Leicester City are set to see more changes in the transfer window, and a few players return from injury. Here is our ideal XI once the Foxes strengthen.
Although the King Power club are slumped in a low league table position, worryingly close to relegation, there is much to remain optimistic about. Brendan Rodgers is a good coach, so once the form has been turned around, things will improve drastically. To do this, we need signings and injury recoveries.
Luckily, Leicester can look forward to at least two new faces – one possibly leaving – in the transfer window, and plenty of players to return from injury. At the moment, we know around eight first team players are out for the count; one to two months and they should be back.
Leicester City’s ideal back line
Rodgers will hope to play a much improved Danny Ward for most of the season. The Welsh shot stopper did fairly well during an extended period before the World Cup, it is only since then that the initial issues have resurfaced: he is being hung to dry, and does not have the quality to cope with it. Nevertheless, the only other real option is Daniel Iversen: so Ward it is.
This being said, the hope is that eventually the Foxes should look to strengthen in the goalkeeping department. Plenty of options are available, from Florian Muller to Alban Lafont; however, these changes will have to wait until the summer, when we might see some movement in the Danish ‘keeper and Welsh international.
The back four will be preferred. On the left of it, new signing Victor Kristiansen should start to integrate into the first team and become one of the first names on the team sheet. It is clear that Luke Thomas needs competition for that space with James Justin likely still out for an extended period.
Furthermore, the Danish left-back offers something different: a promising talent, tall and progressive, while still providing plenty of defensive instinct. This is the area our academy graduate most lacks: the positional instinct and composure to decide the right action/inaction. So, only Kristiansen can start.
In the centre, Wout Faes and the – hopefully – to be signed Harry Souttar would be our primary pairing. Their legs are not made of brittle spaghetti, and both offer different styles of defending. One is more progressive, aggressive, and comes out of the shape to make disruptive actions, whereas the other is more composed, making blocks and clearances at key times.
Souttar would also sure up the aerial side of defending and attacking. During corners and free kicks, having a more aerially astute player will help us concede less and score more. Alongside Faes and a more confident Ward, this should be the basis for a strong defensive output from free kicks.
On its right, the soon to return Ricardo Pereira is a no-brainier. Timothy Castagne is great, and can also compete for positions on the left, just as ‘Ricky P’ can compete for a place at right-wing. Versatile and strong, the Portuguese fullback was once considered the best right-back outside the top six squads.
What Pereira brings is competence, quality, aggression, experience, and a sheer passion to rush forward and to get back. There are hardly any players like him, and so including such a progressive and impressive talent back into the starting XI is an unquestionably great decision. The only caveat will be consistent rotation with the Belgian right-back to avoid overplaying and risking injuries.
A midfield to be proud of
The midfield is where games are won and lost. To lose control of this is to allow the opposition straight at the heart of your defence, exposing vulnerabilities and creating cascading issues where your team cannot progress, defend, or score. You have got to have a great midfield. Once upon a time, Leicester had Wilfred Ndidi, Youri Tielemans, and James Maddison: the most balanced midfield you can hope for.
Unfortunately, one of them have dropped off a cliff, another does not want to be here, and another is slowly becoming injury prone. The Nigerian defensive midfielder and Belgian ‘thinker’ are excluded from our ideal XI: we need a player who can retain, not just gain possession, and a player who actually wants to be here in the coming years.
‘Madders’ however is an automatic inclusion. I do not think there is much to say as to why he is the best option: one of the highest goals + assists in the league alongside a passing excellence. Beyond this, there are few players you would want on a direct free kick than Maddison. Clearly, the English attacking-midfielder offers everything one could want from the creative core of a side.
Outside of that, Boubakary Soumare and Kieran Dewsbury-Hall make it into the ideal XI. ‘KDH’ is our most progressive and high-octane box-to-box player, so including the academy graduate and future captain is equally a no-brainier. He can pass, score goals, and he can lead a defence from the front. You need him in the side.
The French midfielder is a possessive force. From ball carrying to smart passing, Soumare helps the King Power club to retain possession and recycle it effectively out to the wings. The wings are where our danger lies, so a player who can control the passing back and wide is invaluable to a team striving to impose their vision on the game. Rodgers would be incompetent to not include ‘Bouba’ in the side.
A fresh front three
Harvey Barnes, Patson Daka, Tete. There you go. And if we fail to sign the Brazilian winger despite intense interest, Marc Albrighton takes that space. To explain why these three should make it into the ideal XI despite the more clinical Kelechi Iheanacho being available, I think I should describe our attacking play style.
Leicester have two main ways of creating chances: constant recycling and space creation, as well as in transition explosiveness. The second of which necessitates the inclusion of pacey forwards who can run in behind defensive lines and propel their team up the pitch with pure athleticism: a counter-attacking maelstrom. Barnes, Daka, and Tete are that in a nutshell.
At the same time, each offers something slightly different. The English left-winger has a mean shot on him, able to cut inside and strike from the edge of the box with sheer power behind the attempt. Daka is mobile, when used properly the Zambian can constantly be on the move, disrupting defensive positions to create space. Tete is a ball-carrier similar to Allan Saint-Maximin in play style: he can also collect the ball deeper and progress it with technical skill and neat link up play.
Having those explosive and technical options will provide versatility within matches to create and defend in a plethora of ways. Having those progressive and possessive midfielders alongside a creative master will provide ample control in the centre of the pitch. Having an assured and confident backline will concede less goals.
A 4-2-3-1 formation containing: Ward | Kristiansen | Faes | Souttar | Pereira | Soumare | Dewsbury-Hall | Maddison | Barnes | Daka | Tete. This would be the best Leicester City XI for the second half of the season.