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Few would have thought about the line-up being played against Huddersfield, and as always Claude Puel is in with a few surprises. We knew that Wes Morgan was out and to see Jonny Evans from start was clearly a right decission. Pereira never impressed against Bournemouth and again time for Daniel Amartey. Kelechi Iheanacho was given the chance on top and pushed Demarai Gray to the bench. Iheanacho deserved his chance, but the system played was a new one. Not really understanding it and after five minutes everything looked totally out of order, with a throw in finding Mathias Jorgensen who scored on his Danish countryman Kasper Schmeichel.

Again it started badly for Puel and his preferred team and system, like it was a new way of playing and that not all players were familier yet with this. But things started to click a bit better and after 19 minutes on a wonderful counterattack Vardy found Iheanacho who converted with a good strike on the floor. The pace became a key today and it all worked wonders in the end. A couple of more chances was there in the first half, but it all ended 1-1.

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Puel kept faith in Rachid Ghezzal but not more than one half as he struggled to find his place in this type of system. Demarai Gray came on and he again showed that he was hungry and eager to go.

Jamie Vardy could have scored from a James Maddison free kick, but missed the chance and his shot on volley went wide, not as the one last season against West Bromwich, who was a simular shot, but then he scored.

Leicester kept momentum and pushed Huddersfield to make several errors, one of them ended in a free kick to Leicester after 66 minutes. A fantastically well place hurdling shot above the Bournemouth wall and into the goal, 2-1.

Huddersfield, who has not yet won a game in the Premier League this season, had a number of great chances to come back, but when Vardy was well played forward by Kelechi Iheanacho and just lifted the ball above Lossl who had no chance.

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Claude Puel must be very satisfied with his group today and the work ethic was 100 %. The reaction from the squad after the changes made was also there to see, despite being behind at an early stage. Huddersfield were a treath but the quality in the Leicester City squad is at a higher level than The Terriers, so on 9 out of 10, City should be able to win.

Shinji Okazaki and Mark Albrighton both came on, and contributed and Okazaki came close to score a goal, and Albrighton is a better passer than most players and his calm is great to have in the late stages of the game.

The changes made worked, but still not convinced about the right back position, to play Maddison in a wide free role, and not really any big day for Rachid Ghezzal who had to leave the field after the first half.

• Positives:
  • Coming back and winning the game convincingly
  • Iheanacho and Vardy playing a great game together
  • Vardy going deep and really working like a horse in all 90 minutes
  • Evans looks good alongside Maguire
  • 9 points from 6 games, 8th position, not bad
  • Puel getting it right with a huge gamble
• Negatives:
  • Puel not really showing confidence in Pereira
  • Amartey needs to practice on throw in’s
  • Yellow cards on Ghezzal and Ndidi
  • Not really keeping momentum from start
  • Vardy could have scored more, need him even more clinical

Player Ratings: Schmeichel 7. Amartey 4, Chilwell 7, Evans 6, Maguire 6, Mendy 7, Ndidi 7, Vardy 8, Iheanacho 9, Maddison 8, Ghezzal 4, Subs: Gray 6, Albrighton, Okazaki

Match Stats: H/A

• Possession: 54 / 46
• Corners: 3 / 1
• Shots on target: 5 / 1
• Shots wide: 6 / 4
• Fouls: 10 / 16
• Offsides: 1 / 0

 

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The 2nd half against Liverpool gave hope of a great day down at the south coast, but as we could see, things never really became what we all had hoped for. Despite a good start and a double chance for Jamie Vardy, the first half became a nightmare.

Eddie Howe knows how to surprise an opponent, and their players up front King and Fraser has the pace to really put most defenders under pressure. Morgan and Maguire looked totally lost when the “little” Fraser and “large” King started their runs.

Fraser scored the first after 19 minutes, a great shot all on the floor, but could Schmeichel have done better, world class goalkeepers would have had a touch, but again no goalkeeper error.

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Puel had given starts to Ghezzal and Gray, not really players who knows how to defend in Premier League and to see both Fuchs and Albrighton on the bench, Puel not really having any eye for defensive tactical moves in this element.

Without especially Albrighton, as the one we would have liked to see from start and not juggling with him, since he is one of Leicester City’s best players. Again after 37 minutes both Maguire and Morgan are exposed again. A great assist from Wilson to Fraser makes him again in the spot to score and he does, Bournemouth is 2-0 up.

Just before the half time break the nightmare continues. A penalty is given to Bournemouth and Joshua King scores from the spot, 3-0, game finished before the 2nd half starts. A totally south coust nightmare and another difficult day.

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Puel makes a total tactical error, not doing any changes at half time, should at least given Albrighton a chance to shine getting 45 minutes. This is a shame that Puel waits until the 61st minute to make a change when you are 3-0 down. Strange.

Albrighton and Iheanacho both comes on after 61 minutes, but those changes are overshadowed by the fact that Wes Morgan gets a 2nd yellow and City are reduced to 10 men with 21 minutes left of the game.

Adam Smith makes this Saturday nightmare complete with a fourth goal after 81 minutes, before two late goals for Leicester, one penalty converted by Maddison and a late header from Albrighton makes the score more flattering, as the game ends 4-2.

• Positvies:
  • Coming back at 4-0 and scoring two late goals
  • Mark Albrighton a great professional, shows how to work with a challenge
  • Maddison making another good performance, scoring from the penalty spot
  • Not at all played out, but possession is not enough
  • Creating more than Bournemouth, but not as clinical
• Negatives:
  • Puel missing the point in his midfield selection
  • Gray and Ghezzal both lacking defensive fibers
  • Defensively exposed not able to stop Bournemouth’s counter attacks
  • Morgan and Maguire not performing to their best levels
  • Reduced to 10 men, and not able to win crucial one to one battles
  • Vardy not taking his chances and scoring the goals needed

Player Ratings: Schmeichel 5. Pereira 4, Chilwell 5, Morgan 3, Maguire 4, Mendy 5, Ndidi 6, Vardy 6, Gray 4, Maddison 7, Ghezzal 5, Subs: Iheanacho, Albrighton, Evans

Match Stats: H/A

• Possession: 44 / 56
• Corners: 4 / 6
• Shots on target: 7 / 2
• Shots wide: 2 / 5
• Fouls: 12 / 15
• Offsides: 1 / 3

 

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Flying over to Leicester for a live game is always fun, and we were looking forward to a day of great memories. Seen Leicester v. Liverpool a number of times live, the last one, ended in defeat, so did this one. But seen Leicester defeat Liverpool also, as far back as 2001, and also a draw in 2004.

Reactions were many to the line-up and the fact that Kelechi Iheanacho was dropped and instead playing Demarai Gray up front. This gave place to Rachid Ghezzal who showed great form against Fleetwood, scroring a stunner of a goal.

If you look at the Liverpool defence, you would really be surprised to see Puel going for Gray as a lonely target man, since he is not a target man, he is not big, and his pace is not that good, to run away from Van Dijk.

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The start of the game was terrible and defensively things never really worked, giving Liverpool too much space in the start, with Salah, Mane and Firmino all having a “walk in the park”.

Robertson is also one to look out for and after 10 minutes it was open as in the “Mandela Park”, giving the Scottish international a free walk and finding Mane who converted we all knew from the stands that this would be very difficult.

Leicester managed to come back and had a few chances, but nothing that disturbed Alisson in a way that it was seen as big chances. But again City came back and took a bit of controll.

The sadness of it all was that Liverpool again managed to “kill the game” with a header from Firmino, great crossed from the corner from James Milner.

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2nd half was a bit of a “facelift” with Leicester the best team, really showing some great play and it could have really been more goals than the one that was scored.

Kelechi Iheanacho catching the ball from Alisson, who messed it up big time, passing it in and Maddison again found Ghezzal who shot the ball into the net.

Wes Morgan came close and stumbled just a foot away from the goal. Chilwell showed class, so did Mendy and Ndidi. Despite a great 2nd half and great support from fans during the whole game, really a great atmosphere, it was not enough to get anything out of the game, ending it all in a donut.

• Positvies:
  • Keeping the ball more than Liverpool in 2nd half, and at times playing the Anfield boys of the carpet
  • Chilwell again our best player, great initiatives and good moves and passes
  • Ndidi and Mendy running midfield and keeping the ball rolling
  • Rachid Ghezzal scoring his 2nd goal in his 2nd game
  • Kelechi coming on and giving it all. He had great passion and good moves
  • Great fans, really showing passion, despite being 2-0 down, that is massive and very important to get behind the team no matter what
• Negatives:
  • Puel using Gray as a striker instead of Iheanacho
  • Three yellow cards, Ghezzal, Ndidi and Mendy
  • A poor start, destroyed the game
  • Morgan, not really leading the team as he should with a few big mistakes

Player Ratings: Schmeichel 7. Pereira 6, Chilwell 8, Morgan 5, Maguire 6, Mendy 7, Ndidi 7, Albrighton 6, Gray 4, Maddison 6, Ghezzal 7, Subs: Iheanacho 7, Okazaki, Amartey

Match Stats: H/A

• Possession: 46 / 54
• Corners: 4 / 4
• Shots on target: 5 / 2
• Shots wide: 4 / 4
• Fouls: 9 / 12
• Offsides: 3 / 2