Hull Fixture Moved

Leicester City's home league match against Hull City has been put back 24 hours and will now take place on Sunday 23rd September at 3pm. This is to avoid a clash with Leicester Tigers.

Gone for a Burton?

This evening, Leicester City lost their third successive match for the first time since Paulo Sousa's reign. To make matters worse, it was a 4-2 home defeat against League Two side Burton Albion, who themselves have lost two of their first three league games this season. Pearson made 8 changes for the Capital One 2nd Round Cup game with only Schmeichel, De Laet and Konchesky keeping their places. Whitbread and St. Ledger returned from injury to form a new centre back partnership. Across midfield were Gallagher, James, Danns and Knockaert with Schlupp and Waghorn up-front. 

A 20th minute goal from midfielder Chris Palmer gave the visitors a 1-0 half-time lead. Eight minutes into the second half, Zak Whitbread failed to deal properly with a long ball, allowing Cleveland Taylor to steal a second goal for the visitors. Knockaert pulled one back on the hour mark with a good free-kick before Burton restored their two goal advantage from the penalty spot in the 64th minute. Just 4 minutes later, Maghoma scored an incredible 40-yarder to make the scoreline 4-1. Futacs grabbed a consolation goal three minutes from time, spectacularly hooking an innocuous cross. In 5 competetive matches so far this season, Leicester's 7 strikers have managed a total of just three goals, not a brilliant return at this stage.

It's a dangerous cocktail for Leicester at the moment. Defensive errors, missed opportunities, losing matches and uncertainty about what the strongest team is. It won't get any easier for manager Nigel Pearson. Next up, Saturday's visit from top of the table Blackpool, who have won all three league games so far, including a 6-0 demolition of Ipswich last weekend. Following that fixture, a fortnight's break. Pearson won't welcome that break unless City have managed to get back to winning ways against Blackpool. No pressure then Nigel but something seems to be broken and it needs to be fixed....quickly!

Any defence for summer transfer policy?

Leicester lost 2-1 away from home for the second time in a week at Blackburn this afternoon. Gomes gave the home side the lead after netting in the 33rd minute. Vardy then scored his first league goal for City, equalising just ten minutes in to the second half. However, Pedersen scored a superb winner 11 minutes from time to take all 3 points for the home side.  

Serious questions must now be asked about Nigel Pearson's transfer policy over the summer months. A former central defender himself, Pearson has sold four defenders - Mills, Bamba, Peltier and Parkes. Tunchev was also released. Over the same period, he has purchased two defenders - De Laet and Whitbread, the latter being particularly injury prone. Indeed, Whitbread is currently unavailable through injury. Morgan is an experienced campaigner but his current partner at centre-back, Liam Moore, had only made two senior appearances for the Foxes before the start of this season. The only other central defender at the club, St. Ledger, is a player that the manager fell out with last season and nearly sold to Ipswich! St. Ledger is also currently injured.

With a minimum of 49 games to play this season, you have to question whether City have the defensive strength-in-depth to mount a serious promotion challenge.  It is a sad state of affairs that, after just three games of the season, there wasn't a single defender on the substitute's bench for this afternoon's game at Blackburn. Liam Moore hobbled around for the final couple of minutes with nobody to replace him. Let's hope that Pearson signs another central defender before the transfer window closes on Friday. Perhaps he could exchange one of his 7 strikers?!

Team News - 25/8/12

As predicted on Tuesday, King replaces James and Nugent replaces Beckford for this afternoon's game at Blackburn. The full team is as follows: Schmeichel, Konchesky, Moore, Morgan, De Laet, Dyer, King, Drinkwater, Marshall, Vardy, Nugent. On the bench: Logan, Danns, James, Waghorn, Schlupp, Beckford, Knockaert. The only surprise for me is that there have been no changes at centre back. Having said that, are there any other fit centre backs at the club?

Capital Punishment Spoils Pearson's Party

Leicester have won just one of their last nine trips to London after this evening's 2-1 defeat to newly promoted Charlton. Wright-Phillips and Kermorgant (remember him?) put the home side two goals up in the 18th and 32nd minute respectively. Once more, Leicester improved in the second half and played much more positively. King scored from the bench for the second successive match and must surely start Saturday's league game at Blackburn. City had a hatful of chances in the final 15 minutes, Dyer, Nugent and Vardy should all of netted the equaliser. Vardy, in particular, will be disappointed with his injury time header from six yards, which went straight at the goalkeeper.

It was a worryingly familiar tale for Leicester - unable to finish the chances they created and signs of defensive frailty. There may well be several changes to the starting line-up for this weekend's trip to Ewood Park. King and Nugent have a strong case to replace James and Vardy or Beckford. However, central defence presents Pearson with his biggest headache. Liam Moore looks inexperienced and with St. Ledger and Whitbread still recovering from injury, there may have to be a reshuffle at the back. 

Both league games so far have been a tale of two halves. Poor in the first half and good in the second. As Pearson noted after the game, City need to "make sure we go into the next game on the front foot." It wasn't the 49th birthday that Pearson was hoping for but the best present he could get now would be 3 points on Saturday.

King Power Overwhelms Posh

Andy King's superb goal fifteen minutes from time secured all three points for City in their first home game of the season. The first half was cagey, perhaps due to the intense heat, and Peterborough dominated posession without threatening Kasper Schmeichel's goal. In the second half, Leicester took more of a grip on the game. Wes Morgan headed home Marshall's corner early in the second half after out-muscling the Peterborough defender. From that point on, the result was never really in doubt. City pushed forward, created chances and kept the ball for long periods.

Pearson made three substitutions in the second half, bringing on Knockaert, King and Nugent for Dyer, James and Beckford respectively. Within a minute of the final substitution, Leicester were 2-0 up. The impressive Vardy broke clear down the left hand side. His intelligent cross found King on the edge of the box, who sidefooted the ball powerfully into the top corner. It was a fabulous finish re-iterating King's case for a place in the starting line-up. With a bench of Danns, King, Waghorn, Schlupp and Nugent, the Foxes certainly have strength in depth to mount a serious campaign this season. If this first performance is a sign of things to come, there is every reason to be optimistic.

Leicester Torq a Good Game

Leicester put four goals past League Two side Torquay United last night to stroll into the second round of the Capital One League Cup. Lloyd Dyer beat the defender and the goalkeeper wih great individual skill to put the visitors 1-0 up in the 21st minute. Fifteen minutes later, Ben Marshall doubled the advantage with a superb free-kick. In the second half, two debutants also got onto the scoresheet. First, Matty James poked the ball home after an excellent through ball from Beckford. Jamie Vardy rounded things off with a well judged header, running onto Marshall's fifty yard cross from near the halfway line.

Leicester's starting line-up may well reflect Pearson's plans for the start of the Championship season. Vardy and Beckford started up front with a midfield of Dyer, Drinkwater, James and Marshall. Schmeichel kept goal behind a back four of De Laet, Morgan, Moore and Konchesky. It was an impressive performance, which bodes well for the Leicester's first home league game against Peterborough on Saturday. City have failed to win their first home league game for the last two consecutive seasons. Of course, Pearson wasn't in the dug-out for the start of either of those campaigns. He will be hoping that his team get off to a positive start this weekend.