at the post. A decent left winger and a decent left back and we would be so much stronger at both ends of the pitch.

 

[Mike - True Blue Tinter]

I agree that they are not old fashioned full backs and that their role is not simply to defend which is why I think Ricardo has been exceptional. He is fantastic going forward but can defend when the chips are down albeit he isn't a fantastic defender. Unfortunately, it's not that Chilwell isn't primarily a defender, it's that he has proven consistently for 3 seasons now that he cannot defend, full stop; not even a little bit. He hasn't improved that part of his game at all despite time after time after time getting caught out and made to look a fool when trying to defend. I think he offers us a lot going forward when he can be bothered but I'd be prepared to sacrifice that for someone who could at least try to stop a cross coming in or clear a ball at the post. A decent left winger and a decent left back and we would be so much stronger at both ends of the pitch.

It is a shame that Fuchs is starting to slow down. I still believe that he is a better defender than Chilwell and can cross the ball or take a free kick better than Chilwell. He just cannot bomb up the pitch anymore, or if did he would need a sit down before he could bomb back down the pitch again!

 

[M17TT C]

Just imagine if Chilwell turned his back on a shot and let it through his legs like Fuchs did for their second.....

 

[popillius]

Just imagine if Chilwell turned his back on a shot and let it through his legs like Fuchs did for their second.....

He's done far worse, far more often. It seems to be the rhetoric that Chilwell must be good because Fuchs is worse. What about if neither are good enough and we need a new left back? Not rocket science really is it?

 

[Miles Away]

Ricrado is often found walking back around the half way line when we are defending ,no one mentions it as he is a golden boy but if the same were true of our left back there would be an outrage, given our wingers lack of production we could play Ricardo and bring in Justin, who would still attack by the way, but have him be slightly more defensive

Ricardo has definitely been exposed positionally of late. Coincides with Ndidi being out I think.

 

[Miles Away]

Their first job is to defend.
If they struggle to get back, they should make sure they have cover before they go forward.
Lack of cover, cost us yesterday.

That’s a systemic rather than an individual issue.

 

[H T B]

That’s a systemic rather than an individual issue.

I’d say it’s both

 

[londonfox]

Just imagine if Chilwell turned his back on a shot and let it through his legs like Fuchs did for their second.....

He hardly ‘let’ it through his legs. If he did he’s got the most nimble feet in the squad. I’m not saying he had a great game. But he was in the middle trying to cover and the ball was smashed between his legs from a couple of yards.

 

[Brown Nose]

Some defensive stats:

Blocks - Ricardo = 0.3 per game; Chilwell = 0.3 per game
Interceptions - Ricardo = 1.8 per game; Chilwell = 1.1 per game
Tackles - Ricardo = 4.4 per game; Chilwell = 1.3 per game
Clearances - Ricardo = 2.9 per game; Chilwell = 2.2 per game

Other stats:

Passes - Ricardo = 57 per game; Chilwell = 65 per game
Touches - Ricardo = 93 per game; Chilwell = 92 per game
Crosses - Ricardo = 2.2 per game; Chilwell = 3.8 per game

Attacking stats:

Goals - Ricardo = 2 Chilwell = 1
Assists - Ricardo = 1 Chilwell = 3
Key Passes per 90 mins - Ricardo = 0.82 Chilwell = 1.23

My conclusion from this is that there is not a lot between the two. Ricardo is a little better defensively and Chilwell is a little better going forward.

 

[M17TT C]

He's done far worse, far more often. It seems to be the rhetoric that Chilwell must be good because Fuchs is worse. What about if neither are good enough and we need a new left back? Not rocket science really is it?

Such as?

I don't think I have ever seen anyone suggest what you say, if anything it is the opposite in that Chilwell is so bad so Fuchs must be better.

What about if one of them is just young & knackered (and therefore likely to be inconsistent) and the other isn't quite the player he used to be now he is coming to the end of his career?

Only 9 players in the whole league covered more ground the Chilwell last season and only one of which was another LCFC player.

Distance covered stats don't seem to be as readily available as others but I can only assume it has continued in this fashion, if not increased as we rely on our full backs even more but they have even less cover than before.

Did you see our average positions for yesterday? Basically there was no threat or attack out wide from the left and that wasn't because the other players didn't want to pass to the guys over there.

Chilwell only turned 23 a few weeks back and if he were the consistent player many on here expect him to be, he would have left already and even now, there would still be 18 other teams in this league that would have him starting most weeks.

His (and Ricardo's) problem is that they have to offer the attacking threat and also have to defend as the players in front of them have done neither thus far.

If Barnes & Perez were putting in Mahrez like performances then fine, swan about up front waiting for the ball but even Mahrez would still put a shift in.

The problem is they are putting in Josh Low/Joe Hamill attacking performances whilst offering the defensive cover of Peter Canero/Alan Rogers.

 

[M17TT C]

He hardly ‘let’ it through his legs. If he did he’s got the most nimble feet in the squad. I’m not saying he had a great game. But he was in the middle trying to cover and the ball was smashed between his legs from a couple of yards.

I think I was probably 7 or 8 years old getting shouted at for turning your back on a shot, literally the most basic defending.

And your final part is pretty much my point, it wasn't skill or trickery that did him. All he had to do was stand strong keeping his legs together, or throwing himself in front of the ball like he would have done in the Claudio era we may have held on for a point.

He also made Jeff Hendrick look like Ronaldinho in the first half getting done by him like a kipper.

I'm a big fan of his and he is a very good back up option to have but no way should he be starting ahead one of the best upcoming LBs in the league.

Chilwell just seems to be the on trend player to be bashing at the moment imo.

 

[Dour]

Their first job is to defend.
If they struggle to get back, they should make sure they have cover before they go forward.
Lack of cover, cost us yesterday.

Their first job is only to defend if that's what the manager wants them to do. Ricardo and Chilwell's first job, in the way that Rodgers sets up the team, is to carry the ball forward and assist in the attack.

 

[popillius]

Such as?

I don't think I have ever seen anyone suggest what you say, if anything it is the opposite in that Chilwell is so bad so Fuchs must be better.

What about if one of them is just young & knackered (and therefore likely to be inconsistent) and the other isn't quite the player he used to be now he is coming to the end of his career?

Only 9 players in the whole league covered more ground the Chilwell last season and only one of which was another LCFC player.

Distance covered stats don't seem to be as readily available as others but I can only assume it has continued in this fashion, if not increased as we rely on our full backs even more but they have even less cover than before.

Did you see our average positions for yesterday? Basically there was no threat or attack out wide from the left and that wasn't because the other players didn't want to pass to the guys over there.

Chilwell only turned 23 a few weeks back and if he were the consistent player many on here expect him to be, he would have left already and even now, there would still be 18 other teams in this league that would have him starting most weeks.

His (and Ricardo's) problem is that they have to offer the attacking threat and also have to defend as the players in front of them have done neither thus far.

If Barnes & Perez were putting in Mahrez like performances then fine, swan about up front waiting for the ball but even Mahrez would still put a shift in.

The problem is they are putting in Josh Low/Joe Hamill attacking performances whilst offering the defensive cover of Peter Canero/Alan Rogers.

Ah so running far is the key. Ian Hume anyone? That's a meaningless statistic. I'm pretty fit and could run a fair few miles in 90 minutes, does that make me a PL footballer? Age and inexperience have been used as excuses for his failure to improve defensively for at least 3 years now and it's tiresome. He may be a great player for all I know but we just aren't seeing it here, especially when it comes to defending. Do you imagine we'd be any worse off if he weren't in our squad? I honestly don't think we would.

 

[popillius]

Chilwell just seems to be the on trend player to be bashing at the moment imo.

Whenever I see posts like this on here, and it's quite a lot, it never fails to amaze me that the simpest of logic is lost in the statement.

There are only two reasons for multiple people and multiple voices in the crowd showing their criticism for a player; either it is as you point out and completely baseless bullying of a talented player who is doing well so that fans can follow some sort of fitting cult like trend which has appeared out of thin air for no reason (which, of course, makes no sense whatsoever) or it's because of continued frustration having been built over a sustained period of time at a player who is making the same mistakes and failing to rectify them.

I'l give you a clue; it's not option A.

I'm all for players learning their craft and I understand that young players make errors but the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. This is what Chilwell does and has done for a long time. He has to learn to defend properly or just cut his losses and become a winger because he's ****ing useless to us right now.