With the transfer window closing, and the chaos that came with it finally gone, Leicester City now have a squad that resembles something like a settled one. That sentiment applies, even if the requisite reinforcements weren’t acquired.
For a few months at least, there’ll be little speculation to unsettle Youri Tielemans and James Maddison and a run of games ahead of the World Cup for the players and management to focus on. There continues to however be speculation surrounding the manager’s position, with Brendan Rodgers’ hopes of maintaining his lucrative berth seemingly getting shorter by the week. Irrespective of who the manager is, there are certainly multiple tangible changes that must occur if the Foxes are to become the ambitious and impressive side that fans know they can be.
What needs to happen immediately is for the team to lean on a settled style, intention and tactical formation. The arrival of Wout Faes on deadline day, coupled with the chasing of Atalanta winger Jeremie Boga signalled the first signs all summer of a concerted plan – to shift emphasis on using a back four system.
The Boga deal feel through, but regardless, four at the back should be deployed as a priority, and installing a 4-3-3/4-5-1 straight away will help the squad understand its general style with individuals making specific roles and instructions their own. Faes has surely been brought in to feature from the start of games, and a partnership with Jonny Evans does not exactly scream lightening speed.
Luke Thomas has started in the last two fixtures – defeat to Manchester United and the embarrassing farce that was yesterday’s humbling against Brighton and Hove Albion. A brutally honest observer would suggest that he’s simply looked way in above his head, and the last week has surely shown Rodgers just how valuable Timothy Castagne is to his system.
James Justin also struggled yesterday, but is far more experienced and competent at this level to occupy a full-back role. Caglar Soyuncu appears to be uninterested in turning out in the blue shirt again, and Wilfred Ndidi’s addition to his tally of penalties conceded proved why he’s not a natural fit at centre back.
The jury’s still out on Danny Ward as a Kasper Schmeichel replacement, but at this point, it might be worth throwing Daniel Iversen in for a game or two to assess his capacity to compete in the Premier League. Without understanding the Danish stopper’s true level, the obvious first choice back half of the pitch should be: Ward, Castagne, Faes, Evans, Justin.
Ndidi’s form, or lack thereof, has meant his place as one of the first names on the manager’s team sheet is no longer assured, particularly if the Nigerian persists in shipping needless penalties and gifting the opposition possession where it seems impossible to. Boubakary Soumare is here to stay, but while he was a bright spark against Manchester United, the way the fixture passed him by was a key reason Brighton were able to notch so many goals.
Rodgers faces a dilemma in midfield if he’s going with a lone striker, because he’ll then have four central players who feel they’re worthy of a starting spot, with only 3 places to fill. To get the best out of James Maddison, he has to be deployed centrally, where he can receive the ball in tight areas and operate neatly as we know he can.
Youri Tielemans is beginning to re-assert his merits as a functional 8 who can play the ball through the eye of a needle, but what the Belgian is short on is energy. In that department, step forward Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who would hustle and harry opposition defenders all night if he could in pursuit of winning the ball high up the pitch.
At the risk of getting splinters sat on this fence, the system is always dependent on the opposition the Foxes will face. There are some matches where Ndidi could be dispensable, others where Maddison might be forced to play from the right, and some where Tielemans will be expected to struggle.
Dewsbury-Hall is a big bundle of energy who can back his relentlessness up with technical prowess and efficiency. While Tielemans might have his future secure, for now, it’s likely that he could be the one who sits out most often, so a typical midfield could be: Ndidi, Dewsbury-Hall, Maddison.
In terms of the front three, there’s only one clear option to be deployed on the left hand side, with City’s No. 7 Harvey Barnes the obvious, quick, attacking outlet. The opposite flank represents another problem for the manager, with whoever occupies that berth except Maddison likely to be defined as the side’s weak link.
Contenders include Ayoze Perez, Marc Albrighton, and even Dennis Praet, all of whom have played a bit part in City’s season so far. This system would mean the eleven on the pitch aren’t the best individual players at the club, but systems should always take precedence over shoehorning.
None of these three possess any great pace, but what Albrighton provides is an element of unpredictability that Perez particularly is short on. The Tamworth-born winger is capable of running at his full-back, playing neat interplay in and around the box with his No. 10 and forward, but can also deliver both deep and bye-line crosses.
Questions have been raised around Jamie Vardy’s waning powers, such as his pace and athleticism as age inevitably catches up with the Foxes stalwart. The Brighton defeat was a tough day for City, but possibly more so for Vardy as both of the club’s reserve strikers netted on their first league starts of the season.
If any of these are to be the natural heir to if Leicester City’s No. 9, then surely Patson Daka is the ideal candidate to lead the line, with his profile being more suited to both holding up the ball and stretching defences by making unselfish off the ball runs. Not to mention the rapid player’s steaming in behind opposition back lines. Kelechi Iheanacho has improved in recent years, particularly with his back to goal, but his skill set does not automatically lend itself to lone forward play.
The likely scenario is that Daka and Vardy interchange frequently this season, especially due to the tightly packed schedule imposed on the Premier League due to the timing of the World Cup. Iheanacho is very unlikely to be deployed in a singular striking role, and the chances are that Vardy will be deployed up top slightly more than Daka. A typical front three could see a line-up of: Albrighton, Vardy, Barnes.