Foxes of Leicester
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Leicester vs Liverpool: The Foxes’ best chance at holding back champions

By Elliot Mackness

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers bumps fists with Jonny Evans (Photo by Visionhaus)
Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers bumps fists with Jonny Evans (Photo by Visionhaus) /
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Leicester City
Caglar Soyuncu of Leicester City (Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images) /

The Turkish wall vs the patchwork defence

Leicester City have a good defensive record. With nine clean sheets, only conceding an xGA (expected goals against) total of 26.69, actually conceding 25 goals. This means LCFC are preventing 1.69 goals.

This defensive record of preventing good chances on goal and preventing goals is due to three factors. The Brendan Rodgers system, the defenders, and Kasper Schmeichel. Rodgers’ system is possession-hungry, feeding off of controlling the game and imposing upon the opposition a fast-paced progression of play.

The defenders have been excellent. There is no exception. Wesley Fofana, Jonny Evans, James Justin, Timothy Castagne, Ricardo Pereira, Caglar Soyuncu, Daniel Amartey, Christian Fuchs, and even the young Luke Thomas.

They have all understood their role in the system, understood the positioning and style of one another, and become a cohesive wall. To face Liverpool, I would love nothing more than to see the Turk and the Northern Irishman – Soyuncu and Evans.

The Foxes will face a patchwork defence. With six clean sheets, an xGA of 28.48, conceding 29. To be fair, the Reds have prevented too many good chances, but they chances they let through are good. Also of note is how their concession is heavily skewed by that one strange match against Aston Villa where they shipped seven goals!

In their last five matches alone (including both home and away), they have conceded an xGA of 6.91 and eight goals.

Henderson needs to get back in midfield for Liverpool, they simply are not the same team with him being stuck back trying to plaster a broken defence.

Nevertheless though, apart from a few howlers, Alisson Becker and the Great Dane are two reliable shot-stoppers. Liverpool would have conceded more without Alisson: who has had to make 1.2 clearances per game. This involves him rushing out to quickly kick a ball away.

By comparison, the Great Dane has only had to make 0.3 clearances per match. He does not have to rush out to save the team. The defenders have got him covered and protected from easy shots, all Kasper has to do is not let anything through the cracks.