Leicester City’s second home game of the season ended in a 2-1 defeat against Southampton on Filbert Way. Goals coming from Che Adams and a fantastic free kick from James Maddison.
Improved Atmosphere
With it being my first game of the season I felt the atmosphere was much improved from last season, binning the clappers (finally!!) and hearing actual clapping rather than people gormlessly hitting their clapper just for the sake of it. Although we were told to sit down by the people behind us during ‘When You’re Smiling’ (miserable lot) it felt great to hear how well received the popular song went down.
And it really helps us to build that atmosphere pre-match getting the fans up for the game and behind the team. Additionally, throughout the game too I thought there was a good atmosphere about.
Looking across to the travelling Southampton fans I thought they were quite quiet and weren’t really too vocal apart from the odd chant about Jamie Vardy’s wife, until they scored the equaliser and eventually got the winner. The Saints didn’t bring the full allocation either which could have contributed to this slightly and the fact Leicester were completely dominating them for 60 minutes, I mean its bound to be disheartening.
No Wesley Fofana and Harvey Barnes’ decision-making in front of goal
There was a lot of suspense mounting around team news after numerous papers stated Wesley Fofana would not be in the squad. It turns out they were right, after lots of speculation concerning the number three joining Chelsea for a record breaking fee, the saga continued as he was left out of the team by “mutual consent” involving Brendan Rodgers. Perhaps this could be it?
Turning back to the players who were involved, I noted how Barnes’ made some poor decisions in front of goal in today’s game. In the 10th minute he decided not to pass to Ayoze Perez who was in plenty of space in the box and instead decided to drive to the left allowing the Southampton defenders to converge on him and he lost the ball, again a minute later he got the ball at his feet in plenty of space in front of goal but instead of going for the shot he again drives to the left and loses possession of the ball.
Leicester City allow teams back into games
Although I missed the Brentford game at home from what I’ve been told it was pretty similar to today’s game against Southampton, being on top and then throwing it away.
I just don’t get it, how can you be playing such beautiful one-touch football and playing so well for 60 minutes and then just go in completely the opposite direction, I’ll be honest but in those last 30 minutes the team playing before me may as well have been a completely different team, the difference between the two was just astonishing.
After James Maddison’s outrageous free-kick, we started to just sit back rather than carry on with our nice pressing football, we invited Southampton into the box and allowing them one too many chances to score by not pushing out of the box and up the pitch. Eventually after pressing Leicester time and time again we allowed the Saints into the box for Leicester lad Che Adams to equalise and eventually also score the winner.
I just don’t get how after scoring a goal you can suddenly play so bad, I know it was partially down to Brendan Rodgers substitutions, all three; Tielemans, Iheanacho and Daka didn’t seem to make much of a difference and by taking Perez and Barnes off we lost the width on the wings and to be honest at many times I couldn’t even tell who was meant to be playing there and even what formation it was supposed to be!
It was frustrating as a fan to watch because you’d seen how good they’d been in the first 60 minutes and how much potential there was but yet again there was no clean sheet. Boos echoed around the stadium at full time, and rightly so.