Brendan Rodgers made expected changes from the game vs. Tottenham and again switched to four in the back. This was a balanced defense and then again playing Harvey Barnes from start and going back to the more known 4-3-3.
Brighton do have their challenges with a long list of injuries and today they were also without Graham Potter, being absent with Covid and his assistant Bjorn Hamberg was in charge of their team.
Leicester were the better team from start and we all know that the amount of games in hand and also a number of failures against better teams do see a lower position in the league table than expected.
This also was the picture predicted as Leicester were the better team from start, without really getting all into the danger zone in front of Brighton’s penalty area.
A positive first half but still no goals. Harvey Barnes coming close and as we all know he is a treath to every other team in this division. A key player going forward.
2nd half had just been kicked off when Leicester went straight forward and James Maddison doing the job in front of goal, a number of deflections and Patson Daka turning up, hits the ball in the net, lovely to see him score again.
Leicester looked in controll and it was no worries really as the game just floated as we all would like and a 2-0 goal was clearly in wait as it was a lot of positives in play.
When you are 1-0 up and you should early 2nd half and unitil probably the last 10 minutes aim for the second, but instead Brendan Rodgers decides to take of Harvey Barnes. Not needed at this time in the game with so much control, introducing Marc Albrighton who has no pace and is a player working hard defensively so we all did see the pattern. To keep the pressure we would rather had seen Perez on the field and Albrighton probably being the one coming on later on. No need for a change so early and Leicester lost momentum.
Embed from Getty ImagesInstead of going for 2-0, Brendan Rodgers decides to make a change that in real gives Brighton the advantage and they are the better side as they put pressure on Leicester and the calm is gone and changed to a bit of chaos.
A new defensive change is done in the 78th minute when Ademola Lookman leaves the field and Bouba Soumare comes on. This upset the balance again and the team starts to operates differently. Soumare looks to struggle with positioning and not really getting the grip of what to do.
Then when Danny Welbeck turns up and with a clear header hits the goal perfectly in the 82nd minute another game looks going into the bin. To throw away a lead is something we all are getting used to and it is sadly happening because of a manager that does tactical and cowardly errors during games.
Ayoze Perez also gets a chance to play coming on in stoppage time, but it’s too late and the game ends 1-1 giving it to a very reduced Brighton side playing without many of their best players.
Embed from Getty ImagesA bit of time to the next fixture, playing Nottingham Forest on the 6th of February in the FA Cup. Hopefully getting back to winning ways, but the errors of Brendan Rodgers game changes must end as he ruins the balance and rythm.
The next game in Premier League will be away to Liverpool, not the easiest of fixtures to go into and hopefully we will see a lift in performances as this team moves forward.
- Positives
- Patson Daka scoring 1-0
- A settled and good selection from start, 4-3-3 structure
- James Justin back from start, good performance
- Good saves from Kasper Schmeichel
- Negatives:
- Brendan Rodgers again making fatal errors and taking off Harvey Barnes is not to understand
- Losing a lead
- No leaders out on the field that takes control and guides the team out of trouble
- Tielemans again struggling to perform to the best of his level
Player Ratings: Schmeichel 7, Justin 6, Amartey 7, Soyuncu 6, Tielemans 5, Dewsbury-Hall 5, Maddison 6, Daka 7, Lookman 6, Barnes 6, Subs: Justin, Barnes, Soumare
Embed from Getty Images- Leicester City, Man of the Match
- Patson Daka
Match Stats (H/A):
- Possession: 43 / 57
- Corners: 4 / 5
- Shots on target: 5 / 5
- Fouls: 6 / 8
TCF - FILBERT WAY 
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