Leicester’s City 2020/21 Premier League campaign didn’t materialize as expected – after spending 242 days in the top four (more than any other team in the season) they ended in 5th position and missed out on Champions League qualification – but nonetheless their FA Cup victory over Chelsea turned the season into a success.
A huge part in this success was played out by the Foxes’ midfield. A midfield that played a vital role is dispatching the likes of some of the best teams in England, including Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea.
The main men of the midfield line included Marc Albrighton, Harvey Barnes, James Maddison, Dennis Praet, Daniel Amartey and two central midfield generals in Youri Tielemans and Wilfred Ndidi, who propelled the forward line and shielded the defense – helping Leicester score a total of 95 goals across all competitions and concede just 60 with a success rate of 56% in the total of 53 matches played.
The aforementioned players have made a combined total of 247 appearances for the Foxes this season, scoring 39 goals and making 33 assists in the process. That accounts for 40% of Leicester’s goals – something that other Premier League team fail to match or better, except Manchester City.
The Foxes began their season on a high note, sweeping aside Manchester City 5-2. It was a match in which Tielemans and Maddison were absolutely crucial as they neutralized Kevin De Bruyne and company in a precise manner.
In the flexible and familiar 3-4-1-2 / 3-5-2 formation incorporated by Brendan Rodgers, the presence of wing backs Ricardo Pereira, Timothy Castagne, Luke Thomas, James Justin and the versatile Albrighton has been instrumental in providing support to the ever-present Ndidi and Tielemans in central midfield. The double pivots in central midfield tend to hold possession and spray passes forward and at the same time, make sure to drop deep to pick up on any kind of incoming attacks.
With Ndidi’s defensive abilities and Tielemans’ eye to serve attackers ahead of him, Leicester have been blessed with a complementary duo in midfield. Arguably, passing has been the most impressive area for the team. With an average pass completion rate of 80% among all the above mentioned midfielders, Leicester have been able to translate their successful passes into goals.
Ndidi holds the highest pass percentage rate of 88%, followed by Amartey at 86%.
However, midseason, until when the Foxes were in contention to lift the Premier League, a lot of injuries took its toll on the team. Leicester’s creativity took a major hit with a drop in form when Harvey Barnes, one of the most in-form and intelligent Foxes around, fell to a season-long injury. Additionally, Maddison also picked up a damaging knock that saw him sit out until the end of the season, when he made a comeback with few matches remaining.
One of the main reasons for the disappointing let-downs against Liverpool, Leeds United, Arsenal, West Ham United and several other teams, especially in the Premier League, has been the lapse of defensive concentration in the back that cannot be particularly attributed to the midfield. Not adopting to a high-intensity pressing game took its toll on Leicester.
Leicester’s season cannot be deemed as a failure due to the 5th place finish, but as mentioned above, lapses in the first-third in the final matches of the season against Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur led them to pay a heavy price.
However, with 13 goals scored and only two conceded in the FA Cup throughout the course of the campaign, the club won all of its six matches. Along with striker Kelechi Ihaneacho, Tielemans was the standout performer for Leicester City in the tournament.
The midfielder’s solitary goal, a rocket against Chelsea in the 63rd minute of the final, won the club’s first ever FA Cup title in its 137-year-old history.
Now, Boubakary Soumare looks likely to join from Ligue 1 champions LOSC Lille, to strengthen the Leicester midfield. He is a versatile defensive midfielder who plays a similar game to Wilfred Ndidi but also has the ability to push forward like Tielemans does.
It will be interesting to see how Brendan Rodgers accommodates the three midfielders – perhaps in a 4-3-3 setup that can bring the best out of all three by pushing Tielemans a bit forward. But that will undoubtedly take a toll on the other attacking midfielders such as Barnes, Maddison and Ayoze Perez.
Nevertheless, Leicester City have a realistic chance of contending for the Premier League next season with a stronger midfield than the one they had this season.
Looking for realize your own analysis with our system? Contact us at info@thescoutingapp.com
A huge part in this success was played out by the Foxes’ midfield. A midfield that played a vital role is dispatching the likes of some of the best teams in England, including Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea.
The main men of the midfield line included Marc Albrighton, Harvey Barnes, James Maddison, Dennis Praet, Daniel Amartey and two central midfield generals in Youri Tielemans and Wilfred Ndidi, who propelled the forward line and shielded the defense – helping Leicester score a total of 95 goals across all competitions and concede just 60 with a success rate of 56% in the total of 53 matches played.
The aforementioned players have made a combined total of 247 appearances for the Foxes this season, scoring 39 goals and making 33 assists in the process. That accounts for 40% of Leicester’s goals – something that other Premier League team fail to match or better, except Manchester City.
The Foxes began their season on a high note, sweeping aside Manchester City 5-2. It was a match in which Tielemans and Maddison were absolutely crucial as they neutralized Kevin De Bruyne and company in a precise manner.
In the flexible and familiar 3-4-1-2 / 3-5-2 formation incorporated by Brendan Rodgers, the presence of wing backs Ricardo Pereira, Timothy Castagne, Luke Thomas, James Justin and the versatile Albrighton has been instrumental in providing support to the ever-present Ndidi and Tielemans in central midfield. The double pivots in central midfield tend to hold possession and spray passes forward and at the same time, make sure to drop deep to pick up on any kind of incoming attacks.
With Ndidi’s defensive abilities and Tielemans’ eye to serve attackers ahead of him, Leicester have been blessed with a complementary duo in midfield. Arguably, passing has been the most impressive area for the team. With an average pass completion rate of 80% among all the above mentioned midfielders, Leicester have been able to translate their successful passes into goals.
Ndidi holds the highest pass percentage rate of 88%, followed by Amartey at 86%.
However, midseason, until when the Foxes were in contention to lift the Premier League, a lot of injuries took its toll on the team. Leicester’s creativity took a major hit with a drop in form when Harvey Barnes, one of the most in-form and intelligent Foxes around, fell to a season-long injury. Additionally, Maddison also picked up a damaging knock that saw him sit out until the end of the season, when he made a comeback with few matches remaining.
One of the main reasons for the disappointing let-downs against Liverpool, Leeds United, Arsenal, West Ham United and several other teams, especially in the Premier League, has been the lapse of defensive concentration in the back that cannot be particularly attributed to the midfield. Not adopting to a high-intensity pressing game took its toll on Leicester.
Leicester’s season cannot be deemed as a failure due to the 5th place finish, but as mentioned above, lapses in the first-third in the final matches of the season against Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur led them to pay a heavy price.
However, with 13 goals scored and only two conceded in the FA Cup throughout the course of the campaign, the club won all of its six matches. Along with striker Kelechi Ihaneacho, Tielemans was the standout performer for Leicester City in the tournament.
The midfielder’s solitary goal, a rocket against Chelsea in the 63rd minute of the final, won the club’s first ever FA Cup title in its 137-year-old history.
Now, Boubakary Soumare looks likely to join from Ligue 1 champions LOSC Lille, to strengthen the Leicester midfield. He is a versatile defensive midfielder who plays a similar game to Wilfred Ndidi but also has the ability to push forward like Tielemans does.
It will be interesting to see how Brendan Rodgers accommodates the three midfielders – perhaps in a 4-3-3 setup that can bring the best out of all three by pushing Tielemans a bit forward. But that will undoubtedly take a toll on the other attacking midfielders such as Barnes, Maddison and Ayoze Perez.
Nevertheless, Leicester City have a realistic chance of contending for the Premier League next season with a stronger midfield than the one they had this season.
Looking for realize your own analysis with our system? Contact us at info@thescoutingapp.com