ZeeboiRuud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City side delivered a performance marked by sluggishness, disappointment, and a complete lack of resistance, with the outcome overshadowed by results from other matches.
Wolverhampton Wanderers’ victory over West Ham United and Ipswich Town’s triumph against Bournemouth only deepened the blow of Leicester’s defeat, virtually sealing their relegation fate. This game demanded at least a flicker of determination, but the players fell flat.
A breakdown of Leicester City’s display:
With no shots on target, two goals shipped in the first half (including Jack Grealish’s strike just 2 minutes in), a mere 397 touches compared to the hosts’ 907, and play confined almost entirely to Leicester’s own territory, there’s scant reason for optimism.
While a loss might have been anticipated, you’d expect a team staring relegation in the face to muster some grit against a heavyweight opponent. Instead, they produced a showing across both halves that let every player down.
Arguably, three individuals stood out for their near-total lack of influence in Nistelrooy’s lineup. Among those who featured prominently, Patson Daka, James Justin, and Wout Faes were especially ineffective.
Spotlight on the trio:
To grasp their shortcomings, it’s worth examining their intended roles within the Dutch manager’s framework and contrasting their efforts with their teammates’ contributions.
It’s fair to note that a pervasive lack of energy dulled the entire squad’s display, though Bilal El Khannouss at least attempted a fleeting shot.
The Zambian striker was initially tasked with connecting midfield to Jamie Vardy, aiding ball progression by dropping deep and pushing forward.
After Vardy’s second-half exit, Daka became the focal point up top, expected to position himself for shots.
Yet, as has been the trend this season, he faltered in both roles. Signed under Brendan Rodgers, he failed to register a single shot, touched the ball just 23 times (hardly linking play), shirked defensive duties, and offered no forward momentum—neither creating, defending, nor advancing play.
The English fullback, deployed as a right wing-back, was meant to shield the flanks, allowing Wout Faes and Wilfred Ndidi to hold the center, while also driving the ball forward and feeding passes to Daka or El Khannouss. The tale, however, is predictable.
With zero tackles, only three interceptions (mostly gifts from Manchester City errors), a paltry nine ball carries (versus Conor Coady’s 15), a near 25% pass failure rate, and no attacking spark, Justin’s outing was dismal.
For a defender, he barely defended; for a ball-carrier, he rarely advanced; and possession slipped through his grasp too often—a subpar effort from one of Leicester’s veterans.
Leicester lack a robust, dedicated central defender fit to focus solely on repelling attacks and dominating aerially at set pieces.
With Harry Souttar sidelined for the foreseeable future, Wout Faes—expected to make tackles and launch the ball upfield—delivered little that Caleb Okoli couldn’t have matched.
Recording just two tackles and interceptions in a grueling match (while Luke Thomas and Wilfred Ndidi notched four each), the Belgian’s lone bright spot was his ball-carrying.
Hardly a standout showing, but not the nadir of Leicester’s woes. The team’s listlessness signals why a major squad shake-up looms on the horizon.
Zeeboi
