Leicester City versus Man City analysis by Ova D Ba. Leicester City have been robbed in recent seasons of a fourth spot on more occasions than one can remember. They’re hitting well above their weight & trying to upset the established ‘Big clubs’ and with quite some success. Last season these two teams played out some tense & exciting games. This fixture wasn’t too far dissimilar with players testing the more lenient refereeing, disallowed goals and the decider being in our opinion just the result of a fortunate bounce. This was a great game for the neutral and the tactics fan alike. Enjoy! Time stamps: • 00:00:00 – 00:00:14 – No More Wall of Text • 00:00:14 – 00:00:44 – Leicester City Build Up Part 1 • 00:00:44 – 00:03:39 – Manchester City 4-2-4 Press • 00:03:39 – 00:04:40 – Leicester City Build Up Part 2 • 00:04:40 – 00:06:26 – Playing Over Man City’s Press • 00:06:26 – 00:06:44 – Leicester Playing Between the Lines • 00:06:44 – 00:07:07 – Leicester’s Counters • 00:07:07 – 00:09:24 – Manchester City Build Up • 00:09:24 – 00:09:33 – Maddison’s Role • 00:09:33 – 00:10:17 – Gundogan & Silva’s Movement • 00:10:17 – 00:11:56 – Disrupting Leicester’s Press • 00:12:00 – 00:15:42 – Goal Analysis • 00:15:42 – 00:00:00 – Outro Socials: Follow us on Twitter for notifications and updates when a new podcast has gone live. Please subscribe to us on YouTube, give the video a thumbs up…& hit the bell icon to get notifications. Similarly, please give us a like & follow on Facebook If you want to support us financially please have a look at our Patreon page for continued support and Paypal for one off donations. Finally, we are available on all podcast platforms (e.g. Spotify, iTunes, TuneIn, etc.). Please review us wherever you listen as it goes a long way Podcast Website: http://www.buzzsprout.com/791540 Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2tfSSZ0 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9yPApx0K8N5w0JTogrQwCA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Over-the-Bar-Pod-107922444086809/?view_public_for=107922444086809 TubeBuddy: https://www.tubebuddy.com/ODB Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/overthebar PayPal: www.paypal.me/overthebar Twitter: @OvertheBarPod The Wall of Text: • Leicester o Attack Before L14 & 37 subs • L2-4-1-3 (deep) • Sometimes L25/8 slightly deeper than the other • Want M to press, so that L 23, 4 or 1 can play long ball to free far-side FB or in behind M27/2 (mostly M27 because M2 is impossibly quick) o Typically L9/11 running in behind in RHS wing o Or L10 helping L FB & FW get into crossing position by drifting to their side • Alternatively L8/25 (L8 especially) would find L10/9/L FWs between the lines or behind the M 4FWs’ press allowing direct attack After L14 & 37 subs • Key change being that L1 could go straight to L14 & being a lot less patient with numerous counters/direct play • L37 drifted deeper/central into striking/playmaking positions • L5/23 less conservative, leaving at times L6, 4, 25 & 8 deepest & vulnerable to counter • Manchester City o Defence Pressing 4-2-4 / 4-4-2 • 4-2-4 press predominately • 4 FWs pressed the near side L deepest players (typically L4, 23, 8 & 25) with M8 aware of far-side L FB out ball • Did leave M exposed on several occasions where L beat press Most of their defending was against the L counters o Attack Actual goal was lucky, given it came from a deflection 4-1-5 (deep/mid) / 3-2 (deep/mid) / 4-3-3 • 4-1-5 / 3-2-5 o involved movement of far-side M2/27 into 2nd CDM role. Doubly beneficial as it drew L FWs even narrower and created passing lanes to M10/9 (especially M10 who dropped deep on the LHS a lot) o M20/8 constantly made runs in behind which were problematic despite L8/25 trying to cover half space because L 5/27 tracked M WMs when they dropped, forcing L CBs into wide spaces to track M21/8/20 • 4-3-3 – M20 trying to disrupt L pressing shape by pulling into LB position from LCM repeatedly, creating a problem for L11 & tiring him out • In both shapes, M21/9 also made runs in behind • Leicester City o Defence o 4-2-4 with narrow FWs o L11 & 7 tried to engage M2/27 quickly when they received the ball o L10 constantly tracked M16, making passes into M16 difficult o L8/25 helped defend the half spaces as L5/27 were aggressively tracking M FWs dropping & leaving space in behind them for M8/20 o L4/23/6 very aggressive when M9/7 tried to drop in space behind/between L8/25