Leicester City have seen a strange run of form, with a couple good performances. Here are the players I think have earned a starting place for the Foxes.
The King Power club’s new gaffer Dean Smith has used a plethora of players, and in the waning fixtures of the Brendan Rodgers’ era, we have seen a few talents really shine. Some of them have been unexpected performers.
Leicester City’s Turkish defender
Caglar Soyuncu. A name many have been calling out for over the course of the season. The Turkish centre-back was a star performer for multiple seasons, only falling out of favour completely this campaign under the Northern Irishman. He was a beast, although he did make a few mistakes.
The Turk has put in two man of the match performances out of two since the English head coach has chosen to play the defender. Personally, there is no player more deserving of a chance for Leicester. He was outcast for no good reason, and now he is back for a last hurrah before an expected move to Atletico Madrid.
The Spanish club is expected to make the signing of the outgoing free agent. What a steal for the Spaniards. And a major loss for the Foxes. Here is to the last few matches with ‘Cags’ involved integrally.
Nampalys Mendy
Mendy has been something of a constant in or out kind of player. Sometimes Mendy would find a run of games, and other times the talent was out of the team for extended periods. This time though, Mendy deserves a chance ahead of Wilfred Ndidi, ahead of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall perhaps.
Our Senegalese has put in solid shift after solid shift, not really doing anything exciting but not putting a foot wrong either. The talent has offered more than mere defensive acumen. He has also given the Foxes better ball retention and neater passing from defence to our more creative and progressive players.
As such, Leicester should put their faith in the midfielder to help them reach Premier League safety. After all, the other options may do better in specific categories, but none are as all-round and cautious a choice as our ‘Papy’ Mendy.
Finally, Kelechi Iheanacho
What more does ‘Seniorman’ have to do to keep himself in the starting XI? The Nigerian striker consistently offers more in terms of involvement than our options. The Foxes could do far worse than ‘Seniorman’ – he is clinical, and able to get involved further up the pitch as well as more centrally to support wingers.
We saw in the Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-1 victory, the star can be critical to how Leicester City create chances and progress the ball forward. He offers both an option for a long ball towards the defensive line – where the Nigerian can take the ball to feet and hold up the ball until midfield and wing runners can get involved in attacking play – and also a ball over the top of the defence for the player to run onto. Although not as pacy as Patson Daka, Iheanacho has significantly greater strength to make up for it.
It is honestly a bafflement to me that Iheanacho has not played in more fixtures this season. The same can be said for the other two talents I have noted as those who have earned a starting place. As such, the formation must reflect those who have performed and those who have struggled.
A 4-4-2 with a narrow diamond midfield is an essential going forward. Soyuncu has to start, probably with Wout Faes due to his pace over Harry Souttar – although the Aussie is a towering defender. Mendy can play alongside Youri Tielemans and Boubakary Soumare. Meanwhile, ‘Nacho’ can play with Harvey Barnes and rotationally the Zambian throughout fixtures. These three must start.