The formtable of The Championship in the last 6, makes horror reading, as Leicester are on place 22, showing class of relegation.
Looking at form in the last 10 league games, this should really allert everyone, as Leicester are 9th, not top performing. From the last 6, a decline of horror, place 22.
The opponent on Monday, Norwich, have a much different curve, as they are 3rd, after 6 and 9 games, with Leeds and Ipswich top of the pops in both categories.
There are a great number of issues to look at on why this has happened. Enzoball philosophy, is it too slow to be well working against teams in this type of league? Do Enzo have a plan B? as other teams find methods to stop this type of play. Today, Bristol City put a lot of effort to close Leicester down. Doing their home work, on the flank forwards, having added up the numbers of players to cover and be around Fatawu and Mavadidi. Matty James showed why he is a sought after player at Championship level, as the clever pointer will know that his absence in the Bristol City team in recent games, of course have seen a decline in form. With him back today, a different opponent.
Leicester were of course close today and could have come home with all points, but that did not happen and sadly it was Jamie Vardy, the captain, not delivering. So why is he not converting at such crucial time, that is a question to ask. Does he have too much pressure, becoming that single individual to count on, in these dark moments. Hopefully Enzo will keep him as his talisman, not placing his captain on the subs bench for the next games and again change his set up. Vardy is of course a very important player in the run in.
Few players in this group have any routine regarding promotion runs and has never been in the situation, Jamie Vardy an exception, but of course a long time ago. The rest of the team have little or no experience from playing 46 games a season, doing two a week, so then also of course important for Enzo Maresca to have some type of rotation, but still today, fielding the best team possible, few had any special doubts about that, at least before the game.
The worry is the form of certain players, such as Harry Winks and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as they looks a bit tired and especially Winks coming to a point of games far from what he is used to in recent seasons. The different injury setbacks to players such as Ricardo Pereira, Dennis Praet and Wilfred Ndidi do also affect form and giving those players a start and stop situation, not perfect when you have this type of pressure.
Hopefully Leicester will be able to keep players fit, hopefully Jamie Vardy will be back to scoring goals and hopefully other teams will drop points. With the form we have seen in the last 6 and last 9, you will not have a chance to be up there among the top two at the end.
The job is also colossal for Enzo, as he cannot neglect the fact that all the noise regarding FFP and PSR of course will get to the back of the mind of players.
You can say what you want about Brendan Rodgers, but his philosophy and style, as well as the two top five Premier League ending positions from previous seasons, was done during his time and from his ideas and philosophy. Most of the players in this group do have some learning from that process. Some say that a manager needs time to get his style on board. Leicester did win a lot of games during Enzo’s first months in charge, talking about a learning curve, after those 6 months, it looks terrible, it’s been a horror show, so how will this continue when we really have every part of the Enzoball philosophy in place, not looking good at all. Hopefully this is just stats and bad luck, for fox sake, hope for a turn in the last 8 games.
We will with 100% certainty not see any manager walking at this point, that would be a 5000/1. For all frustrating Leicester fans, especially those going to games, you cannot behave as a group of negative owls, you must go out there as fearless foxes every minute of every game left and give all the support possible. Anything else would be destroying and totally unacceptable, then stay at home and use full finger gloves, so you cannot put your trolling comments in different forum posts.
All Leicester fans needs to step up and support, no matter what. Please understand, not go toxic, players need to be lifted up, not taken down, all to be a unit, even if league tables of form or other aspects of negativity surroundings at the moment.
Ipswich did win today, defeating Blackburn 1-0 away, with The Rovers having goals dissalowed and putting heavy pressure on The Tractor Boys. Leicester are out of the top two league places for the first time since September, strange and surreal situation, but with one game in hand, not to forget. If fans can stand up and stay positive, support the team and not berry themselves, then hopefully it can be done. Please stay positive, until the end of the season.
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