The Fault in Leicester City
Why 2015/16's Champions Have Fallen
Spectacularily
For any who follow the English Premier league, Leicester City's triumphant first place finish in the 2015/16 year came as a shock, considering they weren't even in the same league the previous year. Lead by Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, Leicester came from behind to win fans' hearts, and the EPL trophy. However, this year the team sits in 15th place, and the possibility of being demoted to England's second seeded league looms. "So why the change?", many troubled fans ask. While many factors have had an affect, this article aims to reveal the top few, in hopes to ease the minds of a few troubled fans.
To begin with, the opposition has began to grow to know Leicester's tactics. In the previous year, teams were unaccustom to Leicester's powerul counter-attacks, which lead to many wins for
Foxes. This year, after a summer of training and practice, opposition seems to have caught on to these tactics, and no longer allow for these stratagies to succeed. Leicester, by leaning heavily on this tactic, rather than ball posession, was then caught flat-footed and unable to score their easy goals. With teams marking appraised striker Jamie Vardy and captivating midfielder Rihad Mahrez, the team had little hope of pinpointing the weaknesses that they previously had. At 17 games into the season, Vardy has scored only 5 goals; significantly off pace compared to last season.
Next, a lack of ability must be looked upon. This is not to say that they players do not have skill, but that their skill does not compare to teams like Chelsea or Manchester City, both of which are highly appraised. The simple fact is, that these players came from a tier 2 league, because for the most part, they possess tier 2 skills. It is certain that some of the players are of Premier League quality, but there are others who are not quite as qualified. These players do niot bring the team down greatly, but just enough to set Leicester back to the 5th from bottom spot. "The team has not changed from last year, why should the standing change either?", you might say. This is a problem at the root. While any team can be good, changes must be made to make that team great. Claudio Ranieri, Lecester's coach, is a smart man. However, it is claimed by critics and fans alike, that Ranieri does not possess the agressiveness needed when it comes to transferrs. Over the summer, coaches such as United's Mourino, City's Gaurdiola and Arsenal's Wenger all made some very large transfers, including Paul Pogba, at a record breaking $105 Million dollars. These three teams now sit in the top 6 of the league, while Raneiri's team sits in 15th. The message to take from this? Change is good, and transfers are essential to build a team that can consistantly win.