Get Carter’s Leicester player reviews 21/22: Between the sticks

The Leicester City playing squad has been waiting in anticipation of Foxes of Leicester’s Damon Carter delivering his player reviews (editor’s note – they really aren’t); the goalkeeper contingent go first as Carter delivers report cards.

Kasper Schmeichel

Appearances total – 53 / Premier League – 37 /  FA Cup – 0 / League Cup – 1 / Europe – 14

Moment to savour – Incredible double save at home to Norwich

Moment to forget – A fumble at Villa Park that could easily have led to another Villa goal

The future – A possible loss of his seemingly impregnable No.1 spot with mistakes and loss of sharpness growing every time

From the outside looking in, Kasper Schmeichel is the ‘unshiftable’ number one at Leicester. A rock of a goalkeeper that managed the second-most Premier League saves in 2021/2022 (131). A man that added another three more penalty saves to his collection this season.

A goalkeeper that is calm in possession and helps start the building from the back. The narrative would have you believe that he is blighted by a meek, disorganised and threadbare defence, which would explain how City has conceded 86 goals in a 57-game season. But that would only tell a small portion of the story normally reserved for neutrals not looking too hard. Kasper Schmeichel was a virtual ever-present having appeared in 52 of the 57 games and unfortunately for him, many of the problems could be placed at his door. He has been slow to react to a number of problems.

The set-piece defending from the foxes has been beyond bad this season, it has reached new depths of embarrassing and has been difficult to watch. What they have been crying out for all season is a goalkeeper that commands his area or even just his six-yard box. There are countless occasions this season where opposition players have won headers close to the foxes’ goal which has led to several points being thrown away.

Kasper has arguably more responsibility than most to help his fellow defenders out, if they know their keeper is going to sit static on his line on every cross then the pressure increases on them causing even erratic behaviour  Witness the goal Antonio Rudiger scored at the King Power to see how poor he was managed by Schmeichel yet again (Rudiger has now scored four headers against Leicester City in three seasons – thank heavens he’s left for Real Madrid).

This is not something new (I was bemoaning the same issues last season) and this is evidenced by his 19th place showing in the ‘high claims’ Premier League stats. He managed 15 high claims all season, this is in comparison to Brighton’s Roberto Sanchez with 60 and shows an area of improvement sorely needed.

The trouble is, with his 36th birthday approaching, is ‘KS’ at a stage of his career where he is going to be able to address this fallible part of his game? It may be sacrilege to many Foxes fans to criticise this legendary LCFC player, but if Brendan Rodgers does have lofty ambitions of breaking this team back into Europe he will need his number one goalkeeper to drastically improve or look at other options. Luckily for Rodgers, he has two very interesting options to look at.

Rating 6/10 – chances of leaving – 20%

Danny Ward

Appearances total – 5 / Premier League – 1 /  FA Cup – 2 / League Cup – 2 / Europe – 0

Moment to savour – A Premier League debut nearly 4 years since signing for Leicester City

Moment to forget – The Nottingham Forest hammering in the FA cup

The future – How much longer will he accept being second fiddle to a goalkeeper leaking goals everywhere?

After a memorable Euro 2020 where Danny Ward emerged with much credit in his bank, it became apparent to the footballing world that this excellent goalkeeper was mostly kicking tyres on the East Midlanders’ roster. This season has seen the typical cup appearances with a match-winning penalty save against Brighton in the EFL cup a highlight of the season. His only clean sheet of his 5 games was at the New Den where he had little to do.

This was not the case at a miserable afternoon at The City Ground as Nottingham Forest battered his goal and although he wasn’t necessarily the sole problem, being hammered by a championship club and a local rival will not sit prettily on his CV.

Where there may be some hope for Ward is in finally being given his Premier League debut at Watford in May. This was also planned to be a two game offering but injury cost him a start at home to Norwich. But here is where next season may give Ward some clout to throw his toys out of the pram if he really wants the King Power team’s number one spot:

Claiming three crosses in a single Premier League match against Kasper Schmeichel’s previous fifteen is solid evidence that Ward is worthy of more starts. If he doesn’t get an answer he wants its possible he could seek first-team football elsewhere.

Rating 7/10 – chances of leaving – 50%

The rest of Leicester City’s stoppers

Daniel Iversen – A very productive season on loan at Preston North End, helping them to a respectable 13th place finish and adding another 48 professional games to his career tally. Not bad for a player that is only 24 years old. With a career tally of 163 he has now amassed more career appearances than Danny Ward (103).

When I asked the Preston fans what they made of the young Dane they were glowing in praise, some even rating him higher than the young Jordan Pickford they had years ago. This speaks volumes in him picking up various player of the year awards. His distribution was bought into question though which makes me wonder if he might not quite be ready for the step up to Premier League football and more importantly a Brendan Rodgers team keen to play out from the back. Another season of Championship football wouldn’t go amiss.

Eldin Jakupovic – continues to offer support as a backup, but it’s been four years since anyone saw him play a first-team game.