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Can Blues Halt the Foxes Promotion Juggernaut? Leicester City Preview
Leicester City come to St Andrews looking for a club record eighth league win on the bounce against a Blues side that put up a spirited display in the FA Cup at the weekend.
Leicester City
The Foxes sit proudly atop the Championship with sixty points from twenty-seven games, a massive eight points clear of QPR. They have conceded more than one goal in a match in the league only twice since the start of December and have kept clean sheets in their last two fixtures.
Defender Liam Moore is out for three weeks having fractured a rib with Marcin Wasilewski likely to deputise. Former Blues loanee striker Chris Wood is back in training along with Ignasi Miquel but it is doubtful if either will figure.
Blues
Captain Paul Robinson sits out the next two games due to suspension after picking up his tenth booking of the season against Swansea City so Kyle Bartley will slot back into the team after injury to partner Will Packwood. Tom Adeyemi will also start and could replace Olly Lee in midfield, allowing the hugely impressive Reece Brown to keep his shirt. Nikola Zigic, who missed the game on Saturday for “footballing reasons” may well be kept out of this one as well.
Along with the cup game this is a game I’ve long written off. Leicester City are in the form of their lives as they steamroller the division and Blues are struggling at home. I think the most we can hope for is another spirited performance and maybe a bit of luck to nick it but I can’t see it happening.
Tags: Kyle Bartley, Leicester City, Reece Brown, Tom Adeyemi
104 Responses to “Can Blues Halt the Foxes Promotion Juggernaut? Leicester City Preview”
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Can Blues Halt the Foxes Promotion Juggernaut?
No.
I was talking to Graham Souness the other day and I asked him who he reckoned was going to win the Champions League; he said, “if there is any logic to football then it has to be Bayern Munich but who would have predicted Chelsea winning it in the way they did? I’ve long since given up applying logic to football.” On that note, so have I. Let’s just wait and see eh?
KRO SOTV
off the field are we expecting an update on the cy trial later today?
No, as the verdict is due 28 February not January mate.
Oh Ye of little faith. We always seem to raise our game against the big boys. I’m going for at least a draw.
For me, we have to play both Burke and Ferguson. Most of leicester’s attacks are down the flanks, so we’re going to need Caddis/Burke and Hancox/Ferguson to try to combact De Laet/Knockaert and Konchesky/Dyer. If we can keep it tight on the wings, our best hope could be through the middle. I think Clark could go 4-4-2/4-4-1-1 to match Leicester up. It’s certainly going to be our hardest game of the season I would think, but, keep it tight and we could nick something.
Have a slight bit of hope we may get a result tonight.
On other news, thank goodness we have Reece Brown, the most talented 17 year old I’ve seen at the club, to be sold so we can pay Pannu’s wages :D
Just as you should never back Blues you should never write them off either. It would be just like us to finally win at home against the best side in the league having struggled against the lesser ones. History shows that’s what we’re like. So you never know but write us off? Never. And especially not after last saturday.
I can’t wait to get down that glorious ground tonight and hope we can put on a decent performance again like we did against the Swans and then who knows. Lee will have them geed up again and I personally hope there’s no sign of Zigic
We have played well against teams above us, I worry more about the teams chasing, and slowly catching us. Our record with Leicester: P 133, W 51 D 36 L 56.
Defence should just see Bartley step into Robbo’s role and should cope with Leicester, midfield, with the addition of Adeyemi I would bring Howard in for Ferguson with Rusnak playing in Novak’s role behind the lone striker, but if Reece tires, as he did Saturday, Ferguson can replace him early second half, just to keep him fresh for Derby. The use of substitutes and timing will be crucial in this game, especially if we have the upper hand. Once again we have to look at where the goals are going to come, I hope Ziggy has now been put out to graze, that leaves Novak and Lovenkrands, neither have found the net on a regular basis, for me Novak has to be first choice and hopefully with the a young, exciting and raw midfield will get a better service.
We have no problem creating chances and I don’t think Burke will struggle to clear the first man.
I have a good feeling with this game and fancy a 2-1 to Blues, providing they get their noses in front and can get the second goal before Leicester score one, if Leicester score first a draw will be all we can hope for, simply because we are home and confidence is low at St Ans, along with the crowds apathy.
Any crowd we do get will have to out do the Leicester following, which I believe will be around 1,500.
KRO+DNM
If I was picking the team, I’d go for;
Randolph
Caddis Bartley Packwood Hancox
Adeyemi
Burke Rusnak Brown Ferguson
Novak
Subs: Doyle, Mullins, Reilly, Howard, Gray, Lovenkrands, Zigic
Only thing I would worry about, is we have a very young defence against the experience of Nugent and Vardy.
Not much wrong there Staffs, I would swap Howard for Ferguson, he has not been the same since he came back, and push Rusnak in a free role behind Novak.
Caddis and Hancox will probably have to stay deeper to compensate anything that is over the two centre-backs, but with the midfield pressing higher up the field with both Reece and Rusnak causing all sorts of chaos, I think we will be fine.
Just important Leicester don’t score first or too early
KRO+DNM
blues 2 leicester 1 nuff said. KRO.
Yep, me to – I’d take a draw all day long but fear the worst tonight.
No we cant halt Leicesters stride to the top ……….. we will struggle and most likely loose….football teaches you to compete and accept that others have more ……..at least we have a passionate manager and 10,000 loyal bluenoses….forecast 0-2
Leicester are superior to Blues in every area of the pitch other than maybe the keeper and they’ll roll up at Stans fully expecting to turn us over. However I’m expecting a spirited performance and as long as I get that then I’ll be happy. We can’t match them for quality but we certainly can for endeavour.
Some of the counter-attacking football they’ve played recently has been frightening and I do worry about out lack of pace. I wouldn’t be shocked to see 4-5-1 with Novak as a loan striker in an attempt to stop them overrunning us in midfield.
Sadly I predict a heavy defeat but if we get at them early there isn’t any reason why we can’t give them a game.
leicester on fire, blues cant win at home, only one result…..2-1 blues, there awesome run
ends tonight…..keep the faith not the negativety.KRO.
I’ll settle for that dave.
if we play like we did first half against swansea theres no reason why not as long as we
keep it tight at the back.KRO.
We have to play one, possibly Adeyemi, in front of the back four to give a bit of protection to the defence down the middle. Play our two wing combinations to keep theirs quiet…. then it’s a battle between our ball players and theirs.
If we had got the second goal Saturday we would be looking at a trip to Everton, we need that second goal, it will give us confidence and force the other team into mistakes.
I will settle for 2-1 only if we score first.
KRO+DNM
Brown shows promise but we have had better 17 year olds he cant get through a full match yet, he needs to be handled carefully, certainly not left to play 90mins he tired visibly on saturday.
Looks like something has gone on with Zigic again but to leave him out of the squad is a big mistake ,he should be on the bench at least if only to keep the opposition guessing.So many people have the wrong idea about him, they look at his size and think you just need to lump it up to him thats not the way he plays. He is a technical player he needs the ball on the floor, hes not agressive enough to be an Andy grey or Bob Latchford.
Unfortunately, he’s not skilfull enough to be a Trevor Francis either. I have to say, in all honesty, I really don’t know what he’s good at. Even his height doesn’t frighten defenders anymore.
Sorry Tony, I have to disagree, yes he is a technical player and has shown some deft touches but… He is inconsistent, lazy and spends more time waving his arms and arguing with referees.
He has been at the club and in English football long enough to have adapted, he hasn’t and as his contract expires in the summer he is just going through the motions, barely too.
KRO+DNM
Like I said, his size doesn’t scare defenders anymore. They’ve cottoned on to the fact that they only have to bully him a bit and he starts sulking and fades from the game. We need a lot more from him than he’s willing to give.
There’s a good article in the BM today with Lee Clark talking about the decision to drop Zigic.
Disagree, Ziggy is not putting it in for the team hence being dropped. I’m surprised as I’d have thought he’d be putting himself in the shop window with his contract ending in June. Maybe he is moving on in this transfer window hence his change in attitude, who knows. All I know is that LC will only pick his best players giving 100%.
I’m a Leicester City fan, so I am, of course, pleased that we sit top of the league and hoping that we steamroller the Bluenoses tonight. However, logic tells me that Leicester have to lose some time, and Birmingham have to get back to winning ways – and both could happen this evening.
As with most teams in the second tier, it all depends which team turns up. I live in southern France, so most of the time I watch Leicester on TV or listen to the totally unbiased commentary on Radio Leicester.The last time I saw the Foxes live was at Brighton in early December and, frankly they were god-awful – if they play like that tonight, Birmingham would walk it.
However, we do have some real talent in our team – up-front Vardy’s pace is blistering, Anthony Knockaert can win matches on his own, in midfield Drinkwater and James get better all the time, Wes Morgan is solid in defence, and in goal Schmeichel makes very few mistakes. If the conditions are good, and they all play well, the Foxes will win it.
I’m betting on a draw or a win for Birmingham: not that I am a betting man, just that I am wrong about everything, and hoping that remains the case.
Keep smiling.
Good (mostly) unbiased assessment. Leicester’s biggest advantage, is that they have had a, mostly, settled side over the last couple of seasons. Unfortunately, Lee Clark is having to build about 2 teams per season. It makes a massive difference when you can’t rely on an important player being at the club after each window closes. But, in the circumstances, he’s doing a bl00dy good job.
Hopefully, it’ll be a cracking game.. and let the best team win (as long as they play in blue) ;-)
Unbiased? Oh bugger!
Have to agree he is just winding down his contract. but would still have him on bench
I put him on the bench in the team I selected above. But even then, he doesn’t have the same menace to fences that he used to. When he was warming up, defenders used to think “Oh sh*t.” But now they know he’s a soft touch, they’re not so bothered. He rarely gets near enough to goal to worry centre backs or be a nuisance anyway. But, we’ve only got 3 strikers fit, so we may as well have a couple on the bench.
*defences
Nail and head Staffs. I think defences now look to see if he is playing because they know they can relax.
I think LC should concentrate on a striker over a Centre-back in this window, if a CB comes available as well that will be a bonus.
KRO+DNM
Great comments from Lee Clark on why Zigic is left out. The finance people would pick the team if it was based on salaries, brilliant.
And he’s right… why aren’t people asking about Shinnie, or Elliott being left out? Like he said, it has to be his wages.
Elliot has been left out permantly now!!!
hopefully by friday night were have at least 2 more players in and we all know what 2
positions they will be but first thing first lets take the game to leicester and upset them
because there due a defeat and were due a league home win……..we will win, i can
feel it in my bones because a lot of others can only feel defeat and thats not gonna
happen…..i hope and prey!!! KRO.
There’s always been something in me that expects Blues to win every game. I don’t what it is, or why… it just is. I have the same feeling about tonight. Let’s face it, we’ve only been totally outplayed 3 or 4 times this season (Burnley, Leeds, etc,) so you never know.
Aaron Martin a 24yo 6’2″ Central Defender has had his contract cancelled by Southampton. He has played in the Championship before and might fit the bill for Blues?
I was going to post that earlier, but don’t know anything about him, except that he had a bad injury and has only played about 50 games in his career. That’s it. Anyone know anything about the lad.?
Sky Sports reckon that Clark is talking to Middlesboro about a loan for Seb Hines with a view to buying him in the summer.
Ha, buying him with what? Maybe LC knows something we don’t. There’ll be no buys under the current regime, only sells.
You say that every Transfer Window, but something always turns up. Why are you such a negative thinker? If I remember rightly , weren’t you one of those who were moaning last spring that we would have to field a Team of kIds all this season?
Hines would be a good edition for us. With Bartley going back and Robbo probably playing a bit part after this season, we’ll need someone to, maybe, partner Packwood. If we do intend to buy Hines in the summer, what better way to bed him in than a half-season loan. It works for me.
If saying we have a view of signing him in the summer gets us a loan, nothing to say, “Sorry, it didn’t work out” and not buy or offer him anything.
Maybe LC is thinking the present regime can’t last beyond the summer so is dangling the carrot….
Either way it has to be good for Blues and I agree a half-season loan has to be a positive for all concerned.
KRO+DNM
Except maybe the odd loan or two?
Reckon we’ll see one or two in the next couple of days.
One other thing, regarding finances, by the season’s end, we’ll be losing the likes of Zigic, Mullins, Elliott, Lovenkrands, etc. That should free up a bit.
The bloke is injury prone.He’s hardly played for them.If Clark buys him,he’s a bigger tw&t than i thought he was.
Hence the loan. I think if he gets through the next 4 months, he’ll be ok.
62 appearances in 8 years and you come out with that comment.
Thanks for your comment. But I’d rather be positive than doom and gloom every day.
Lets sign Kieron Dyer and bring back David Dunn.And any other player who won’t play because they’re injury prone.
If he’s that desperate to sign,do it monthly.We haven’t got the resources that we can take a chance and sign him for the season,
Leicester are the best team in the Championship this season so Blues will have to be on top of their game. The worry is what kind of performance are we going to get from Blues tonight, there have been more poor performances than good. Lets hope we get the same kind of performance and energy shown against Swansea, then Blues will give themselves a chance.
We haven’t won at home in the league since October. Leicester have won seven on the bounce in the league and are top of the table. There can only be one result.
A Blues win. You’re absolutely right Doc, spot on. :-)
Hopefully the mess at the top is sorted by the summer because Bartley should be signed permanently by Birmingham if possible.
Leicester r playing their best football for years, solid at the back and awesome going foreword, leicester win by 2 clear goals
the doctors right again, theres only one result…..a blues win absoluetley!!!!
as for bartley thats all down to weather swansea would sell him to us but
the summers 20 league games away so lets not even go there yet andy
because you never know we might be looking at better than that!! KRO.
I agree, in twenty league games we can have a Chinese Abramovich billionaire style take over with summer signings of Messi, Ronaldo, Gerard.
Reality is we lose our high earners come the summer so we can at least dangle some sort of carrot. I think Bartley will be a premier player next season, whether that be at Swansea or somewhere else, but I don’t think it will be at blues.
KRO+DNM
i agree with you andrew leavis but its still a 2-1 win for blues and you are not going to
convince me otherwise… sorry pal!!! KRO.
I hope you’re right Dave.I,m going for a draw at best.
wade elliott on loan at bristol city for a month.KRO.
It looks like Lee Clark is moving out the underacheivers one-by-one. Can only be good for the club.
If that’s the case, why are we teetering on the edge of relegation? Whatever you think of LC, his post-match interview on Saturday showed a man who’s shot – he wouldn’t inspire confidence in me if I was a player, and in any case, who have we got to put the ball in the net?
it is time carson stood up and be counted we need to keep all our
best players end of ..to get the 10,000 lost fans back ..the club
needs to go for gold with a few good loan additions ..not sit back whilst
whilst carson counts his pennies ..we need the prem and this
squad can get us in the playoffs with a few addittions ..of
cause we can beat leicester ….kro
Not sure what the weather is doing in Brum, I am getting ready to leave early as the M42 will be busy tonight, I was upstairs and it suddenly went pitch black and is now hammering down.
Could do with some decent weather as the pitch was looking heavy saturday, which is why the youngsters tired early in the second half.
If that is going to be the case then LC needs to have his subs ready at half time.
Subs as in titutes and not marines, but I fancy a torpedo or two to blow a hole in Leicester’s Juggernaut, 2-1 with Brown getting his first senior goal and I don’t care who gets the second as long as Schmeichel is picking it out of his net…..
KRO+DNM
1-1 at the break with the match called off due to waterlogged pitch!
Just leaving c’mon you Blues KRO
League home form over the last 8 games(from October 5th 2013) does not make pleasant viewing
LLDDDDDL
Looking at that few people would give us a chance of a win against the runaway leaders? …..
Sandpit72
And Clark is still a manager adored by some fans.
Not adored, but certainly admired, he is doing the best he can with all the limitations surrounding him.
He won’t walk away and we can’t afford to sack him, so the only option left is to back him, but more importantly, support the team.
All these who blame Clark or want him out cannot or will not offer an alternative, he is the best we have and can afford.
KRO+DNM
leaving for match now – blues to win 2-1 – COME ON CLARKS BABES !!
Wade Elliot on loan to Bristol City! LC must surely have something lined up for a forward or defender as this seems like a straight in and out with Rusnak.
The Foxes’ performance in the rain is often not brilliant. As a team, they are all more comfortable with a fast passing game, and there was good evidence of that in the difference between the performances against Derby and Leeds, and between the two halves of last Saturday’s match with Middlesbrough.
I’m getting my excuses in early.
Sounds like it´s building up well to the match & I hope it will turn out to be a cracker! Brum are, like Leicester, a big club who should be residing in the top flight. I wish you well for the season, hope that results start going Your way and may the best team win tonight.
hi all…….
never mind football…..with this rain and wind……just push the ball into their corners and chase it like mad………..
fingers crossed…….
Emyr Huws a 20 year old midfielder has joined on a 1 month Youth Loan…….Another midfielder!!!!!!!
From Manchester City.
I guess we have just got to take what we can get now we are their feeder club. Maybe if we asked nicely they might lend us Micah Richards and Scott Sinclair.
Scott Sinclair is at WBA ;)
Thanks didn’t know that. I wasn’t being serious anyway – I was just trying to think of their worst two players!
Looks like he’s going to start playing more football, instead of lumping it up front. That’s not done us any good all season, so it’s good to see different thinking. Lee Clark hinted at it in his last interview.
I think a draw will be great a loss is more likely.
But I will not give up hope come on you Blue Boys!!
Sadly with the players we have at our disposal this is the best we can expect. The players try hard , i can not fault there effort. But we sadly lack quality. The owners have to take the blame. I invite Blues fans to answer this question “When have you ever known worse owners? Can you name a more selfish, unfeeling owner? In 50 years i can not think of one!!!!
Been watching the Blues some 52 years, I thought the Kumars were bad then came Wheldon, but these have to be the worse.
What makes it worse none of the directors can be approached, never seen at games, which makes any likelihood of protesting futile.
The players are triers, they put in effort and commitment, but lack the necessary unity and understanding that Leicester showed tonight.
KRO+DNM
first half 15 shots to 1 , the days when we could give the best teams a real go at st andrews seem a long , long time ago.
actually only 12 to 1 , not so bad then lol
16 fouls by them to only 4 by Us and they only have two players booked . ( I am not at the game so don’t know bugger all about it really, just going on the BBC website.)
I heard 24 fouls and 4 bookings. They must have felt threatened second half, because the stongarm tactics came out.. then they took off an attacking player and brought a defensive midfielder. At the end, there was the odd glimmer of hope that we could have snatched a draw.. but, not having a natural goalscorer is what’s killing us. It beggars belief that in the whole club, we have so many players who can’t stick the ball over the line.
One other thing, it’s time to rest Brown. The kid’s done excellent, but he struggles for stamina after about an hour. Time to pull him back for a game or two and let him rest. That’s what.. 4 games on the bounce?
At the game now and the minority of idiots at the back of the tilton who just booed at half time need to go home, we may not be playing sexy football but we have a team half full of kids who are busting a gut for us, try getting behind them.
1-0 down to top of the league who look very good & bloody quick on the break. Passing is slick, off the ball runs are causing us problems but were hanging on in their. Maybe a bit of luck in the final third & a bit more confidence and we can get a goal here.
back of the tilton, reality check lads.
I agree m8. The players we have at our disposal are not good enough at this level. They try hard enough. Its the owners they should direct there venom at!
Dan — a title suggestions for your next match preview.
Rammed by the Rams.
Hi all…..it is a bit late for this….but….
leics very good team…..move the ball quickly and to their own players……
bartlet was poor, probably not fit….lee. poor….we did not win any headers in their half…did anyone see ziggy at the ground????
Must admit the first half I was little bit worried, but the lads didnt disgrace themselves………..leicester on a roll was alway going to be tough. Really pleased for young reece he going to turn into gem for us. Noted that wade been shipped out……attacking midfielder coming man city. Clark definitely wants us to emulate the Spanish way. We are a club still in working progress our time will come……. Kro looking forward to derby now………..then it my trip to blackpool dont ya love their rock………
A valiant effort but were undone by some slick passing and clinical finishing, both of which we lack.
Not sure of LC’s thinking but Bartley and Adeyemi didn’t look fit enough, Bartley had a stinker.
Brown was lost in the second half and should have been taken off, he is only 17 and put in four solid performances, He does need a rest, or only 45 minutes for a spell.
Bell, I thought had an excellent début, linked up with the forwards and was comfortable with the ball, Packwood would have been my M. o. t. M., with another solid defending and some brilliant tackles and blocks.
The difference was the finishing, we had the ball in Leicester’s goalmouth and bodies falling all over, a possible shout for a pen, but that would have been harsh…. Then whoosh, Randolph is picking the ball out the net.
credit to Leicester they play some fast and clinical football.
KRO+DMN
Last night I felt like a condemned man waiting for the final bullet, for all our endeavors and enthusiasm last night we were like a turkey in a turkey shoot. Leicester were on fire and their link up play was excellent.
For us our performance was not bad in fact it was quite refreshing with respect to guys coming back in and playing a different style without Ziggy. I feel quite optimistic that this team can do a job and keep us in the Championship, could just do with a 40 goal a season striker at the moment.
They were frightening on the break. They moved the ball around so quickly. Easily the best team I’ve seen this season and a cert to go up.
I know there are a lot of young lads in that team but in the first half we couldn’t pass water. Some of our ball retention was woeful and we gave the ball away cheaply on at least 3 occasions. However I was encouraged by the second half as they had steam rolled the midfield in the first and totally dominated.
Excellent performance from Caddis again but for me MOTM was without doubt Packwood. He looks so assured and as if he’s chalked up a couple of hundred games. That lad is going to be a star (hopefully with us). Bartley had a very poor game so Will needed to be on form and I wouldn’t be surprised to see young Will keep his place for the rest of the season. An excellent prospect.
outclassed….simples!!! KRO.
if one wish could come true if clark could find a gem of a striker who could bang them in for fun we be laughing………………………….surely there one young striker languishing in the reserves of premiership who his dying to get his chance………………….why not us???/
Our main problem, which is blindingly obvious, is a lack of goals. If only we could get a goal when we’re on top in games, it would breed confidence through the team. I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve dominated periods of a game, not scored, then conceded a goal. It’s happened so many times.
Our approach play is starting to look really good at times now, but we need to kill teams off to take some of the pressure off the defence. I genuinely believe that we’re only a decent striker away from being a good team. Let’s hope Lee Clark can do a deal or two before the deadline.
“I haven’t got the finances to go for experienced players. The experienced striker who came on (Kevin Phillips), I spoke to him before he went to Leicester but couldn’t get anywhere near financially.
Fact of life……………kro
As I said all along, it was down to one last big payday… nowt to do with game time. He’d have played more here.
absolutely staffs clark must have put that to him, money and possible championship metal nice way to finish your career imo…..tbh dont blame him he done his time with us…………sadly one moves on…….
With the amount of minutes he’ll get at Leicester, even if they go up, he won’t be a hero. If he’d have come to us and we’d stayed up, he would have come a hero and left a hero. But money talks every time. I don’t blame him at all. You’re a long time retired.. one last big pay day will set him up for retirement.
I don’t think it is down to money: the days when we paid big wages to past-it players (Dennis Wise, Martin Keown, Dion Dublin) are long gone. I suspect that there are two main reasons why Phillips signed for us: he knows and respects Nigel Pearson, having worked with him before, and he’s been offered the chance to get into a player-coach role at the end of this season. Bearing in mind that we look like we might be in the top division next season, that’s quite an attractive proposition.