Leicester City have been one of the brightest starters in the Premier Leeague so far this season. They are yet to lose, have won two matches and darwm two, sitting in a very unlikely third on the table.
First four games
Claudio Ranieri could not have asked for a much better start to his tenure at the East Midlands club, doing plenty to dispel any concerns that surrounded his appointment. The Foxes were breathtaking in their first outing against Sunderland, dismantling the Black Cats’ new look defence in a 4-2 drubbing.
Away to West Ham in the next match, they were the better side for most of the contest before hanging on grimly to a 2-1 victory against the fast-finishing hosts.
The following two games proved that the side having fighting qualities too, having to scrap for a draw at home to Tottenham, before overcoming a slow opening in their 1-1 draw away to Bournemouth.
Transfer window performance
The departure of their Argentinean superstar Esteban Cambiasso was initially cause for great concern by many, then questioning the quality and depth of the Foxes’ squad, particularly in midfield (exacerbated by Matthew James’ long-term knee injury).
Leicester City have, however, conducted some fantastic business throughout the window. They secured the services of Robert Huth on a permanent basis, while also adding Christian Fuchs and Yohan Benalouane in defence. In a midfield that desperately needed reinforcements, the club welcomed N’Golo Kante, Gokhan Inler and loanee winger Nathan Dyer on deadline day.
Up top, former Mainz striker and Japanese International Shinji Okazaki has added pace and workrate, already performing notably well in his first month.
Notable departures from the King Power Stadium also include David Nugent, Matthew Upson and Chris Wood.
Key Player
Riyad Mahrez has not only been Leicester’s best, but also one of the best in the league to date in this campaign. The Algerian has three goals in his four games while proving to be a constant threat to defences, even embarrassing his opponents in the final third at times. He has, however, been more than ably assisted by strong form of Marc Albrighton, Jamie Vardy and Okazaki, whose collective pace is troubling, particularly on the counter.
What has gone right?
Nearly everything. Ranieri’s decision to use a 4-4-2 formation in all but one game has worked to great effect, allowing his potent forwards to punish on the counter. While defending for long periods in matches, the Foxes have been efficient and lethal with the ball at feet. In Albrighton, Mahrez, Vardy and Okazaki, they have men more than capable of beating their markers and delivering a final product, while Huth and Wes Morgan have been a formidable centre-half pairing.
Where to improve?
There a very few areas in which Leicester would have cause for concern, however, failing to keep a clean sheet would no doubt irk Ranieri, particularly considering his Italian nationality.
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Next four games
The Foxes will be confident that they can continue to accumulate significant points in the next month. Their next fixture is at home to Aston Villa, where they would likely start favourites. That game is followed by a tough trip to Stoke, which will be an increasingly difficult journey for teams to make as the season wears on.
Arsenal is by far the toughest fixture on paper, however, being at the King Power Stadium and accompanied with the current confidence displayed by the Foxes, they will fancy gaining a point from the game, despite being underdogs for the oddsmakers.
Norwich is the final test of the next four, who they face away at Carrow Road, which will also prove to be a challenging trip for Ranieri’s man. This is yet another fixture in which they will see as an excellent opportunity for three points.
Grade – A
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