City 2 Arsenal 5
Report by Chris Griffin
What could (should) have been a close fought encounter between two teams near the top of the table morphed into an open and stretched game more in keeping with a close season benefit match. Leicester played well with the ball, created chances and kept Cech busy. But City’s lack of coherence when out of possession left Arsenal with the space they needed to exhibit their pace, support play and rapid one/two touch passing. In short they pulled us apart all over the pitch.
Early on City allowed Arsenal possession and cautiously protected their goal through two banks of four with Vardy and Okazaki guarding the halfway line. Walcott was slipped through by a smart pass but flagged offside. At the other end Drinkwater and Mahrez linked well and forced an early corner down City’s right wing. De Laet cleared off City’s goal line after Schmeichel lost possession.
The game came to life following good work by Schlupp whose shot was well parried by Cech. The ball fell to Vardy whose low skimming effort rebounded from the post. Encouraged by this City kept moving forward and a superb 40 yard Drinkwater pass launched Vardy in the inside left channel. Cutting inside he lashed a superb shot past the diving Cech.
Minutes later Vardy’s header beat Cech but struck the cross bar. The ball fell to Mahrez at the corner of the six yard box but he was dispossessed and a swift passing movement led to Walcott neatly steering the ball past the advancing Schmeichel. So the score was level when it so easily could have been two nil.
The rest of the first half saw an even, open, free-flowing game with chances at both ends. Kanté and Drinkwater were playing well in midfield. Morgan bravely blocked a fierce Ramsey drive. Another long ball sent Vardy racing towards the Arsenal goal but at the same time Okazaki was tripped off the ball. Vardy lost possession but although Leicester fans expected referee Pawson to bring play back for the foul he allowed play to continue. Arsenal quickly countered and the City defence lost its shape and awareness, leaving the unmarked Sánchez gratefully tapping in from the six yard line.
City responded well and Okazaki claimed a foul in the Arsenal penalty area but Pawson showed no interest. Cazorla drove a fast shot just wide of the City goal. A well taken Albrighton free-kick, following an Arteta foul on Mahrez, saw the ball evade a host of blue shirts in front of the Arsenal goal. Just a touch was needed but the chance went begging. Half time saw City 2-1 down.
Ranieri sought to tighten midfield by bringing on King for Okazaki and setting out a 4-5-1 formation. This meant Vardy found himself ploughing a lone and thankless furrow chasing lost causes. Arsenal increasingly dominated possession and there were any number of close shaves in the Leicester penalty area. Most worrying was the amount of unmarked space Arsenal players found in the Leicester box. A rare Leicester attack saw Vardy cut in from the right but his effort was blocked when an unmarked Mahrez was better placed to shoot.
By the hour mark it was one-way traffic and it was no surprise when Arsenal scored a third, the unmarked Sánchez heading over the advancing Schmeichel. A Schlupp effort was easily saved by Cech. Ulloa came on for Albrighton and set up a half chance for King who shot wide. At the other end Schmeichel came out and made a smart save from Walcott.
Arteta picked up a yellow card having protested at being penalised for hand ball on the halfway. Drinkwater was then carded following a foul on Walcott. Leicester continued to allow Arsenal too much space. Life became no easier when Oxlade-Chamberlain replaced Ramsey and went on some surging runs. It was no surprise when Sánchez, in the 81st minute, had the time and space to pick out a good shot that beat Schmeichel at his right hand post to make the score 4-1.
Kramaric, who had replaced Drinkwater, went through on goal but his heavy final touch allowed Cech to save. Cech saved another Kramaric effort and his parry fell to Mahrez whose effort came back from the post. City kept having a go and following a corner and a block the ball came to Vardy who showed great composure in accurately finding his spot inside the far post.
But Arsenal were not finished and Giroud, unmarked, swept in a shot following a cross into the box.
Ranieri quite rightly praised the efforts of his players and their determination to go forward. But a failure to keep a clean sheet in any game this season, from pre-season to EPL to the Capitol Cup, tells its own story. Even during the dark days of last season Leicester still managed ten clean sheets. The need to tighten up when not in possession is clear and applies throughout the team. October sees away trips to Norwich, Southampton and West Bromwich Albion. Perhaps it is time to be a little more Italian and park the bus.
Teams
Leicester: Schmeichel; de Laet; Huth; Morgan; Schlupp; Mahrez; Kanté; Drinkwater (sub Kramaric); Albrighton (sub Ulloa); Okazaki (sub King); Vardy
Arsenal: Cech; Bellerin; Mertesacker; Koscielny; Monreal; Flamini (sub Arteta); Cazorla; Ramsey (sub Oxlade-Chamberlain); Özil; Sánchez; Walcott (sub Giroud.)
Attendance 32,047
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