Lets not dwell on tonight too much - we're up and still a top day out! I was just wondering on who people thought we missed most tonight? Try and not to think of their replacements (obviously starting with a player like phillips is like starting with 10 men) but who we missed most. We missed De Laets pace and presence on the right - no one to bomb down the wing We missed James' battling presence in midfield to press the opposition and high quality distribution We missed Vardys harrassment up on with the pressing of defenders and having someone with sheer pace up there (try and not include the fact phillips replaced him) So who do you think we missed most? Personally i think De Laet - real presence was taken away from the whole right hand side of the pitch but strong arguments can be made for all 3 of them.
We've sorely missed Vardy since he got injured. Burnley aside we've been dogshite since he's been out.
Replacing Schlupp and De Laet for Konchesky and Moore is like replacing the wheels of a Lamborghini with concrete blocks. We ain't going nowhere fast... Obviously Pearson decided to reward all the players with pace a rest. Without pace though, he might has well have rested the entire squad and sent the under 11s out.
It did add some realism about the quality of the entire squad but yesterday wasnt just about the result - it was more about enjoying it and i did but it also showed how much the stock james, vardy etc had really risen
I personally really rate Andy King, missed the game last night, but I feel some are too quick to place criticism and blame at his feet when we lose. If you look at some of the substitute appearances he's made recently/starts: Leeds away, plays a good ball out to Moore to cross for the Nugent goal. Wigan away scores 1 and generally looked tidy. When he started against Brighton away I thought he looked decent. The lad is normally good for a goal and from what I've seen of him this season/heard on RL he's made real strides in the defensive side of his game. I think the Prem (especially at home) may be more suited to him. A new STRONG AND COMBATIVE CDM, Drinkwater and King with Mahrez and Knockaert/Dyer out wide with Vardy/Wood up front next season? I also agree re RDL and Schluup. The best teams in the Prem this year have pressed their FBs right up the pitch almost playing them as wingers and that is what we probably missed last night. I'm personally not worried about the result, thought it was going to happen. Got a bit of stick at work, but reminded them that we were promoted
i agree with some of above about king - he is far better than most give him credit for - but if based on yesterday he was one of the worst performaners in what was an all round dreadful team performance.
Wasilewski was the worst I thought, a shame because he has been so good. Should have been sent off too!
