Premier League lifesaving race: Leicester need to improve defence, attack pedalling

A two-week break from English football = the perfect time to recap the balanced bottom half of the Premier League. This time we look at the first non-relegation position, which is Leicester. Namely a quality squad that hasn’t had a steady performance.

With a number of interesting names, Leicester have been put in a fight for survival by a weak defence. With 47 goals conceded, it is the third worst defending team in the league, anyway after the winter strengthening the Foxes players have picked up.

A quality offensive quartet

Even though Leicester is just a point above the relegation zone, the quality of the offensive must show over time. The pacey Harvey Barnes has been complemented on the left wing by Brazilian speedster Tete, who has been grinding down the right flank over the winter.

James Maddison shines in the center of the four-leaf clover. When he’s healthy, the Foxes are a completely different team. He’s making plays, sending balls behind the defense, shooting from distance. Kelechi Iheanacho has caught on after the World Cup, but his performance has been fluctuating for a long time.

The title is now a mere memory

Leicester is not a prime candidate for relegation, yet the title from the 2015/16 season cannot be used to argue for their staying among the elite. Only Jamie Vardy is left from that team, the rest have either scattered across Europe or retired.

Still, the club has not completely disappeared from the top stage. The last two seasons it has played cups with a similar line-up, but the departure of Wesley Fofana and the absence of the injured James Justin are more noticeable than initially expected.

The plan for the rest of the season

The club’s primary goal remains to save and stabilize the roster heading into the new season. Leicester’s squad cannot play for survival in the long term. And even the popular coach Brendan Rodgers would not be able to stop a similar situation.

In the remaining 11 rounds, Leicester will challenge only three teams from the top six (Manchester City, Liverpool, Newcastle), while six clashes with rivals await them in the fight for salvation. At the Foxes Stadium it will welcome West Ham, Bournemouth, Wolves and Everton, while away it will face Crystal Palace and Leeds.

Source: Premier League