Stoke 0-4 Leicester: Width, rotations, and efficient creativity for the Foxes

A final positive was allowing further minutes for Çağlar Söyüncü on his road to recovery. The Turkish-international played the final ten minutes, in place of Wesley Fofana, and seemed comfortable (both muscularly and in possession). I don’t want to look to much into the substitution, as it was merely to close the game out and to avoid Fofana picking up a potential second card, but I think Rodgers is hinting at Jonny Evans being a certainty in the core of defence – with Fofana and Söyüncü battling it out to be his partner.

This makes the most sense, all good partnerships in centre-backs require complimentary abilities. Individually, Evans is the lone shark – composed, good-reader of situations, balanced head, smart awareness to drop into a deeper position versus a quick forward, whereas presses high versus an aerial threat. Whereas Söyüncü and Fofana are similar; aggressive, quick across the ground, ball-carriers, aerially dominant, but both have mistakes in them (particularly in aggressive pressing of the ball). I would suggest Evans’ leadership/experience warrants a starting position, with the other two competing for a spot alongside him – or a shift to a defensive back three.

Again, I could be delving into an inconsequential substitution with too much depth. Nevertheless, Leicester were deserving of their win and have booked a place in the next round of the FA Cup, something I’m personally happy with – a long cup run is always satisfying, even with fixture congestion. Now, for the first time in a long while, the players have been allowed ample rest ahead of an intriguing game with high-flying Southampton. Tactically, Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side are exhilarating and it should make for an enjoyable spectacle regardless of result – let’s hope it’s positive for the Foxes.