As Leicester City approached the festive period, common themes had already started to manifest. Namely, the daunting, lacklustre home form as well as constant injury issues. By the December period, things were starting to ease but in football, it’s never good to count your chickens too early…
If you haven’t already read part one, just click here so you can read the review in order. Now onto the review.
A decent December for Leicester City
Monthly record: 8-4-2-2; GF: 12; GA: 7
Overall league record: 16-9-2-5; GF: 29; GA: 20
Cumulative record (all competitions): 23-13-3-7; GF: 43; GA: 27
League position at end of the month: 2nd
Monthly Grade: B
Results
Zorya Luhansk 1-0 Leicester (Europa League)
Sheffield United 1-2 Leicester
Leicester 2-0 AEK Athens (Europa League)
Leicester 3-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
Leicester 0-2 Everton
Tottenham 0-2 Leicester
Leicester 2-2 Manchester United
Crystal Palace 1-1 Leicester
An extremely hectic December with the Foxes mostly playing twice a week started with a humiliating reverse in freezing Ukraine.
To make matters worse both Ricardo and Söyüncü, making their first appearances after injury, succumbed to more injury. Their questionable selection provoked many questions amongst the fanbase, given the conditions of the fixture.
Fortunately, this was partially forgotten by a run of three straight victories, two in the League, and one in Europe. A last-minute Jamie Vardy winner away at none other than Sheffield United saw shattered corner flags and jubilant Leicester fans.
Following this was a demolition of both AEK Athens and Brighton which got the tongues of supporters wagging once more. Nevertheless, the old Achilles heel of breaking down a deep defence showed itself in draws against Everton and a struggling Crystal Palace, which made frustrating viewing for Foxes fans.
By contrast, when LCFC did not have to dominate possession, they thrived; picking up a superb victory at title-challenging Spurs and a drawer against Manchester United. Considering LCFC’s woeful record against the top-sides in the previous season, already progress was seemingly being made in this department.
January
Monthly record: 7-5-1-1; GF: 15; GA: 6
Overall league record: 21-12-3-6; GF: 37; GA: 25
Cumulative record (all competitions): 30-18-4-8; GF: 58; GA: 33
League position at end of the month: 4th
Monthly Grade: A-
Results
Newcastle United 1-2 Leicester
Stoke City 0-4 Leicester (FA Cup 3rd round)
Leicester 2-0 Southampton
Leicester 2-0 Chelsea
Brentford 1-3 Leicester (FA Cup 4th round)
Everton 1-1 Leicester
Leicester 1-3 Leeds United
A largely positive start to the New Year saw Leicester City pick up five straight victories in both cup and league. The Foxes’ form was starting to gain momentum with James Maddison the jewel in the crown, chipping in with goals in each of the first three PL games of January.
An expected victory against Newcastle was followed with a thumping of Championship Stoke. James Justin marked his ongoing rise with a sumptuous curling finish, with the Foxes enjoying themselves by full-time.
Not to be satisfied, this success was followed up by professional displays against Southampton and a disappointing Chelsea side. Soon after this result, the Blues decided to sack Frank Lampard, adding to the KPS’s reputation as a graveyard for Chelsea managers.
After an excellent second-half display in the FA Cup, confidence was running through the veins of Foxes players and fans alike. Once again however expectations would be ruthlessly crushed by a combination of Everton and energetic Leeds United.
In a month that had so much promise, Leicester struggled again to break the organised Everton backline often enough. Furthermore, a limp display against the Whites indicated the reliance of LCFC on their talisman Vardy and the lack of viable alternatives. With the Sheffield-born striker out with Hernia surgery, things didn’t seem quite as rosy anymore.
February
Monthly record: 8-4-2-2; GF: 9; GA: 7
Overall league record: 26-12-3-6; GF: 45; GA: 30
Cumulative record (all competitions): 38-22-6-10; GF: 67; GA: 40
League position at end of the month: 3rd
Monthly Grade: C
Results
Fulham 0-2 Leicester
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0-0 Leicester
Leicester 1-0 Brighton & Hove Albion (FA Cup round 5)
Leicester 3-1 Liverpool
Slavia Prague 0-0 Leicester (Europa League R32)
Aston Villa 1-2 Leicester
Leicester 0-2 Slavia Prague (Europa League R32)
Leicester 1-3 Arsenal
February posed another scheduling challenge with eight games in under four weeks. Unsurprisingly, injuries were once again catching up with Leicester City. Once again, the month started reasonably, sealed by an impressive turn-around against the ex-Champions. The major blemish was a devastating ACL injury to the rising James Justin who was otherwise a strong contender for the Euros.
Fortunately, in the same game against Brighton, Iheanacho saved fans from the boredom of extra time, which was a mighty relief for many. Meanwhile, against the Reds, the role of luck was key, with Leicester benefitting from a marginal VAR call and calamitous goalkeeping from Alisson.
Such fortune was not to last, and despite struggling to victory against Aston Villa, by the second-half Leicester City looked completely exhausted. An injury to Maddison further raised concerns despite three points being unconvincingly secured. Unsurprisingly, the Foxes came truly unstuck in Europe and against Arsenal, with a diabolical home display against the Czech side being difficult to watch.
If things couldn’t get worse, Harvey Barnes suffered a bad injury, adding to a growing treatment table. Furthermore, several players were not fully fit, especially Jamie Vardy, who was worryingly off-the-pace.
Such abject showings left Rodgers with selection headaches and tactical decisions and without the burden of European football, which proved one step too far for Leicester’s thin squad. By the end of the short month, LCFC had managed to cling onto the top four, mainly due to Liverpool’s ineptitude, yet questions over their staying power were beginning to rise once more.