The defensive rot currently paralysing Leicester City is not a fresh wound but a festering gangrene that traces its origins back to the final, stubborn years of the Brendan Rodgers era. While Rodgers once delivered silverware (at a massive cost for LCFC), his legacy is increasingly defined by the tactical arrogance of a hybrid zonal marking system that turned every corner into a panic attack for the Blue Army.
Rodgers was never truly held to account for dismantling the defensive solidity that once made the King Power a fortress. Since his departure, the East Midlands outfit has spiraled through a sequence of managerial failures.
Managerial arrest
Dean Smith's desperate rescue mission ended in a whimpering 25 per cent win rate. Even the tactical poise of Enzo Maresca, who managed a stellar 67.92%, only papered over the defence's cracks that reappeared the moment the club returned to the top flight. Though the Italian was an improvement and he'd be welcomed back.
The modern catastrophe truly solidified under Marti Cifuentes, whose tenure was marked by a complete systemic collapse. This left the Catalan with a dismal 35.5 percentage before his January exit. Don't ask about Ruud van Nistelrooy, please!
Even the elevation of club icon Andy King to the dugout has failed to halt the decline. The legendary midfielder currently holds a 0% victory hit as caretaker as the weight of penetrable history crushes the squad.
Leicester City's record-breaking calamity
This defensive impotence has now culminated in record-breaking disaster (in modern EFL era). Since a goalless draw with Coventry City in September, LCFC have failed to keep a clean sheet in twenty-six consecutive Championship matches. That's 26! The trail of failure is obscene and relentless.
Following that lone shutout against the Sky Blues, the Foxes conceded in outings against West Bromwich Albion, Wrexham, Swansea City, Portsmouth, Hull City, Millwall, Blackburn Rovers, Middlesbrough and Norwich City. The misery deepened through autumn with further failures against Stoke City, Southampton and Sheffield United.
Continuing into the festive period and the New Year, which brought no relief: Derby County, Bristol City, Ipswich Town, QPR, Watford, Derby (again), United (again), West Brom (again), Coventry (again), Wrexham (once more), Oxford United, Charlton Athletic, Birmingham City, and the Saints most recently.
The streak hit the historic mark with the Southampton failure. This is no longer just a poor run; it is a historic surrender. Appointing a permanent team leader becomes essential now.