Burnley 1, Leicester 2, positives and negatives, player ratings and match report

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To be present at a game is always great for us travelling from over the sea, and going on away games and being in the stands with other Leicester City fans is just fantastic. All so loyal and fox fanatics, giving the support we all just love to see.

The team was again spot on, players picked and the system is the one that works the best with the players Brendan Rodgers has to his disposal. The game started really well, and we all saw that this would be a difficult day at the home office for “The Clarets”.

But after only four minutes all our great belief turns in a second, a terrible mistake in the Leicester defense makes it possible for Johann Berg Gudmundsson to get in behind and Harry Maguire takes him down just outside the penalty box.

A clear red card, and a free kick to Burnley. Leicester are down to 10 men, but Maguire could with his challenge possibly have stopped a goal for the home team. Brendan Rodgers decides to take Demarai Gray off and replace with Wes Morgan, of course wise move and turning his team into a 4-4-1 set up, moving Maddison out on the flank

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This really stops the pressure of Burnley at a distance from goal that is acceptable, but all credit to Kasper Schmeichel who did some really great saves in the first half. He was also vital in the fight as City fought for survival.

But again with only 10 men, Maddison, Tielemans and Ndidi worked that midfield great, pushing Barnes a bit up in the field to give Vardy support, and it was enough to manage to get a free kick just outside the penalty box after 33 minutes.

James Maddison takes the free kick, well place in the left upper of the goal and a “flying” Tom Heaton has no chance to reach the ball at all. What a fantastic goal and Leicester City are 1-0 up.

The happiness doesn’t last long as Jonny Evans makes a deadly mistake losing the ball on his own half, giving Burnley a chance to break us down and in “tiki taka” style Taylor finds McNeil, a player to watch, who is doing no wrong perfectly placing the ball in the net behind Kasper Schmeichel.

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We all knew what the 2nd half would look like and so the stats told us in the end. Burnley putting pressure on Leicester, and keeping the ball in possession. But a hard battling Leicester City side managed to keep Burnley from distanse also in the 2nd half.

Then just as we all believed that it was possible to end the game with a draw and really be happy for the result, lightening strikes as Youri Tielemans finds Wes Morgan inside the penalty box, and the captain himself goes up and just heads the ball in the net.

So great to see the 35 year old club captain going up in the air and just fighting the ball over the goal line with a fine header. Burnley had a few attempts in stoppage time, but it was a well rewarded win as Brendan Rodgers leaded his side to a 2nd victory in the best way possible.

Positives:
- Still basics, line up, players, system, love it
- Tielemans, Ndidi and Maddison what a trio
- Lovely to see Wes Morgan doing what he did
- Schmeichel making some fantastic saves
- Of course winning with 10 men
- Maddison free kick, marvelous
Negatives:
- Schmeichel making erroring passes
- Evans not really on the ball in the game, sloppy at times
- Doing a mistake in the back line costing us a player
- Luckily Ndidi escaped from a clear penalty situation

Player Ratings: Schmeichel 7. Pereira 6, Chilwell 6, Maguire, Evans 6, Ndidi 7, Tielemans 8, Barnes 7, Vardy 6, Maddison 8, Gray, Subs: Morgan 7, Fuchs, Mendy

Match Stats: H/A

Possession: 58 / 42
Corners: 9 / 3
Shots on target: 2 / 2
Shots wide: 7 / 0
Fouls: 9 / 9
Offsides: 3 / 2

March 18, 2019 0

100 goals, Burnley away, Rodgers talks about forwards!

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The landmark for Jamie Vardy is reached, 100 goals in all competitions and so not far from even greater records, to be the only player in the last 50 years to reach the tally of 100 league goals. Arthur Rowley and Derek Hines are in front of Vardy in the stats, but they scored most of their goals out of the top flight, Vardy has done the opposite.

To see Jamie Vardy scoring week in and week out is fascinating and gives him such a great status at Leicester City, being one of the real legends at the club when we look back on his years at the club, still a lot to come also under Brendan Rodgers.

We all know that Leicester City have players with value tags of £25million or more not really get a look in, and as long as Vardy delivers in his role, no one should have a look in, that would be terrible. Kelechi Iheanacho is the player talked about, and Rodgers sees him as a number 9 and nothing else, and to have such a luxury might not be the best.

A player sitting on the bench, not being the preferred choice should not really be there, because that is really not helping anyone, so as we saw under Puel, if a situation happens and for some reason Vardy cannot play, then Gray could be an emergency forward.

To have people on the bench just being able to play in one single position is not really ideal and would be possible to see players in other roles, bot indeed not replace Vardy at any price at the moment because he is a great forward scoring when asked.

Away to Burnley he will be crucial and this could be the ideal game for Leicester, playing a team in need for points, and just sit back and wait for the right opportunity to happen, with players such as Vardy, Tielemans and Maddison in the team, you will always create a possible winner in a game like this.

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We are talking forwards and attacking options for Leicester City, and despite having a forward that shows great quality links our up there in the summer with players who are supposed to join, the full list.

But as we have said before the game is moving in one direction and that is to have the idea of a player being able to play in two different positions, as we have seen at the top teams they have players adaptable and that is needed when you have a goal garantist.

We certainly hope for a positive experience at Burnley and that something can be achieved at Turf Moor.

Preferred line-up is the one we used against Fulham, nothing to change, the best team, no fuzz just route one to bring home three points. There could be players out, but then again slot in the most obvious in the position.

A game between Leicester and Burnley to remember was the one back in the november 1973, live covered in Norway and televised in black and white. Len Glover and Mike Stringfellow scored the goals, in a team looking like a 4-3-3 with Glover and Stringfellow covering the flanks. Worthington up front, Sammels, Birchenall and Weller in midfield, and in the back Rofe, Munro, Cross and Whitworth. Peter Shilton was in goal. Wonderful memories.

March 14, 2019 0

Celtic and Fulham youngsters likely to be linked with Leicester City, and why they should be transfer targets

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Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers will look to different scenarios regarding his squad at Leicester City. Players will be in demand from the big guns and at the same time covering those positions, possibly being left open, will be of great importance.

The club will have different tools to find the correct replacement and those analysing this will of course alert the manager so that the right decision is made. All positions must be covered and indeed if one is leaving you will try to bring in the perfect replacement, and slot him in as best as possible.

Recent rumors linking Ben Chilwell with Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester City in a big money transfer, could see Rodgers finding a solution with a new recruit and allready his previous pupil at Celtic, Kieran Tierney is linked.

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So why will Tierney be the one preferred. He is a full Scottish international, just 21 year of age and with around 100 league appearances for Celtic. He has already been capped 12 times, and a player with European football experience.

The fact that a move down to England and Leicester City will secure Premier League football and that he will be the player preferred, could be enough to see a move happening.

Celtic might be reluctant to a move at this moment and could price Tierney out of the market with an asking price to high to accept. We believe from the current financial situation at Leicester City, regarding FFP rules and of course a grand squad of players, will be of importance as new players are targeted.

There might be easier to lure young England U.21 international Ryan Sessegnon away from Fulham. The young left back / left winger is still only 18 years of age and has struggled a bit to adapt to Premier League football in a struggling side, after being a real sensations at Championship level last season.

Sessegnon has made an impact this season, no doubt about that, and with a year more he will be a player that could progress and go all the way and soon be challenging Ben Chilwell for that England left back / flank job. He is good going forward and knows how to score goals, which makes him a great transfer target.

With Fulham clearly going down, a move could be realistic and seen as something that can benefit both player and club. We believe that Brendan Rodgers is close to finding a path towards “the progress” that must be happening as that was what falted Claude Puel despite bringing forward great talent as we have seen this season.

Don’t miss any of our updates on who’s hot, cool and cold among the list of transfer targets.

March 10, 2019 0