Steve Cooper is running out of time to turn the fortunes of Leicester City around this season.
Leicester City have had a less-than-ideal start to life back in the Premier League under Steve Cooper.
After a humbling defeat in the Carabao Cup, the Foxes lost 3-0 vs Manchester United in their last league fixture before the international break.
That result leaves the Midlands outfit just three points above the relegation zone ahead of club football returning and with pressure mounting on Cooper.
With results not going their way, Leicester have given Cooper a deadline to save his job, with the former Nottingham Forest manager expected to remain in charge for the remainder of 2024.
It is claimed that ex-Chelsea man Graham Potter is reportedly eyeing up a return to management, whilst Ruud Van Nistelrooy is also an option for the Foxes.
Steve Cooper Leicester City tactic questioned
With results and their style of playing pretty dire in 2024/25 so far, Leicester fans have made their feelings on a Jose Mourinho appointment clear recently.
And if the Foxes fall to defeat once more this weekend, the ire toward the 46-year-old is only likely to grow.
Now, speaking on the When You’re Smiling: A Leicester City Podcast, former Fox Matt Piper has expressed his bewilderment at one Cooper tactic, which was on full display in their most recent defeat to Man Utd.
Cooper continues to make changes very late in games and Piper cannot work out why.
He said: “It was a particularly poor performance from the team, but also the manager – I don’t say that lightly.
“[Steve Cooper said] ‘he never felt like a goal was coming’. If you don’t feel there is a goal coming and you’re 2-0 down and you don’t make your first substitute until the 70th minute – that’s what I don’t understand.
“You’ve got to change it. You’re not going to score if you feel like that standing in your technical area.
“I know a lot of fans are already to the point where they want him gone, but he doesn’t help himself.
“He uses comments like that after the game but he didn’t do anything about it.
“As the manager and leader of the club, you have to do something about it to change the fortune on a particularly bad afternoon.
“He tells you straight away what the problem is but it keeps happening week on week and that’s really not helpful for the manager.”
Leicester City fixtures will concern Steve Cooper
With fans and pundits all seemingly growing tired of Cooper, the manager could really do with a kind run of games to help turn his side’s fortunes around.
However, Leicester face a tough meeting with Chelsea this weekend, which they are expected to lose.
They then face the likes of Newcastle United, Brighton and Hove Albion and West Ham United in the coming weeks.
Said trio all have European aspirations in 2024/25 and it is hard to see Leicester getting much out of those ties, which will likely put even more pressure on Cooper.
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