Leicester City grabbed a crucial win up north at Newcastle United to hoist them to third in the Premier League. But what did we learn on Sunday?
With Steve Bruce’s side notorious for low blocks and cagey affairs, Leicester City were always going to have to be patient – and it turned out that way. After a forgetful first half full of scrappy exchanges, bad passes and a terrible referee getting in the way, the second half looked like it was going in the same fashion – until James Maddison broke the deadlock with an arrow like finish.
Shortly afterwards, Youri Tielemans scored a sumptuous goal that his performances of late have deserved. Despite a nervy last 10 minutes – after Andy Carroll scored his first goal in three years – the Foxes held on to secure a first win of 2021.
But with such a gutsy win, what did we learn on Sunday.
Leicester City clinical when it matters
Last season was the season of what ifs: Games would finish and you could count at least seven chances that should have been taken, and you curse yourself that somehow Leicester managed to drop points in easily winnable matches.
Well this season Brendan Rodgers seems to have installed a cutting edge to the already sharp enough Foxes. Time and time again this campaign the Foxes may have been not necessarily second best yet definitely not threatening. And in the click of a finger, they score with devastating efficiency.
The match against Newcastle was no exception: a game deprived of any sort of quality and chances was turned on its head by two well taken goals. Maddison and Tielemans hit both efforts like tracer bullets and that was all that needed. Apart from Harvey Barnes’ late chance, they were the only two shots on target.
When confronted with low block teams who make it difficult to play with any sort of fluidity, sides need to be efficient and take chances. At St James’ Park, it was that efficiency that gave them the three points when on other occasions it was Leicester City’s downfall.
4-2-3-1 preferred against low block
So far for the majority of this season Leicester City have deployed a back five due to ‘superior opposition’ or injuries. Usually this formation proves to be very fruitful, particularly on away days, when they can sit deep. In addition, on the counter-attack using their width and incredible direct pace to really hurt teams.
However, Rodgers seems to use this formation in really strange games – West Ham and Brighton at home, in the Brighton game he had to revert to a back four – which has been the Foxes’ downfall. Thankfully a back four was used against the Magpies, which gave Leicester control in all areas of the pitch.
At the back you don’t really have any scares because Wilfred Ndidi is so imperious in the middle of park that he breaks up the play well before the opposition is pressuring the backline. This means the fullbacks can join wingers in attack, with Maddison and Tielemans combining to help Jamie Vardy up top, much the same as the last campaign.
Instead of using a 4-3-3, a 4-2-3-1 means the Belgian can help the Nigerian at the back both in and out of possession – as he proved today; leaving Maddison to get into positions where he can do some serious damage. There’s no denying that without Ndidi this formation wouldn’t be used, but it also seems as thought Rodgers has at least sorted this problem out.
Brendan Rodgers’ game management needs work
One problem the Northern Irishman hasn’t solved is his awful substitutions. Naturally, this game was nothing like the Bournemouth fiasco of last year, but it nearly ended up costing his side a two-goal lead.
Whilst Leicester City hadn’t created a lot of openings, Steve Bruce’s men offered no attacking threat. With James Justin dealing quite competently with Joelinton, their big No.9, all game.
However, when the Brazilian was replaced by Andy Carroll, Rodgers decided to take Maddison off for the returning Soyuncu. This was a 3-0 game, with Newcastle having to come out in search of a goal, the pace Leicester had could have made it a comfortable afternoon.
But a defensive substitution because of one striker who hadn’t scored in three years seemed quite bizarre given how quiet Joelinton was. And sure enough, Newcastle scored from a scrappy set piece and then it’s back to walls stuff; when instead Leicester should be looking to add to their goal difference.
Obviously it didn’t have an effect on the match result, but Rodgers clearly hasn’t changed his thinking after last year. His decision in game could cost the Foxes valuable points if he not careful.