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Wilson_6

Nice review of City ....from USA?

By Wilson_6, in Leicester City Forum

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Wilson_6

Wilson_6

Posted
Posted

Good read, Actually very accurate as well. Weird that its an american site though. 

 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1820288-why-leicester-city-will-get-promoted-from-the-championship-this-year?

 

They're currently third in the Championship behind QPR andBurnley, and under the stewardship of Nigel Pearson there's an air of structure around a club once synonymous with chaos. There's a sense of quiet optimism amongst Leicester City fans that maybe this could be the year top-flight football returns to the King Power Stadium. 

Since leaving the Premiership in 2004, life outside the top flight has been anything but easy. Following a tumultuous 2007-08 season finishing under Ian Holloway, the Foxes were relegated to the third tier of English football for the first time in the club's history. Step up Nigel Pearson, who brought Leicester straight back to the Championship and setting a club-record 23-game unbeaten run in the process. The following season Leicester finished fifth, Pearson left to join Hull and the club was thrown into disarray once more.

Unsuccessful stints for both Paolo Sousa and Sven-Goran Eriksson followed before Nigel Pearson returned in November 2011. Last season Pearson guided the club to sixth before being beaten by Watford in the play-offs. This season there's enough evidence to suggest the Foxes could go one better.

 

 

So what's changed to turn Leicester into promotion candidates?

 

Well, nothing. And that's kind of the point. The previous owner of the club, MilanMandaric, was well known for his 'hire and fire' approach. After taking over in February 2007, Mandaric had gone through six different managers and five different caretaker managers by February 2008.

After selling Leicester to the King Power group and the re-introduction of Pearson, there's been a period of stability and this has had a positive impact across the whole club. Last season's sixth-place finish showed that without a carousel of new management and with a little bit of patience, Leicester have it in them to be one of the better sides in the division.

 

 

What's the squad like?

 

Aside from QPR, Leicester have a squad arguably as good as any other team in the league. There's a blend of youth and experience across the side, with players such as ex-Manchester United Academy stars Matty James and Ritchie De Laet lining up alongside Championship veterans such as David Nugent, Paul Konchesky and Gary Taylor-Fletcher. Pearson's focus on youth players makes Leicester so intriguing as a team. The average age of their entire squad is just 25.48, with over one-quarter of the squad just 21 or under. 

But the real achievement here is that Leicester don't rely on just one player in the same way that other teams leading the promotion chase (such as Burnley) seem to. Their current top scorer is David Nugent, but if he was to pick up an injury or lose form they also have proven goalscorers in Jamie Vardy and Gary Taylor-Fletcher as well as new £1.2 million pound signing and New Zealand international Chris Wood. There's both strength and depth to this Leicester City team.

Leicester aren't a team that's shy of spending money either. If the King Power owners sense promotion is a possibility, they could invest heavily in January.

 

 

How have they started the season?

 

By all accounts Leicester have had an excellent start to the season and currently find themselves third, behind surprise package Burnley and everyone's promotion favourites, QPR. They've currently lost just two games and already they're showing themselves as a hard team to beat, with no team scoring more than two goals against them so far this season. 

However, it's Leicester's home form that's been most impressive. The Foxes are unbeaten at home this season - but their miraculous record stretches back even further. Since Pearson rejoined the club in November 2011, they've lost just twice at home (against Barnsley and West Ham). Add to that the fifth-highest average crowd attendance in the division and you can see why the King Power stadium has been such a fortress for the Foxes.

 

 

And what about the manager?

 

Nigel Pearson has been the most successful manager Leicester has had since their drop from the top flight, and by achieving promotion from League One, he earned himself a special place in the hearts of the fans. Whilst at Hull, when Pearson learned that the job at Leicester had once again become vacant, he asked Hull's directors for permission to speak to his old club. Clearly then, this is a manager who has a close relationship with the club and genuinely wants to be there.

 

 

So, overall?

 

The facts are that when Pearson is in charge of Leicester, they finish in the play-offs. In recent years they've managed to rid themselves of the perennially unstable MilanMandaric, offload high-wage players and build a squad around hungry young players and experienced Championship footballers.

Leicester have quality running all the way through their squad, so injuries shouldn't affect them as much as other clubs. In Pearson, they have a manager who understands the club and has a track record of success. If they can match their formidable home record with wins on the road there's no reason as to why they can't achieve promotion.

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Leicester_Numan

Leicester_Numan

Posted
Posted

Some one on hear a while back said we might be if there's a good chance of promotion as we are struggling to meet FFP anyway.

There's a few of us said something similar, I think it's a good possibility if we're still up around 2nd or 3rd. If we gamble on spending in January and go up, all we'll get is a fine which will be covered by TV money. I also expect to see new contracts for Wes, Kasper and Nuge. If we gamble and don't go up, we'll get a transfer embargo which won't matter if we sort out our squad for next season in January.

Of course, we have to be in a position to make the gamble look like it's worth taking

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