Leicester City become only PL team without a signing: Time to panic?

The areas exposed by injury for Leicester in 2021/22

Centre-back Wesley Fofana’s leg break in preseason against Villarreal set the tone somewhat for the campaign that lay before Leicester.

With Jonny Evans suffering from niggling injuries as he nears the closing stages of a labour-intensive career and the other candidate with experience, Caglar Soyuncu, failing to come of age, warning signs began to show.

Jannick Vestergaard was signed from Southampton amid the panic of Fofana’s injury. An experienced professional from his time on the South Coast, such was his incapacity, the Danish international quickly fell down the pecking order.

Soyuncu alongside the versatile Daniel Amartey was the pairing fielded by Rodgers prior to Fofana’s return in March, more so out of necessity rather than choice.

A Turkish international, Soyuncu saw his standing among Leicester supporters oscillate in parallel to his form while Amartey developed somewhat of a cult following thanks to his honest make-up.

A glaring weakness in the partnership, however, was an inability to defend set-pieces. Without Evans, Fofana and the also injured Ndidi, Rodgers was without his most able servants in an aerial sense.

Leicester conceded 17 goals from set-pieces last season, 16 coming from corners – the highest in the Premier League – 28% percent of their total goals conceded of 59, as per FBref.

The nightmare isn’t over for supporters, either. Rodgers’ men lost 2-1 to Notts County in their first preseason match with both goals arriving courtesy of set pieces.

Notwithstanding specific sectors of the pitch, it is vital that Leicester City target players that will help put an end to their misfortune defending set pieces.