Amidst all the doom and gloom surrounding Leicester City’s transfer activity, or lack thereof, this pre-season, it’s worth remembering that in Brendan Rodgers’ three full seasons the King Power side made relative strides.
The Foxes finished fifth, fifth again, and eighth respectively in the Premier League during that time. If not for the heartbreak of missing out on Champions League football twice, and the tangible drop-off in performances the season after, these would have been viewed as largely positive EPL positions.
They still are, by many, but the absence of any summer arrivals has led to some pundits suggesting the East Midlands club could find themselves in a relegation battle in the coming campaign. It’s true that clubs cannot stand still in this league, and if that you don’t strengthen wherever possible, you’re at risk of being left behind.
However, suggestions that a squad stacked with quality in depth in most positions would somehow be fighting the drop is frankly nonsense, and even at times clickbait journalism. At least LCFC fans can have a crumb of comfort in that Gabby Agbonlahor leapt to their defence on TalkSport this week.
There’s a case to be made that Leicester City are in a stronger position than they were a week before the start of last season, given that Wesley Fofana hasn’t suffered a horrific injury from a horrible tackle this pre-season. The Foxes have the luxury of almost a fully fit first team squad, something Brendan Rodgers has wished for ever since he joined the club back in February 2019. Ryan Bertrand remains sidelined.
The starting full-back positions, where Rodgers’ side have been hit severely with injuries in the last two seasons, suddenly have a full bill of health, with both defensive flanks filled with first team certainties and more than capable deputies. In central midfield, the emergence of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall means the manager has four excellent middle-men available this year.
Most English top-flight outfits would give anything to have a first-choice centre half partnership of Jonny Evans and Wesley Fofana. If Caglar Soyuncu can re-capture pre-pandemic form, then he and Daniel Amartey are comfortably suitable back-ups who allow the manager to be versatile in his set-ups with a back three option on the table.
In Patson Daka and Kelechi Iheanacho, Jamie Vardy has solid competition for that No. 9 berth. As age inevitably catches up with the striker, his minutes can be managed more carefully with two men competent in reserve.
The goalkeeper situation is alarming, but there’s no feasible scenario where the club enters the season without Kasper Schmeichel in its ranks if a suitable replacement is yet to be recruited. At least one more wide player to fill the void left by Atalanta-bound Ademola Lookman is essential to ensure the Foxes are adequately stocked.
It will be refreshing for the Leicester faithful to experience a stress-free season, not endlessly worried by injuries to key players, nor constantly angry about the rate at which set pieces goals are shipped. Well, we can all dream with futility. This is a fantasy scenario that most rational King Power followers know is unlikely to happen.
Maybe injures will continue to crop up at the most inconvenient times, as happened in the previous three campaigns. At this point, fitness issues occurred far too often to be a coincidence. Though the LCFC medical department has been redesigned. Consistent top half finishes have been the norm under the Northern Irishman, despite the cruel blows that have been handed to him, and there’s no reason for that to change.
Leicester’s first team is brimmed with talent, but an assault on the recently re-established big six seems unlikely. With Everton likely to struggle again, and Wolverhampton Wanderers seemingly set to fall away from challenging for the minor European places, it’s up to West Ham United, Newcastle United, and possibly Aston Villa to battle the Foxes to be best of the rest.
What LCFC proved last year was that it wasn’t too difficult to finish eighth, even with the number of setbacks they were dealt. Yes, the transfer window has been a disaster thus far, but there’s no reason why they can expect to finish any lower this season. A top half finish must be a guarantee, it’s all about where they ascend to from there.
Prediction: 7th: West Ham United, 8th: Leicester City, 9th: Newcastle United, 10th: Aston Villa.