A month has passed since Leicester City’s first game back in the Premier League, and as usual, there’s been drama.
Much of it has been off the field, but there’s been plenty happening on it too, enough for an assessment of where the club currently stand. So we’ve run through the big topics of the season so far…
Not brilliant, but not terrible
Anybody who watched the club’s final pre-season game against Lens would have feared the worst. Those fears were not at all eased by the first half of the opening game against Tottenham.
But since Jamie Vardy headed in Abdul Fatawu’s cross in the second period of the first fixture, City have at least been competitive in each of their outings and optimism has risen. It’s not ideal that they are winless – Steve Cooper has said he doesn’t want to be applauded off merely for decent performances – but a victory didn’t seem too far out of reach in any of their four fixtures, despite a reasonably tough schedule.
In any case, the two points they have picked up are worthy of 15th place for now. The very early signs are that a total considerably below the 40-point mark will be required to stay afloat.
Attacking struggles disguised with creative options lying in wait
With five goals to their name, City have scored more than eight other clubs in the division. But that perhaps does not tell the full story. Only Ipswich have had fewer shots, with the Tractor Boys also the only side to have a lower expected goals figure. In short, it’s been a case of good finishing rather than a steady flow of chances at City.
Getting the ball into forward areas has not been easy yet. Again, only Ipswich rank worse than City when it comes to touches in the attacking third and touches in the opposition penalty box. That the average City shot is coming from 20 yards out, the furthest distance in the league, perhaps also shows their struggles at regularly finding their way into the most dangerous areas.
They did improve at Crystal Palace in that regard, but it will be intriguing to see if Cooper turns to the creative options lying in wait to try to raise those numbers before the goals run dry. Bilal El Khannouss was not signed for £20m to sit on the substitutes’ bench and the calls for the Moroccan will grow very loud the first time City draw a blank.
Defending with heart and brawn
Because they have only averaged a 42 per cent share of possession, City have given themselves a good amount of defending to do, certainly more than last season. But broadly, they’ve held out well.
For the territory the opposition have had at times, City have been able to restrict chances. And Cooper has managed to inspire the group to show commitment to the cause and throw their bodies in front of shots, with Wout Faes particularly excelling in that area.
With more defending to do, and with the greater prowess of Premier League attackers, Cooper has changed the defensive personnel too with a focus on physicality and speed. It’s seen more technical operators like Jannik Vestergaard and Ricardo Pereira drop out, with Caleb Okoli and Victor Kristiansen brought in.
Biggest win of the season confirmed
While City still have a zero in the W column of the Premier League table, their biggest win of their campaign has already been secured in their appeal victory over their 2022/23 PSR case. They’re not totally out of the woods and trouble could yet come over their 2023/24 finances, but this victory looks to have saved them at least six points. Lawyer Nick De Marco is the player of the season so far.
It perhaps changes the dynamic at City though. Maybe supporters resigned to relegation have raised their expectations. And it seems Cooper is searching for another cause to galvanise his players and the fans, looking to take on the league over a different issue in VAR.
Transfer deviation needs to pay off
Across the division, Premier League signings are getting younger, but City are taking a different approach. By bringing in Jordan Ayew and Bobby De Cordova-Reid, they were the only Premier League side to sign two outfield players aged 31 or over this summer. It was part of a plan to add plenty of Premier League experience to the squad, with three further first-team players signed from division rivals.
It’s a deviation from the club’s usual tactic, to buy players who they feel could be sold on at a higher price in the future, and the new approach is not something every supporter was on board with. But if that added know-how keeps City up, the risk will have paid off.
Ricardo mystery goes on
If told at the start of the season that City would use 20 players across their first four Premier League matches but that Ricardo wouldn’t be one of them, it would be assumed that he’d picked up an injury. However, he is fit, but just not getting off the bench.
The Portuguese’s omission has been the defining talking point over selection so far this season and it will continue to be so. There is a strong belief among fans that Ricardo is one of the best technicians in the squad, and there is a faith in his ability to improve the team that isn’t currently shared by Cooper.
As far as supporters are concerned it’s a mystery that the manager cannot see what they have over the six years that Ricardo has been at the club. For Cooper, it seems to boil down to a preference over quicker, stronger, more physically reliable players.
But until he gets a chance, it won’t be a discussion topic that subsides. Either he comes in and proves fans right or he comes in and proves Cooper right. Until then, there’s no evidence either way.
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