Leicester City: The hopes and fears ahead of the 2017/18 season

The coming season for Leicester City is, as is generally the case, an unpredictable one. Cases can be made for a relegation battle, mid table obscurity, a push for Europe, or perhaps some cup glory.

A lot of this will be decided by which of Leicester’s hopes and fears actually become reality:

Hopes

Mahrez will play well again

Last season’s performances were ones to forget for both Riyad Mahrez and the Leicester faithful that idolise him. After his title winning exploits in 2015/16, he looked disinterested and lethargic, even by his own languid standards.

Claudio Ranieri stood by him during his dip in form, and assuming that he still resides at the King Power Stadium three weeks from now, it’s possible that Craig Shakespeare will see him as a first team regular.

The City boss isn’t likely to accept the level of last season for long, though, with Demarai Gray – one of England’s hottest young prospects – growing impatient.

Leicester City get off to a good start

Leicester City have a tough set of opening fixtures to contend with. Their first six comprise the big names of Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool, coupled with division newcomers Brighton and Hove Albion, and Huddersfield Town.

If Leicester could achieve anything over 10 points in this opening salvo, confidence would surely surge.

Craig Shakespeare proves to be the right appointment

Craig Shakespeare has been at the club for the best part of the last decade, being one of the supreme driving forces in the recent glory years.

Next: Leicester City reportedly sign Paris Saint-Germain striker

Having said that, however, it is his first job as the permanent boss, and we all know what it can be like. His successful honeymoon period was the end of the next season, but can he repeat that in 2017/18?

Fears

The creaking defence

Leicester City conceded 63 goals last term – 75% more than the title-winning season tally of 36.
Had it not been for the excellence of Kasper Schmeichel, this figure would have been higher and their finishing position lower.

Robert Huth has been sidelined for up to two months and will be missing from a defensive line that looked vulnerable far too often last season. Harry Maguire has been brought in, but to any pessimistic Fox fan, the defence is still low in numbers.

When Jamie Vardy goes dry

Jamie Vardy is a striker who scores in spells. Epitomised by scoring in 11 consecutive games during the title winning season, he followed up with an immediate drought of six consecutive games.

In 2016/17 as well, he went through a phase wherein he scored twice in 18 league games, and whilst in a team nearly relegated, he didn’t score for 21 games back in 2014/15 too.

Last term, his tally of 13 goals was less than needed, and in second place was new signing Islam Slimani with just seven goals. This is a far cry from the 24 and 17 goals that Vardy and Mahrez bagged the season prior.

Simply put, Vardy will go through periods of not scoring, so who will step up? Kelechi Iheanacho?

It was all just a miracle

Leicester City fans have heard it countless times: “They were lucky”, “Everyone else was poor”, “Fluke!”.

So far, it’s been quite easy for the Foxes’ supporters to hold their head high and laugh off the comments.

Last season, the cloak of playing well in the Champions League bought their pride some time, but this season there’s no hiding place.

We can say that anything outside of the top 8 will have the mockers mocking – and what about the bottom half? Miracle, anyone?