Room for the new boys?
With a squad bolstered by new arrivals at the end of the transfer window, there was particular interest in who Marti Cifuentes would select. As Jordan Blackwell reported in the Leicester Mercury, the Leicester manager is even unwilling to confirm that Jakub Stolarczyk is his first choice keeper following the arrival of the former Real Betis goalkeeper Fran Vieites, a signing which has been generally regarded by Leicester fans in a positive light.
Blackwell, though, expected that, of the new signings, only Aaron Ramsey, on-loan from Burnley would make his debut from the start. FoL, meanwhile, predicted that, as well as Ramsey, Jordan James would start in place of either Oliver Skipp or Boubakary Soumare and on-loan striker Julian Carranza in place of Jordan Ayew.
In the event, Stolarczyk, unsurprisingly after keeping clean sheets in the last two matches, kept his place and there was only one change from the team that took the field against Birmingham City, Ramsey coming in for the injured Louis Page. Julian Carranza and James had to make do with a place on the bench along with Bobby Cordova-Reid returning from a long injury lay-off.
Not as bad as it sounds
Oxford have had a poor start to the season picking up only one point from four games which has left them in the Championship relegation zone. This should have been a game that Leicester won at a canter. Their failure to do so might be a source of criticism but this game was dominated by the referee’s decision to send off the debutant Aaron Ramsey after a reckless tackle just before the half-hour mark.
Leicester didn’t play well in the first half. The ball was given away far too often and Oxford were unlucky when the ball cannoned off the away team’s bar. However, it is difficult to avoid criticising the referee. I’ve always been reluctant to do so. We all know they have a difficult job. The fact remains that the inexperienced Mr Toner, and his assistants, made countless errors. Most importantly, the decision to dismiss Aaron Ramsey was ridiculously harsh, a yellow card at worst, and would most likely have been overturned by VAR if it had been available. Toner was influenced by the protests of Oxford players and fans.
Gary Rowett’s side took the lead, slightly against the run of play, when Will Lankshear, on loan from Spurs, knocked in at close range following a shot which Stolarczyk failed to hold. Jordan Ayew equalised a few minutes later. After the sending-off, Oxford pressed Leicester back and regained the lead when a header from a corner bounced off Soumare into the net. A reorganised Foxes’ side dominated the second half and deservedly equalised with a brilliant move resulting in substitute Ricardo Pereira neatly converting into the bottom corner. The home side offered very little in the second half.
It is difficult to say whether this result represents one point won or two points lost. We will know the answer by the end of the season.
The coach earns his money
In recent times, few Leicester fans would be prepared to praise the manager’s choices during a game. Not this time. Marti Cifuentes’ changes at half time were pivotal in turning the game in the Foxes’ favour. In a masterstroke, he brought on Pereira and Harry Winks at half time in place of Soumare and Stephy Mavididi, moved Hamza Chouhury into midfield and pushed Abdul Fatawu into a more central position. The narrow strategy worked a treat, neutralising Oxford’s threat and providing the space for the intricate passing move on the edge of the home side’s box that created the equaliser.
On a more negative point, Winks and Pereira are quality players at this level and Cifuentes must surely, sooner rather then later, start both of them.