Former Watford, Manchester United and West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Ben Foster is undeniably a likeable chap. A quality that makes suffering through his occasionally misguided musings slightly more tolerable.
Yet, as with all football pundits and writers (myself included) nobody possesses the divine gift of infallibility or constant accuracy. ​Foster recently peddled a rather pervasive misconception regarding the trajectory of Leicester City.
The 43-year-old suggested that the Foxes' eventual downfall began, or could be definitively pinpointed to, the departure of Kasper Schmeichel. To suggest as much is, frankly, erroneous: while Schmeichel was undoubtedly a legendary figure at King Power Stadium and a formidable shot-stopper, his influence had become far less constructive than the narrative suggests.
"Ben Foster has been discussing Leicester City's downfall and where it started to go wrong for the club, pinpointing Kasper Schmeichel's exit in August 2022 as a turning point"Leicestershire Live
​In truth, despite the Dane's commanding presence and vocal leadership, he often acted as a counterintuitive piece in an increasingly muddled Brendan Rodgers system. Rodgers, who certainly squandered his initial tactical intuition as his tenure unravelled with alarming speed, implemented an identity that was fundamentally incompatible with his goalkeeper's natural attributes.
Why Ben Foster is wrong about Leicester City and Kasper Schmeichel
The Northern Irishman's insistent obstinance to deploy a modernised, possession-based philosophy (effectively a hollow imitation plagiarising Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola's tactical genius) proved disastrous for the Dane. Schmeichel quite simply could not acclimatise to the demands of a high-stakes 'play from the back' dynamic, failing under the pressure to orchestrate build-up play.
The former Leeds United man frequently surrendered possession with aimless, hurried clearances under the most negligible of pressures, whether seeking short outlets or launching erratic balls into touch. His aerial distribution was wildly erratic.
"Launched Passes Attempted: 632The real Schmeichel, via FBref
​Launched Passes Completed: 206
​Launch Completion %: 32.6%"
Regarding defending set-pieces, Schmeichel's struggle to adapt to the ill-fated hybrid zonal system was negatively legendary. Only further highlighting his lack of suitability for the manager's stubbornness and initiation of an actual collapse.
Questions have also circulated regarding the player's own stature within the dressing room and the implications of his exit, with persistent claims that his wage demands or contract longevity were primary factors in the parting of ways. Therefore, for Foster to asser that the Leicestershire team's institutional rot began the moment Schmeichel exited (in typical, partisan 'goalkeeper's union' fashion) is a lazy interpretation.
It reveals a lack of deep scrutiny into the statistical reality of Schmeichel's final two seasons, where his turnover numbers were, by elite standards, truly unacceptable! The only grain of truth in Foster's analysis is the acknowledgement that Danny Ward proved an woefully inadequate and visibly overwhelmed replacement between the sticks.
Meanwhile LCFC's actual plight can be specifically blamed on two men. They are Jon Rudkin and Aiyawatt (Top) Srivaddhanaprabha.
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