Stuart Dawkins provides the final part of our series of end of season reviews from our members who make up our team of match reporters.
At the start of the season, what would you have regarded as a successful return to the Premiership? – To be honest, 17th place. However, given how City dominated the Championship the season before, I was quietly hopeful of just a little better than that.
Were your expectations raised following the 5 – 3 victory over Man Utd? – The early season performances, for example against Everton and Arsenal, left me feeling proud that the team – largely unchanged from the Championship squad – really could punch their weight at Premier League level. The Man Utd game was one of those ‘I was there’ moments – thrillingly entertaining, but not one that could raise expectations out of all proportions.
With Villa at home being the only victory in the first 3 months of 2015, did you think we would stay in the division going into April? – Easy question … no! I hoped, of course, and everyone spoke about the so-called ‘easier run-in’ to the end of the season, but City’s results had been so bad that optimism was difficult.
What do you feel were the main reasons we went on such a long run without a win? – I have no idea. All the way through the season, I was saying to non-City fans ‘they are not a bad team; they are playing pretty well most games; I have seen bottom of the table Leicester teams many times over 40+ years as a fan and this does not look like one of them …’ and yet week-on-week they kept losing. There was some bad luck, there were many individual defensive errors, and the strikers looked lacking in confidence, but none of those reasons quite explains quite how bad that mid-season set of results was.
By contrast, the end of season run was an incredible set of results, what do you feel were the main reasons for the sudden success? – See my answer to the previous question! Undoubtedly, Huth helped to settle the defensive lapses. Cambiasso went from strength to strength, and the strikers began to find some confidence, but none of that quite explains the near-instantaneous turn-around from one of the worst records in Europe to one of the very best.
Was there any point during the season where you felt a change of manager would have been the best way forwards? – Not really. Although had the bad run kept on, and City been relegated well before the end of the season (as looked likely at several points), I would have expected a change then to provide time to build for the next season.
What was your personal highlight of the season? – The Man Utd game, of course; fantasy football for a City fan. Also, any of the numerous times when Vardy’s pace made Premier League defenders look slow or clueless.
Esteban Cambiasso won all the official player of the season awards, would he have been your choice and who else impressed you this season? – He would have been, for the quality of his play, for the leadership he shows on the pitch, and for his whole-hearted commitment. It would have been so easy for him to have joined the club and ‘coasted’, and I think many players of similar vintage and experience might have done just that. He was truly inspirational.
It would be difficult to single out others from the regular pool of 15 or so first-XI players. They played well as a team, always supported each other and never let their heads drop.
A number of experienced heads were added to last season’s squad, which of this seasons signings did you think made the most significant impact? – Cambiasso, of course … and Huth. Albrighton’s role should not be under-estimated, either. He always made an impact when he came on as a substitute, and his regular inclusion in the starting XI more-or-less coincided with City’s long winning streak.
A number of players made significant strides forwards with their career, which player do you think made the most progress last season and why? – Schmeichel has become a more rounded keeper and had an outstanding second half of the season. Mahrez, too, has moved from being ‘‘very promising’ to ‘’very good’. It was pleasing to see King play so effectively; he was one of the longer-established players who I was not sure would prosper in the Premier League, but he took his opportunities well.
Were there any players that failed to live up to your expectations? – Kramaric needs to find some confidence; having said that, he does appear to be skilful and lively enough to be a useful signing.
What changes to the squad do you think are necessary to improve on this year’s Premiership Campaign? – a new centre-back as cover for the existing three. An inspirational midfielder should Cambiasso not re-sign (my girlfriend is encouraging a ‘sign Pirlo’ campaign), and probably another decent midfielder too, as further cover.
If you could advise Nigel Pearson on new signings, who would your suggestions be for additions to the squad? – Aside from Pirlo, of course … I rarely have strong opinions on this question. One of the very many reasons why I am not a football manager is an inability to imagine what a player could be when placed into a different team/formation … a skill which I think Pearson is particularly good at.
What do you feel is most significant element of our game we will need to improve next season? – comparing next season to the entirety of the past season, then it is the resilience of our defensive play against mistakes (not always by the established defenders). Comparing next season to one of the top three final-quarter-of-season performances in Europe (as Gary Lineker liked to demonstrate on Match of the Day each week), it would be hard to suggest what could go better.
The King Power stadium, which has always compared unfavourably to Filbert Street for atmosphere suddenly came to life this season, with a number of visiting sets of supporters stating our ground had the most noise in the division, what do you think were the reasons for this? – Whilst the stadium may not have been the loudest for the entire season, the fans were always behind the team – an approach which compares very favourably with a number of clubs who regularly faced booing from their own fans. The excitement of the final few days and the sheer unlikeliness of what City achieved helped.
Credit much be given to the club for supporting things like the clappers and the flags – the clappers being particularly effective in generating a big noise. Credit, too, should be given to Union FS for their significant work in encouraging and supporting such initiatives.
Any other observation you would like to make – I really enjoyed last season. I think I would have said the same even had City been relegated. Most matches were entertaining; City were generally competitive even in the games they lost; they played in an attractive way … and the final ten games were icing on the cake. How could 2015/16 possibly live up to that??
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
The Trust dedicates this series of end of season reviews to one of our match reporting team who has contributed since we first launched them. Mike King sadly passed away a couple of days before the final day of the season.