Caudio”the thinker man” Ranieri
Leicester City have been having a rather disappointing season in the Premier League. They got knocked out of the FA Cup during the weekend and are just two points off the last placed Sunderland on the table. Unlike the Leicester that won the EPL against all predictions and expectations; this side is shipping goals like spoonful of rice and are timid in the attack to the extent that only ‘defensive football’ masters, Middlesbrough and Hull City have scored fewer goals.
Foxes celebrating their Barclays Premiership win
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The EPL defending champions look to have lost the Midas touch that created an improbable history for them. The difference between the results of this Leicester compared to that of last year is so stark that non-followers would have concluded that there was a clear-out at the King Power stadium and that led to the current decline.
There is however a contrast to the sorry state of affairs in domestic league and cups compared to the performance in the UEFA champions League. Grouped with Porto, a former European champion, Club Brugges and Kobehavn; the Foxes defied neophyte lethargy to top the table and set up a showdown with Spanish UEFA Cup specialists, Sevilla in the Round of 16.
What is missing from this team when compared to the one that won the EPL last May is the consistency in the selection of the first eleven. In the past, I wrote about Claudio Ranieri’s penchant for tinkering with his team when there is no need to do so. Please read HERE. This restiveness cost the team dear and if nothing turns around fast enough may lead them to relegation – that will be some story for journalists!
Facing Sevilla, who are arguably one of the four best teams in Spain and with profound experience in Europe at this stage throws up a big challenge for Ranieri and his troop. They will definitely need to clean up their acts at the back if they want to have any chance of progressing to the next round. Shipping goals like what they have been doing in the EPL will do them in quicker than the frequent changes to both personnel and tactics that their Italian manager seem to relish!
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