LEICESTER CITY 0 WOLVES 0
The steak and kidney pies are still good. 21,000 plus people attended. The pitch looked inviting. An evening match is often fun. All was set for a good evening.
However, Gary Megson, rather curiously, had played up the strengths of the Opposition and the general mood was neutral, not positive.
This neutrality turned out to be a correct assessment of the situation. Leicester’s Defence is now formidable with a popular and calm Bruno N’Gotty fitting in well and Fulop proving to be a secure and safe pair of hands with one spectacular stop to his credit low down to his left.
The midfield, however, looks weak without Clemence and Wesolowski. Chambers and Kishishev seemed uncomfortable, unsettled and lacking in confidence. Stearman broke up some Wolves’ attacks very well, but still gets forward in a slightly haphazard way. Joe Mattock can run at the Defence, but spoons the ball up into the sky with monotonous regularity.
The new kid on the block, King, had a promising game. He put himself about effectively, has the same build as Stearman and might well develop in to a player who can stroke the ball through the middle….
Promising debut, overdue according to some fan regulars at reserve/youth team games, from Andy King (Picture courtesy of Raymonds/lcfc.com)
Those upfront in the Leicester line up were the reinstated Fryatt and the ever present Hume. The combination didn’t work well. In fact, it didn’t work at all. These two players do not communicate and there are grounds for scepticism about Fryatt’s contribution despite his recent return to the score sheets. He looks fitter and quicker than last season. Whether he is the answer to Leicester’s problems remains highly debatable.
The game progressed against the background of a subdued atmosphere. Kisnorbo was all over the park getting on the end of a corner in the 11th minute and testing the Wolves’ goalie in the top left corner.
Gary Breen, the Wolves’ central defender, gave away a succession of free kicks just outside the penalty area. But these set pieces were not taken advantage of. Mattock, Kishishev are not yet in their element in these situations.
There was a strong sense of anti-climax – all the attacks at both ends tended to peter out. Fryatt and Mattock preferred to balloon the ball over the Bar whenever an opportunity arose.
There was one minute of stoppage time at half time, proof of lack of incident.
In the second half, Leicester supporters made a decent fist of giving the team a left, but to no avail.
The pattern of play was much the same as in the first half: very few incidents of note, passes went adrift, the ball flew over the Bar and the Defence at both ends had the upper hand. Bruno N’Gotty had a chance in the 80th minute, bursting through the centre, but cooled the ball just a foot too far and the chance evaporated. Fulop dealt well with anything Wolves could muster.
It was dull stuff and a draw was precisely the right result. The wife’s carrot and coriander soup at half time was scant compensation.
Leicester: Fulop, N'Gotty, Kisnorbo, McAuley, Stearman, King, Chambers, Kishishev (Cort 73), Mattock, Fryatt (Campbell 83), Hume. Subs Not Used: Henderson, Newton, Kenton.
Wolverhampton: Hennessey, Foley, Breen, Craddock, Gray, Kightly, Olofinjana, Henry, Stephen Ward (Neill Collins 90), Keogh, Elliott (Eastwood 66). Subs Not Used: Stack, Bothroyd, Potter.
Att: 21,311 Ref: Tony Bates (Staffordshire).
The views expressed in this report are the opinions of the Trust member nominated to file the report only and do not represent the views of the Foxes Trust organisation