What does Leicester City’s future look like?

This will be something a little bit different for me, as attending the game on Wednesday, surrounded by deadlines in my master’s programme, has delayed the release of my analysis article. So, instead of focusing on the Norwich City win, which wasn’t full of action and would probably require a lengthy description of creative issues for Brendan Rodgers’ side, I will instead paint a big picture of what the future will look like, depending on whether Leicester City continues on their current trajectory, or have a successful rebuild operation in the summer.

The midweek game was a glimpse of how the Foxes will attack if the wrong profiles are signed in the summer; constant ball retention, little one-vs-one presence in width, a vacuum in the zone 14 position (which, if you’re unaware of this terminology, is a box-shaped space the width of the goal at the edge of the box until around 25/30 yards out), incorrect isolations, and a structure that seems far too structured. After losing to A.S. Roma in the UEFA Conference League, and being fixed in the middle of the Premier League table, there is very little to play for and this was also a factor in the laboured display.

I’m fairly sure this opinion stands in the minority of Leicester supporters, but James Maddison is better as a “false winger” on the right side than playing centrally as a “number 10”. Forget the notion of a winger for a moment, and just outline Maddison’s strengths as an attacking player; likes to receive on the half-turn, strong carrier (dribbler of the ball), and excellent passer—which should translate into a good crosser of the ball, but this season negates that idea.

Although ordinarily, I would suggest ‘Madders’ one of the better dead-ball players at the club (even the league, but I will say that quietly). He’s also become an astute presser and made a lot of good tackles against Norwich (six in total, with five of these after switching to RW at HT).