Steve Cooper’s honeymoon period is over. The weather played its part in telling that story.
Until five minutes before kick-off, the sun shone down on the King Power Stadium. But just as the players emerged from the tunnel for their biggest game of the season so far, the clouds gathered overhead.
Up to now, a win had not been expected. The fixture computer had handed City an early-season schedule comprising home games against two of last season’s European qualifiers and two away trips to mid-table clubs. A victory in any of those matches would have been a welcome surprise.
But that changed with the arrival of an Everton side sitting bottom of the table, without a win on the road for nine months, and likely to be in the relegation battle. For the first time this term, it was a game City supporters expected their side to win.
That City did not manage that, nor performed well enough to deserve to, explains the full-time boos. They were half-hearted for now, but they will get louder for every future game that pans out like this. It’s the very start of a slippery slope, and means Cooper now needs a surprise, positive result or performance to climb back up into fans’ good books.
Cooper himself admitted this wasn’t good enough. City were second best throughout the first half, with all of the good chances, and the one goal, going Everton’s way. Plus, there was little semblance of any plan, never mind the plan that has been seen in fits and starts this term.
Midway through the half, the thunderstorms started and the rain hammered down. Torrid weather for a torrid performance. The downpour was so intense it was difficult to see the other side of the pitch. No fan was missing anything.
The weather brightened slightly after the interval and so did the display. City were the better side after the break, and their improvement from the first period was considerable, although it still didn’t quite elevate them into the realms of a great display. They still only created two big chances, one headed over by Caleb Okoli and one turned in by Stephy Mavididi.
Yet another fightback at the King Power will split opinion. City now have the best record in the division for the second halves of home games this season. It shows there’s resilience and spirit there, and those qualities should not be taken for granted in a relegation battle. Cooper may be inspiring the team. At the very least he is drawing those characteristics out.
But City have needed those fightbacks because they have the worst record in the division for the first halves of home games this season, trailing 1-0 at the interval in each of their three King Power outings. That record will temper the positives of the second-half comebacks.
It would be quite right to point out that those statistics don’t tell much of a story after just three home games. But equally, should there then be more leeway shown to Cooper given there’s only been five league games in total?
The boos feel like they’ve come early. The honeymoon period has been brief for Cooper. It’s perhaps partly because of a hangover from his Nottingham Forest spell.
On Cooper’s request, City signed players with Premier League experience this summer. The hope was that they’d adapt more quickly and make an immediate impact. Maybe it’s the same for Cooper. He’s not new to the division, and so maybe he has not been afforded leeway from supporters that might have been there had he come up from the Championship or from overseas.
It also means fans can look at Cooper’s record in the division as a whole. For some, it’s not just no wins from five. It’s one win from 18. Consider Cooper’s run of Premier League results, and not just those at City, and it gives a greater sense that victories will be hard to come by this term.
It’s understandable that some might put things in that context, but also seems harsh. City and Forest are different clubs with different models and different working practices. Plus, Cooper spent the six months between gigs analysing himself and his processes. As well as a different club, he will be a different manager.
But that the boos have started so early means Cooper needs to claw back goodwill, and quickly, before things snowball. Ominously, the thunderstorms continued in Leicester long after the final whistle.
Backlash for subs as explanation fails to cut through
The loudest boos of the match actually came around four minutes before the end. Mavididi was withdrawn in City’s third substitution, with Abdul Fatawu brought on. Fans were not happy.
Cooper said the goalscorer had “run his race”. He was physically tiring and Cooper felt the left wing was City’s best route in behind the Everton back-line, and so wanted a fresh option on for added time. At face value, that makes sense. Faced with the same situation, Cooper would repeat his decision, he said.
City’s analysts in the stands will have real-time data on players’ fitness and so will be able to judge which individuals are flagging far better than the naked eye. But that information doesn’t tell the full story.
Mavididi may have been tiring. But so was the full-back he was up against in James Garner, a player who had suffered from a sickness bug in the week and had only been passed fit the day before the game. Mavididi had his number and was still breezing past him right up until he was substituted.
On the basis of their energy levels, a fresh Fatawu could have torn past Garner. But the left wing isn’t his best position. Plus, while Mavididi utilises stepovers to beat his men, Fatawu is more of a knock-it-and-go winger, and Everton were sat deep, limiting the space for the Ghanaian to run into.
Given Cooper’s desire to bring off players who were fading physically, it did not make sense to then leave Jordan Ayew on for the full 90 minutes. He’d had a decent game on the right, showing a lot more composure than his team-mates in attacking areas, bringing the ball down on his chest and keeping moves alive. But by the hour mark, his influence had seriously waned.
Everton had a 39-year-old left-back in Ashley Young. He will hardly have an easier game this season. There were very few times City forced him to chase back. Ayew came inside and played with his back to goal, and the runs of James Justin, the advanced full-back on that side, were not looked for.
Again, this comes back to being ruthless, something Cooper requested of his players but maybe he hasn’t shown on the touchline. If City really wanted to push for the win, the change to make was Fatawu for Ayew, and that could have come midway through the second half.
Likewise, Jamie Vardy had not been involved, especially after taking a knock to his ankle in the first half. Yes, there is plenty of evidence of games where he barely touches the ball and still scores the winner, but there are matches like this, where he just doesn’t get a sniff. It felt like Odsonne Edouard should have been given far more than 10 minutes on his debut.
Facundo Buonanotte for Bilal El Khannouss before the hour mark was a proactive substitution and one that helped swing the game in City’s favour. But Cooper waited too long to make other changes, and didn’t need to bring off Mavididi when he did turn to his bench.
Hint over El Khannouss to leave Cooper with balance to strike
Cooper dropped a hint as to why he started El Khannouss over Buonanotte in the first place. Speaking about his decision to hand the £20m Moroccan his full debut, the manager said: “He’s a player who is ours.”
In short, there is a greater desire for El Khannouss to do well. He is the man City spent money on. Buonanotte is only on loan from Brighton, and there’s little chance that he will sign permanently next summer. The Seagulls sent him to City with the intention of him improving and returning to their squad next term.
It was an exciting, attacking move to bring El Khannouss into the 11. But, as Cooper admitted, it didn’t pan out as hoped. He very clearly has an eye for a through ball and a forward pass, but it felt like he was playing his own game, ripping balls into Vardy or to the wingers before anybody had had a chance to set themselves.
Those attempts at forward balls should not be discouraged. It’s what will make El Khannouss an effective player. But his decision-making over the when and where to make the passes needs to improve.
The task for Cooper is now to get the balance right of affording him time to learn and adjust while it not being of detriment to the team. Because while Buonanotte is not City’s player, the first five games of the season suggest he is the best option in attacking midfield. It’s a tricky situation for the manager to judge.
Skipp v Ndidi throws up tough call amid Winks instructions
Oliver Skipp was the man to make way for El Khannouss, with Wilfred Ndidi dropping back alongside Harry Winks. It’s another tough call for Cooper.
Both have their attributes. It’s not that Skipp isn’t physical and doesn’t put himself about, but Ndidi has the frame to go with it. He can use his telescopic legs to win tackles more cleanly, and he’s a threat at set-pieces too, the Nigerian playing a big role in Mavididi’s equaliser.
On Saturday, he carried the ball forward well in the second half, but was wasteful around the box. He clearly is capable, as shown by his two assists last weekend, but he’s inconsistent.
The early signs from Skipp suggest that maybe he is a safer pair of hands towards the top end. He may not take as many risks as Ndidi does, but he will complete more passes and fewer attacks will break down with him.
Further back, he brings a level head too. Winks spent the first half telling his team-mates to calm down. It didn’t feel like anybody was listening. But Skipp is the one player who would not have needed reminding. He would have brought more control to City’s game.
But maybe that’s not always what Cooper wants. Maybe he wants to try to thrive amid the chaos. However, at least for the first hour, Everton were much better at that than City were.
Off-field summer signing makes an impact
Beyond the point City picked up, the biggest positive from the afternoon was the source of the equaliser. It was not just that City scored from a corner, but that they looked like they had worked on attacking set-pieces in the week.
Knowing Jordan Pickford rarely comes to claim, City flooded the six-yard box and got the big men to make nuisances of themselves, Ndidi and Okoli forcing the ball down for Mavididi to turn in. But even before that, there were chances.
Having lulled Everton into thinking they would swing it into the six-yard box, Winks played a low corner to Mavididi, who was then able to fool his man on the touchline and cross for Okoli. It was an even bigger chance than the goal itself.
Okoli looks keen to attack set-pieces and Wout Faes has already scored from a corner this season. City need to have more than one string to their bow and can’t solely rely on netting from corners, but that they do look a threat is a good sign. Plaudits must go to Andy Hughes, the set-piece coach signed from Norwich in the summer, who can be seen on the edge of the technical area whenever City are awarded a corner, and for Cooper for affording him time to drill the players.
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