Doing the analysis on the Leicester defenders, you will find a great number of players doing their job in this department. Not easy for Brendan Rodgers to pick his preferred first four or the three if that is the chosen system. Leicester started the season opener v. Wolves with a four men defense. Then towards the end of it introducing Jannik Westergaard turning it to a three. Looking at the squad, you have a dilemma, with the likes of Daniel Amartey and Timothy Castagne, even Ryan Bertrand are all capable of doing three different jobs. They can play in all positions if emergency strikes, but seen as first of all full back alternatives.
Embed from Getty ImagesJannik Vestergaard, Jonny Evans, Caglar Soyuncu and Wesley Fofana are the full central defenders. They are all good alternatives in either a three central defence or playing with the traditional two. But with a three only Daniel Amartey and Filip Benkovic and for the future young Ben Nelson to call. Wilfred Ndidi can drop down, but that will hurt the midfield area big time as Leicester City’s best defensive midfielder should be in that engine room.
Looking at a straigth four you have Ricardo Pereira and Luke Thomas available as well. Both are able to be used in a flank position either in a four or a five men defense. Pereira could also in an emergancy play in a central defenders position either in a two or a three. Pereira is also daptable to do a job as a traditional wide man in a three men forward line. A very flexible player, but his best position is by far right back back, the same to be said about left footed Luke Thomas.
Going back and look at players doing a great job in the defense of this football club you have a grand group to choose from. Taking the backpass you have seen Leicester doing well with both three and four men. The partnership between Robert Huth and Wes Morgan, £80million sale to Man Utd Harry Maguire.
Embed from Getty ImagesBen Chilwell did his breakthrough at Leicester at left back and sold to Chelsea for a fee of £50million, surely among the best in his position. Christian Fuchs did a great job at Leicester as well in a left back position. Being a steady performer during his years.
Looking further you have a great pack to chose from. Steve Whitworth to the right and Dennis Rofe to the left made a fantastic pair during those great days of the 70’s. Whitworth won full caps for England while Rofe made appearances at U.23 level. Peter Rodrigues and David Nish with John Sjoberg and Richie Norman before them all playing steady and perfectly in those full back postions during the 60’s and early 70’s.
Frank Sinclair (Jamaica) and Callum Davidson (Scotland) are other players from the past that also gained full international recognition in these positions while with Leicester. Looking far back 100 years or so, Adam Black played 528 league games for the club, being the captain in that 1928-29 1st division league runners-up season.
Switching back again to central defenders you have more and other fantastic performers. Steve Walsh and Matt Elliott are two other greats. Both also switched, by managers in certain games, to attackers.
One player said to be probably the best central defender in Leicester all time was Emile Heskey. He never played in this position in games, as his services were heavily needed as a forward. Some seeing him in training performing as a central defender knows what we talk about, almost impossible to play against with his pace and presence.
Graham Cross and Alan Woollett were both playing in this position as well. The pair performed over a long period of time. Local lads, with testimonial careers at the club. Their time at Leicester City was in the years of the 60’s and 70’s.
Chris Powell is a legendary performer as well, joining Leicester as an experienced former England international in front of that 08-09 League One promotion season. He broke most records as the oldest outfield player at the club. With his age of 38, being the oldest debutant, the oldest performer in both the 3rd and 2nd tier, and also having those titles for FA Cup and EFL Cup games.
Embed from Getty ImagesDoing a rating of the position on a scale from 1 to 10, would say 7. Many good players, but with Wesley Fofana out for a long time it’s not cemented and as concrete as we would have liked it to be. Also uncertain about the approach of Brendan Rodgers changing too much. Drilled defences being the ultimate way as we have seen in the past of good football teams, but with the game going forward we are adaptable and if BR feels this is his best weapon and can get his strategy working perfectly he will outplay the idea.
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