Popular Post GrahamC Posted November 12, 2022 Popular Post Report Share Posted November 12, 2022 Probably going to get overlooked but I can’t have been the only one who thought it was a huge gamble to play him today, especially after the Lincoln debacle. He did a great job, his positioning was sound throughout & he handled some forwards with big reputations very well. Still don’t think this is a long term answer but he should be very proud of his effort today. 39 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvio Dante Posted November 12, 2022 Report Share Posted November 12, 2022 I’d agree, with caveat. I don’t think Watford made him play as a CB today. There weren’t balls in the air, there weren’t balls to run in behind. They were poor (fwiw largely caused by our excellent 3 in midfield) which meant he had very little to do. And Vyner/Pring were excellent at defending their sides. I think he was dead lucky to play after his performance Tuesday. He did well today, but i definitely question the opposition 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shuffle Posted November 12, 2022 Report Share Posted November 12, 2022 (edited) Put me down for an apology as felt pre game that his horrendous performance Tuesday had been wrongly rewarded with a place in the team through the old pals act. King was very good and his reading of the game was excellent & won his duels with Davis who I thought would be too much for him. Certainly not a long term solution but 100% he’s better back there than CM. So happy that I had no cause to doubt him today. Edited November 12, 2022 by Shuffle 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickle Rick Posted November 12, 2022 Report Share Posted November 12, 2022 He did well indeed. But hats off to Vyner and Pring too. They supported him very well and were often tracking behind him in case he was beaten in the air. They also kept an eye on anything behind the lines. King complimented the play nonetheless. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numero Uno Posted November 12, 2022 Report Share Posted November 12, 2022 I think Pearson simply went with reliability and attitude today in his team selection. He alluded to it post match when saying today was about getting the right players on the pitch. I would be surprised if we see that identical starting eleven again this season: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davefevs Posted November 12, 2022 Report Share Posted November 12, 2022 1 hour ago, Silvio Dante said: I’d agree, with caveat. I don’t think Watford made him play as a CB today. There weren’t balls in the air, there weren’t balls to run in behind. They were poor (fwiw largely caused by our excellent 3 in midfield) which meant he had very little to do. And Vyner/Pring were excellent at defending their sides. I think he was dead lucky to play after his performance Tuesday. He did well today, but i definitely question the opposition 49 minutes ago, Shuffle said: Put me down for an apology as felt pre game that his horrendous performance Tuesday had been wrongly rewarded with a place in the team through the old pals act. King was very good and his reading of the game was excellent & won his duels with Davis who I thought would be too much for him. Certainly not a long term solution but 100% he’s better back there than CM. So happy that I had no cause to doubt him today. I don’t think he was anywhere near as bad on Tuesday as you and others made out. Easy to blame him for Kadji playing poorly, got to be the experienced players fault hasn’t it? Maybe not. Shouldn’t Kadji have been providing some of the legs for King? I put up some charts of both players first half performances. One made 36 passes (29 successful), the other 13 (9 successful). You can tell by my post which was which! One still tried to get involved, the other hid. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvio Dante Posted November 12, 2022 Report Share Posted November 12, 2022 Tbf Dave, this is one I’ll take the evidence of eyes over stats. King was anonymous on Tuesday when he should have been dominant. Easy to play successful passes over 5 yards. Very good today (with caveat), very poor Tuesday 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davefevs Posted November 12, 2022 Report Share Posted November 12, 2022 12 minutes ago, Silvio Dante said: Tbf Dave, this is one I’ll take the evidence of eyes over stats. King was anonymous on Tuesday when he should have been dominant. Easy to play successful passes over 5 yards. Very good today (with caveat), very poor Tuesday I was there on Tuesday too, and was surprised by the criticism King got (against the bar of a poor team first half). I thought he tried to get on the ball and tried to get us playing. I thought Kadji hid behind players. Hard for a player to be dominant in a midfield two when one isn’t doing much. The stats / charts were just a simple way of showing how I viewed it with my eyes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbored Posted November 12, 2022 Report Share Posted November 12, 2022 King is a vastly experienced professional who’s played under Nige before at the Foxes and today we saw what a class act he still is - the same applies to James who was just as impressive. It’s good to see two hugely experienced players after one or both them being out thru injury, Williams as well was terrific today. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shuffle Posted November 12, 2022 Report Share Posted November 12, 2022 29 minutes ago, Davefevs said: I was there on Tuesday too, and was surprised by the criticism King got (against the bar of a poor team first half). I thought he tried to get on the ball and tried to get us playing. I thought Kadji hid behind players. Hard for a player to be dominant in a midfield two when one isn’t doing much. The stats / charts were just a simple way of showing how I viewed it with my eyes. Thought he was anonymous & too slow moving the ball & himself on Tuesday in the first half. Was ok 2nd half back at CB but we had all the momentum going forward so not tested too much. Would have played Atkinson myself today but no complaints with King as was very good. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Offside Posted November 12, 2022 Report Share Posted November 12, 2022 King was very good today and showed real leadership. He often seems anonymous when he’s in midfield. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bard Posted November 13, 2022 Report Share Posted November 13, 2022 It comes down to who the manager trusts. He doesn't trust Klose for sure... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eardun Posted November 13, 2022 Report Share Posted November 13, 2022 14 hours ago, Silvio Dante said: I’d agree, with caveat. I don’t think Watford made him play as a CB today. There weren’t balls in the air, there weren’t balls to run in behind. They were poor (fwiw largely caused by our excellent 3 in midfield) which meant he had very little to do. And Vyner/Pring were excellent at defending their sides. I think he was dead lucky to play after his performance Tuesday. He did well today, but i definitely question the opposition Perhaps also good management from Pearson in selecting King at CB - he would know how Watford play so perhaps not as a great a risk as some fans thought before the match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted November 13, 2022 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2022 16 minutes ago, eardun said: Perhaps also good management from Pearson in selecting King at CB - he would know how Watford play so perhaps not as a great a risk as some fans thought before the match. Actually I thought it was more baffling by Bilic not to identify his obvious weaknesses (for a start he’s slower than me & I’m 59) & not concentrate on them. Pearson was always going to pick him once he’d decided he doesn’t trust Klose & he’s getting fed up with Atkinson going off, but no way did he know that Sarr & Joao Pedro weren’t starting. King deserves great credit, he didn’t play as long as he did at the level he did without being able to read the game & totally know his own, but had Watford isolated him more it could have been a far tougher afternoon for him. The point made about the part played here by Vyner & Pring is spot on, having two quick, (on yesterday’s evidence) physical, complementary (right footed, left footed) players alongside him worked a treat. Watford were still bloody poor, though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red-Robbo Posted November 13, 2022 Report Share Posted November 13, 2022 15 hours ago, GrahamC said: Probably going to get overlooked but I can’t have been the only one who thought it was a huge gamble to play him today, especially after the Lincoln debacle. He did a great job, his positioning was sound throughout & he handled some forwards with big reputations very well. Still don’t think this is a long term answer but he should be very proud of his effort today. Totally agree, Gray. For a bloke playing out of his preferred position, he handled a big test well. In fact, I'd go as far as to say it might even be his best game in a City shirt. The more-mobile Vyner did a lot of the heavy lifting, but Kingy's positioning was - as you say - spot on. Clearances were a bit agricultural, but at least he didn't **** about with the ball in our box, or underhit a pass to the keeper that was nearly disastrous, like Zak did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Horse With No Name Posted November 13, 2022 Report Share Posted November 13, 2022 1 hour ago, eardun said: Perhaps also good management from Pearson in selecting King at CB - he would know how Watford play so perhaps not as a great a risk as some fans thought before the match. Obviously can be a decent side, hence their lofty position, however I have to say that was the worst performance by a visiting side here that I can ever remember. At times it seems most of them had trouble even standing up, let alone looking like they had ever played football before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxjak Posted November 13, 2022 Report Share Posted November 13, 2022 I too , thought it was a massive mistake playing him at the back.....what do i know? He was excellent.......also so pleased that Cam was outstanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davefevs Posted November 13, 2022 Report Share Posted November 13, 2022 1 hour ago, maxjak said: I too , thought it was a massive mistake playing him at the back.....what do i know? He was excellent.......also so pleased that Cam was outstanding. Thought Cam’s timing on headers in recent games was a bit out, but yesterday we was very tidy in the air. Andy King: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazooka Joe Posted November 13, 2022 Report Share Posted November 13, 2022 I feared the worst when I saw the team sheet and King at CB. To be fair, my worst fears proved unfounded. Well done King. However, if repeated, it has the potential to go horribly wrong. But maybe Pearson and the coaches know something important that I am not privy to. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davefevs Posted November 13, 2022 Report Share Posted November 13, 2022 His availability has been v.good too. He’s missed just two squads all season, opening day and one other. On a cheap coaches contract (and appearance money) to pass on his experience, he’s doing alright in my book. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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