Money cannot buy spirit
With the man that was first replaced by Jose Mourinho back in 2004 at the helm of the high-flying Leicester, this truly was a result that spoke volumes of Chelsea’s approach toward the Premier League. Mahrez and Vardy, a pairing which cost the Foxes less than £1.5 million, took their combined tally to 26 goals so far, echoing last season’s dominance of Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas, who this time around have a slim total of three goals and three assists to their names.
While a seemingly care-free Claudio Ranieri has Vardy and Mahrez proving the critics wrong for fun each week, there are no smiles among the South Londoners. The individual drive to succeed that was so vital in Mourinho’s simple gameplan is missing, never putting up any real threat until the last 20 minutes when the match was largely lost.
Riyad Mahrez in the Premier League this season:
Games: 15
Goals: 11
Assists: 7
🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/FF2ofS331L— Football__Tweet (@Football__Tweet) December 14, 2015
Expectation means a lot
At the beginning of the season, many pundits would have expected this match to take place with these team’s fortunes in reverse, however, the past four months have seen the champions crumble while the Foxes defy all expectations. The pressure of defending both the title and their top club status has overwhelmed the current group of Chelsea players, who, apart from Willian, are devoid of any desire to reach the same domestic heights as 2014-15.
Conversely, approaching the season on a week-by-week basis where the long-term goals are not as cut-throat has allowed the talent among the Leicester side to flourish to a full degree. The players are clearly enjoying the leadership of the Italian manager and are equally themselves having fun when on the pitch, something which the Foxes are proving can transcend the high price tags of modern Premier League football.
When can we label Leicester as contenders?
Having regained a two-point lead at the summit of the Premier League table at what is nearly the midway point of the season, Leicester are adding more conviction behind their current standing with each passing week. While the thought that a drop in form is only an injury to one or two players away will be lingering in the minds of both the supporters and neutral onlookers, the Foxes have been a model of consistency when it comes to results against fellow mid-table outfits so far and deserved to take the full rewards with another team effort that was creative in the front, while also exhibiting an expert grasp of the fundamentals. All eyes will be upon Ranieri’s men during the New Year period, where a spot among the Premier League’s elite come May could be won or lost.
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