Foxes of Leicester
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Leicester City season confirms that 2015/16 was a ‘miracle’

By Ayushman Basu

LEICESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 05: Jamie Vardy of Leicester City looks dejected in defeat after the Premier League match between Leicester City and Manchester United at The King Power Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
LEICESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 05: Jamie Vardy of Leicester City looks dejected in defeat after the Premier League match between Leicester City and Manchester United at The King Power Stadium on February 5, 2017 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images) /
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I can just imagine the frolic in the city of Leicester some months back when the Foxes lifted the Premier League trophy.

It was the moment where no matter what which club you supported, you would have enjoyed the moment as it was a footballing miracle.

Fast forwarding into the new 2016/17 season, the usage of the word ‘miracle’ is justified. With the  3-0 loss to Manchester United, the Foxes are one point above the relegation zone with 21 points and in 16th place.

When they won the League lat season, apart from some of the overtly optimistic fans, nobody expected Leicester to retain the trophy. The teams with financial wealth made purchases in the summer and consolidated themselves. Even Leicester did business in the summer and brought in players like Islam Slimani and Ahmed Musa.

LEICESTER, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 31: Leicester City’s Islam Slimani during the Premier League match between Leicester City and West Ham United at The King Power Stadium on December 31, 2016 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Stephen White – CameraSport via Getty Images)
LEICESTER, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 31: Leicester City’s Islam Slimani during the Premier League match between Leicester City and West Ham United at The King Power Stadium on December 31, 2016 in Leicester, England. (Photo by Stephen White – CameraSport via Getty Images) /

It is one thing to buy new players while it is quite another task to make them a part of the system. Last season Ranieri’s Leicester were equipped to deal with pressure when the opponents attacked  along with a sharp sting in their attack. This season it has fallen apart.

The midfield has looked lacklustre and N’Golo Kante’s loss is looking costlier by the second. They were dismembered by a rampant Manchester United who exploited the gaps in defence and midfield.

The stalwarts of last season, Vardy and Mahrez are nowhere even near the form they displayed last season. Jamie Vardy has failed to reach double digits in the goal scoring charts. Last season by this time he was competing for the golden boot.

Leicester City’s English striker Jamie Vardy (R) celebrates with Leicester City’s Algerian midfielder Riyad Mahrez (L) after scoring during the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Everton at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on May 7, 2016. / AFP / ADRIAN DENNIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images)
Leicester City’s English striker Jamie Vardy (R) celebrates with Leicester City’s Algerian midfielder Riyad Mahrez (L) after scoring during the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Everton at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on May 7, 2016. / AFP / ADRIAN DENNIS / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images) /

The defence has been a major reason of concern. Last season the partnership if captain Morgan and Robert Huth was at time impregnable. However, this season they have failed to maintain shape of the defence and got exploited on most of the occasions.

Leicester conceded 41 goals this season till now as opposed to 28 last season in 24 matches. But, the astonishing stat is of attacking. In 24 games they scored 24 goals, while in the previous season in the same number of matches they scored 44.

It is quite clear that they are massively faltering in both the crucial aspects of the game. Also, this 4-2-3-1 formation which sometimes changes to a 4-1-4-1 like in the match against Manchester United is not working for them. Wilfred Ndidi is no Kante. At times he seems to be losing track of the midfield when Danny Drinkwater heads up for attacking.

The Foxes are in 16th but are battling relegation. They are winless in their last 4 matches. If this goes on then they are days away from finding themselves in the bottom three. If they get relegated then they will be the League champions who mounted the worst title defence in the history of the Premier League.

How times change.