Another winnable game thrown away
Whoever took the field for the Foxes on Saturday should have had more than enough to win the three points against a QPR side who, 18th in the table, have been on a dreadful run of results losing their last four games, conceding 12 goals in the process and scoring none. Over the season, the West Londoners, along with bottom club Sheffield Wednesday, are the only two sides to have conceded more goals than City.Â
Having said that, the superstitious readers amongst you would be spooked by the fact that Leicester had lost their last five home league games against London teams by an aggregate score of 12-0.
Outcomes in the Championship, however, are not predictable and the Foxes fell to a 1-3 defeat after leading for most of the first half. That’s 26 points Leicester have now dropped from winning positions. City took the lead with a smart long-range shot from Jordan James after ten minutes.Â
For much of the first period, though, the home team failed to protect the ball well enough giving QPR a great deal of the possession. It was no great surprise when, on the verge of the interval, a hopeful punt forward was not dealt with by both Ben Nelson and JakubStolarczk and Harvey Vale nipped in to score
Worse was to follow. Another mix up between Leicester’s centre half and goalkeeper at the start of the second half led to Nelson diverting the ball into his own net. Less than 10 minutes later, a free header from a corner put the visitors further ahead. Despite making some changes, the Foxes never looked likely to get back into the game and by the end of the game most home fans had already had enough and gone home.Â
Make no mistake about it, this QPR team are poor and yet they still had too much for Leicester. Worrying signs indeed.
Rowett’s mistake?Â
The Leicester boss had previously said that he had made a mistake in the last but one home game by not freshening the team up enough following a tough midweek away match. The opportunity to make changes to the team that beat Bristol City in midweek was there. As Leicester’s injury worries recede, there is much more competition for places. This applies particularly in midfield where Gary Rowett is now spoilt for choice
All the stranger, then, that Rowett made only one change for the game on Saturday bringing in Divine Mukasa for Bobby De Cordova-Reid. Arguably, this was one, possibly the key, reason why QPR went home with three points. The home team lacked energy, giving up too much space to the visitors and rarely threatening. By the time the Leicester boss made changes, the team were 3-1 down and the game was done.
On the other hand it should be pointed out that the substitutes offered little either. Maybe the sad reality is that this Leicester squad is simply not good enough.
Edging closer to disaster
This was a bleak day for Leicester City. On a day when the Foxes lost one of their most winnable games, their rivals at the foot of the Championship all picked up points. All of this leaves City in second bottom place, two points from safety. There are still a few games left to rectify the situation but, particularly on Saturday’s evidence, few would now bet on them avoiding the drop to League One.Â
As I have written before, it is difficult to exaggerate the financial implications of relegation. Administration, or even worse, becomes a distinct possibility. Those protesting against the club before the game on Saturday may yet get their wish of a change of ownership but it will come at a heavy price.