Leicester City’s best XI at the moment

Permutation and combination in Leicester City’s starting lineup have been predominant a tad bit much this season. What is an idealistic starting XI for the Foxes?

First and foremost, we have to assess the best available formation for Leicester to work with currently. Considering that we have had a good run of games since Brendan Rodgers introduced the traditional 4-4-2 in place of his 3-5-2. It was brought in forcefully to accommodate an offensive partner for Jamie Vardy.

Ideal starters for Leicester City (considering current injuries)

Goalkeeper

There is no doubt when it comes to the number one pick for the position of LCFC’s first choice in between the goalposts. The Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel remains resolute and motivated in his first season as the captain of the Foxes. Though, his clean sheets record for this season doesn’t reflect how resilient and bold the keeper has been for us.

Defenders

There are a couple of combinations to set up the backline, but we will be sticking to a back three system for this one. The best way to shape our defense without the injured players is to have three centre-backs and pray. We have been very sloppy in defending set-pieces. Every corner or free-kick that the opposition takes looks nerve-wracking to watch.

Jonny Evans should be playing in every match if possible. Considering he is suffering from a delicate condition of plantar fasciitis, that luxury is limited. With him leading the defensive line, Caglar Söyüncü performs remarkably better. The third choice is a tricky one. Without Wesley Fofana in the equation, our inclination would side with the Ghanian excellence of Daniel Amartey.

Wingbacks

With the current state of our defensive woes, it would be vital for us to incorporate two wingbacks at either flank to provide an extra layer of shielding. Two such players should remain technically adept in forwarding runs whenever possible, helping out on a counter and similarly trackback for aiding the defense.

On the left, you must be going for Timothy Castagne. The Belgian is a very reliable option for us, technical and skilled to play both as a midfielder and a defender. He covers more areas than any other player Rodgers has for the role. On the other side, Ricardo Pereira should be the first choice.

Midfielders

We think it is better to have three different kinds of midfielders operating in the middle of the pitch. With diversity, a team flourishes, and for that reason, it is preferable to have a central, defensive, and attacking midfielder triangulating to map the forward runs.

Wilfred Ndidi, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and James Maddison would be our choice for those roles. I agree that Boubakary Soumaré as a second CDM works alongside Ndidi, but with Youri Tielemans out injured, that system can be easily comprised.

Attackers

Again, this is a tough choice. To name only two attackers right now is tough. I think it’s not fair for any pair to be there for the full ninety minutes. As the recent performances have shown, it would be beneficial to start the match with Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho.

But here, a critical factor becomes decisive. If the scoreline remains unfavorable or deadlocked till 2/3rd of the match, the manager must alter things and replace either of them with the fresh legs and rapid pace of Patson Daka. The Zambian, with his extraordinary velocity, is too good not to use.