Foxes of Leicester
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Why Leicester’s defence can become the best in Premier League: fullbacks

By Elliot Mackness

Sadio Mane of Liverpool is challenged by Ricardo Pereira of Leicester City (Photo by Paul Ellis - Pool/Getty Images)
Sadio Mane of Liverpool is challenged by Ricardo Pereira of Leicester City (Photo by Paul Ellis - Pool/Getty Images) /
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Leicester City
Sadio Mane of Liverpool is challenged by Ricardo Pereira of Leicester City (Photo by Paul Ellis – Pool/Getty Images) /

Leicester City have one of the most exciting and balanced defences in the league, so join FoL as we say it as it is: the Foxes can have the best defence.

This is the second article in my series of articles covering the defensive balance, flexibility, excitement, and possibilities for Leicester City. The first covered the centre-backs the Foxes have on display, today we shall focus on the fullbacks.

Before jumping right into this, I would like to stand and applaud the East Midlands outfit’s owners – the Srivaddhanaprabha family. They have taken our club from a yoyo championship side, to a team finally able to challenge consistently at the top of English football. This is in no small part to defensive signings and our coach – Brendan Rodgers.

Leicester City’s second marvellous trio

In the first article, I stated that we have a marvellous trio of central defensive talent: Wesley Fofana, Jonny Evans, and Caglar Soyuncu. Well, there is a second – and a third – marvellous trio which plays for the Foxes.

Those three fullbacks are obvious: James Justin, Ricardo Pereira, and Timothy Castagne. These three are ridiculously good. Though two of those are injured, when all three are fit, it is very difficult to imagine a situation where we do not play at least Ricky P and Castagne.

Let’s put their brilliance into some aggregate per 90 stats, courtesy of Squawka‘s comparison matrix.

Combined, they have made 14.8 ball recoveries per 90, with Ricky P leading the way. This means that they have broken 14.8 attacking plays per 90 and won the ball for Leicester. This does not immediately mean they have prevented goals, but it is presumable that some of those attacking plays would have led to goals.

Further, they have also contributed 0.9 blocks per 90. That is almost an entire goal every 90 minutes they play. Though not anywhere near as high as our centre-backs (since this is the role of the centre-backs), this number is effectively their direct preventions of shots on goal, almost certainly some of those would have bested Kasper Schmeichel.

There is a lot more to think about, and two more players I wish to delve into,  and of course a transfer signing suggestion to make. Let’s look more in-depth at each of our options.