Claude Puel is likely to continue with Papy Mendy for these reasons

Some supporters are calling for Papy Mendy to be dropped from the Leicester City team. Although, Claude Puel is likely to continue starting one of his apparent favourite players for these reasons:

A focus point for criticism at the moment is rightly the constant conceding at the beginning of games. In fact Leicester City have let in a goal in the first 11 minutes in the previous five successive matches.

Another area of interest for suggestions of improvement and alterations in the team, is the midfield. Many believe Hamza Choudhury should be included – and it’s hard to disagree when perusing his similar statistics to Wilfred Ndidi and his French colleague; honestly, it is easy to see why. Not to mention Choudhury’s ferocity in the tackle, as well as local intensity provided by the Leicester academy graduate.

It seems a little unfair to Mendy to be maligned so overtly as this season Ndidi, his fellow deep playing midfielder, is struggling to emulate his own extraordinary form from the last campaign.

However, the former commits his mistakes in contests rather more tellingly and obviously than a few strayed simple passes – the Southampton loss being a tremendously bad, or good, example. At Anfield versus Liverpool though, Mendy was N’golo Kante-like.

More from Foxes of Leicester

• Enzo Maresca hails four star Leicester players
• Harry Winks reveals his easy decision to join Leicester
• Southampton 1-4 Leicester City: 3 Foxes positives and negatives
• Southampton 1-4 Leicester: 3 things learned
• Predicted Leicester City starting XI vs Southampton

Yet Foxes of Leicester speculate on the Frenchman in charge at the King Power Stadium standing by his decision to have ‘Papy’ in the first 11. Firstly the 26-year-old captained Puel’s Nice side while they were both there.

The fact that Mendy was skipper in France is a huge indication that his Nigerian teammate may get the axe first; but Puel also strongly suggested City will layout with three midfield players in the near future. Presumably at this moment in time that would be Ndidi, Mendy and new signing Youri Tielemans as a trio.

While Leicester Mercury inform that the former AS Monaco man insists he will work on adding goals and assists to game; two elements completely missing during his Foxes time. In addition, Puel implied recently, as quoted by the same outlet, that he will maintain his preferred XI: “If we have a little more precision in our last few games, we could have won. We deserve perhaps another result.”