Leicester City achieved the unthinkable last season by becoming Premier League Champions. But have the Foxes now been figured out by opposition teams?
Last season in the Barclays Premier League, we saw one of the greatest underdog stories ever as Leicester City were crowned champions. Heading into the 2015-16 campaign, the Foxes were given 5,000-1 odds to lift the league trophy at season’s end.
Ten months later, Leicester have won their first top-flight trophy and earned themselves a spot in this year’s UEFA Champions League. However, seven matches in to the new season and Claudio Ranieri’s side currently sit in 12th place with eight points and a 2-2-3 record.
Leicester have already totalled the same amount of defeats this season as all of last season. It’s been a tale of two competitions for Leicester. The team shockingly lost to Hull City on the opening day, and then by 4-1 margins against Liverpool and Manchester United after.
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Victories against Swansea City and Burnley were achieved as expected. Whilst draws against Arsenal and Southampton were reasonable results. Meanwhile, in the Champions League, Leicester hammered Belgian outfit Club Brugge 3-0 away from home, before defeating F.C. Porto 1-0 at the King Power Stadium.
Leicester were also eliminated from the EFL Cup in the third round after falling to Chelsea 4-2 after extra time. Ten matches played in all competitions so far, and it’s starting to look like a one-season wonder for Ranieri’s team.
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Last year, Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez were two of the main reasons for Leicester’s run at the title. Vardy netted 24 league goals and six assists, while Mahrez tallied 17 goals and 11 assists of his own.
Both Vardy and Mahrez were approached heavily by Arsenal this summer, but committed their futures to Leicester City. So far this campaign, the duo have combined for just three goals and only one assist in seven league matches.
Although, deadline-day signing Islam Slimani has helped in quick fashion, with the Algerian netting three goals since joining from Sporting Lisbon. The loss of N’Golo Kante to Chelsea in the offseason seems to have forced a change in the midfield.
Kante’s name wasn’t often found on the scoresheet, but his work ethic and determination for the club was superb. Due to the loss of the French international, Danny Drinkwater and Daniel Amartey have needed to pick up their play in midfield.
20-year-old winger Demarai Gray has lots of potential, but needs to be able to produce more frequently when called upon. Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has started five matches, while Ron-Robert Zieler has started two games during the Dane’s time out through injury.
Center-back duo Wes Morgan and Robert Huth were stonewall defenders for Leicester a season ago, but it’s starting to look like father time is playing a bigger part on the pair of 32-year-old’s this season.
Leicester seem to have changed their game after playing conservative, counter-attacking football a year ago. Ranieri now seems to have his squad try to gain more possession and take more chances compared to last year.
This is a style that can pay off but in some matches against better opposition, it may not go as planned. Teams still have to respect Leicester’s talent because they have loads of it still on the squad.
But with Champions League matches in midweek, fitness and health are even more key to the team’s success. Leicester should return fresh following the international break, but they have a huge EPL clash at Chelsea on Saturday to prepare for.
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The rest of the month is not easy either with a Champions League match against FC København on Oct. 18. Before then facing matches against Crystal Palace and Tottenham back in the Premier League.
It may be too early to panic for Leicester City supporters, but with difficult matches approaching in both England and Europe, Ranieri needs to get his side back on track before possibly falling into a relegation fight.