Leicester City and Managing Expectations

Claudio Ranieri’s men continue to defy everything seemingly standing in their way, and now sit top of the Premier League after nearly half of the season has elapsed..

Current projections for the Foxes final league finish are 4^th following Monday’s win, which although isn’t top, would more than please fans who simply wanted to avoid relegation this season.

It was quite apt that Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy were at the scene of the crime for Leicester’s goals against Chelsea, with the pair continuing to battle it out as the early contenders for the Player of the Season award.

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What must to be taken into account is Leicester City’s upcoming fixtures: Everton (a), Liverpool (a) and Manchester City (h). Although the Foxes top the Premier League, the next three will certainly test Claudio Ranieri’s men.

However, the aforementioned duo thrives on space in matches, utilising their rapid pace. Generally in matches against some of the better teams, you will be afforded space in behind for the counter-attack.

Therefore although Leicester could conceded in some of these these games, the pair should continue to be influential in leading the Foxes’ attack at the top of the table. Following the game, Claudio Ranieri, says he is ‘very satisfied’ with his team’s performance during their clash with Premier League champions Chelsea on Monday, which finished with a 2-1 defeat for the Blues.

Responding to a question on whether he thinks the club will sell forward Jamie Vardy or midfielder Riyad Mahrez, who scored the evening’s two goals for the side, Ranieri says ‘nobody can buy them … they don’t have the money’

Even after Monday night’s 2-1 win over Chelsea, scorer Mahrez told the Sky cameras: ‘We are still not safe.’ His deadpan expression gave nothing away.

As Ranieri said just a few weeks ago: ‘The project of the chairman this year is to save Leicester and then next year slowly to achieve the high position.’

Leicester City are astonishingly two points clear of Arsenal, three of Manchester City and six of Manchester United with nearly half of the season having elapsed.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 live on Monday, pundit Robbie Savage made the point that tot-to-toe Leicester’s players could not compare with Chelsea’s and that only Vardy, Mahrez and Schmeichel would make a composite team with Jose Mourinho’s side. Yet the Foxes still out-performed Chelsea.