Foxes of Leicester
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What Maresca got right and wrong vs Huddersfield

By Robert Garner

HUDDERSFIELD, ENGLAND - AUGUST 12: Neil Warnock the Head Coach of Huddersfield Town during the Sky Bet Championship match between Huddersfield Town and Leicester City at the John Smith's Stadium on August 12, 2023 in Huddersfield, England. (Photo by John Early/Getty Images)
HUDDERSFIELD, ENGLAND - AUGUST 12: Neil Warnock the Head Coach of Huddersfield Town during the Sky Bet Championship match between Huddersfield Town and Leicester City at the John Smith's Stadium on August 12, 2023 in Huddersfield, England. (Photo by John Early/Getty Images) /
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In light of the important, albeit somewhat unconvincing, 1-0 Leicester City victory over Huddersfield, it is worthwhile examining what Enzo Maresca got right and what he got wrong.

Team Selection

The decision to play Kelechi Iheanacho, instead of Vardy, and Dennis Praet, instead of Wilfred Ndidi, seemed like a good one. Iheanacho, with his ability to come short for the ball, holding it up before playing in runners, is much more suited to Maresca’s style than Vardy. Likewise, Praet, at least potentially, offers more going forward, particularly from wide areas, than Ndidi.

As the game progressed, however, I became less sure about these selections. Iheanacho, for the most part, played well and was the Foxes most potent threat. However, he didn’t link with the wide men particularly well, too often choosing to selfishly keep the ball when a pass was on. Praet was largely anonymous before tamely shooting straight at the keeper after being put through by a superb pass from Ricardo Pereira.

What is more, the Leicester attack looked more fluent when Vardy and Ndidi were brought on later in the game. There was a much great willingness to play the ball forward looking for Vardy’s trademark runs and the Huddersfield defenders looked terrified whenever the ball was threaded through to him. Ndidi’s greater presence, too, seemed to offer another dimension for the visitors.

Now, it could be that Maresca got this spot on, bringing on Vardy and Ndidi as Huddersfield began to tire. I would give him the benefit of the doubt here. What it does reveal is the strength of the squad the Leicester boss has inherited. The question remains, of course, how many of those players will still be at the club by the time the transfer window closes at the end of August.

I feel the same ambiguity when it comes to what remains a controversial decision to prefer Vestergaard to Souttar at the heart of the defence. His languid style, and tendency to make mistakes, certainly does not enamour him to the Foxes’ faithful. On the other hand, he was immense in the last twenty minutes as Neil Warnock’s team battered Leicester with a series of dangerous crosses into the box.