 |
Points mean prizes. No matter how strong Leicester City have performed this season, they are bottom of the league with 18 points, leaving them 4 behind Burnley and QPR in the relegation zone and 7 from safety.
Leicester have 11 games remaining which include 4 of the 5 teams directly above them in the table. Now is the time for results, starting today at home against 15th placed Hull City.
Defenders Wes Morgan and Danny Simpson have been talking about Hull being the game of the season and Simpson told the Leicester Mercury that "we'll be going for the win."
In order to do this, manager Nigel Pearson has to go for a more attacking formation than the 5-4-1 he has been using since the Arsenal away game last month. Deep defending and soaking up pressure in the first half is understandable against the top teams away from home but Leicester have played a lot better in the second half when they have changed to a more attacking formation.
Leicester are at their best when they attack and would do well by starting with a 4-3-3 formation against Hull.
The Leicester Mercury claimed earlier this week that this won't be the case and Matthew Upson was unsurprisingly defending it as he would be the player to miss out if the team reduced their starting defenders.
Upson told the Leicester Mercury that 5-at-the-back has been the "right choice" in the games Pearson has played it and the "performances have maybe shown that, if not the results." But results are all that matter now.
Robert Huth has been a welcome addition to the back line and has assisted Morgan, with the captain looking a yard short of pace in the top division. Jeff Schlupp has shown his pace in midfield and was effective at Left Back in the second half at Manchester City. Danny Simpson has linked up well with Riyad Mahrez down the right flank all season. Mahrez was quiet against Man City but should line up with Matt James and Esteban Cambiasso in midfield.
Andrej Kramaric has played relatively well since the club record signing arrived in January and would be ably assisted by David Nugent and James Vardy either side of him. Leonardo Ulloa can then be brought on in the second half in place of one of the strikers.
 |
| Left to right - Ben Hamer, Kasper Schmeichel and Mark Schwarzer (Leicester Mercury) |
Leicester's goalkeeping selection has been easy over the past few years with shot stopper Kasper Schmeichel leading the way. However, Schmeichel broke his metatarsal earlier in the season and this allowed Ben Hamer to stake his claim. Hamer's strong communication with the back line brought a tight off-side trap and 3 clean sheets. Nigel Pearson signed his former Middlesborough team-mate, Mark Schwarzer, to bolster the squad but soon took away Hamer's position.
Schwarzer's distribution has been lacklustre with him often kicking it up field to the small lone striker, Kramaric, instead of playing it through his defenders. Fumbling the ball over the line cost Leicester an FA Cup replay against Aston Villa but Schwarzer showed his experience with his saves against Man City. Schmeichel is now fit and Pearson has three credible choices between the sticks.
Schmeichel has a tendency to be flashy like his father, Peter, but can put himself out of position in the goal mouth. Distribution has been Schwarzer's weakness whereas Hamer has only put one foot wrong all season when Tottenham's Eriksen crept a free kick passed his front post. Hamer would be the ideal choice but Schmeichel is likely to get the nod today.
Hull are still looking over their shoulders in 15th place but have recently put faith in Steve Bruce by giving him a three year deal.
The relegation battle begins in earnest today - are Leicester up for the fight?
Pictures from Leicester Mercury
No comments:
Post a Comment