Leicester City 2 – 0 Sheffield Wednesday
Post Match Analysis by Chris Griffin
City took another step towards the Championship title with a comfortable win on a soaking wet night. Accolades for captain Jamie Vardy playing against his boyhood club. He led the line with pace and imagination, played a key part in the first goal and poached the second. He left the field on the 81st minute with a loud and much deserved ovation ringing in his ears.
Maresca made three changes from the team which beat Watford at the weekend. Vesteergard came in for Nelson; Vardy for Daka; and Mavididi for McAteer.
City made a brisk start and benefited from an early Wednesday mistake. In the fourth minute goalkeeper Beadle played the ball to Vaulks in the penalty area and he was ambushed by Denis Praet. The ball fell to Dewsbury-Hall who pulled a low fast cross back from the by-line. Vardy jumped over the ball to allow it to run to the unmarked Fatawu who gleefully drove his shot into the empty net.
The early goal energised City and the crowd. Mavididi dribbled into the area and his curling shot flew close to the far post. It was immediately clear that Wednesday had opted for a low and narrow defensive block and packing their penalty area with defenders. The cost of this was leaving loads of room on both wings. Mavididi and Fatawu were seeing plenty of the ball and tormenting Wednesday with crosses and shots.
City dominated the first half. The possession stats at half time were 78%/22% in City’s favour. The passing was crisp and quick and rather than taking ages to play the ball from the back City were moving upfield quickly. Notably impressive were long diagonal passes from centre backs Faes and Vesteergard out to both wings. Praet was also linking well with Fatawu in a succession of passing moves. Vardy was causing plenty of problems with his pace, cushioned layoffs and runs. Wednesday did push up so sometimes he was offside, but his busyness and awareness were a constant menace.
City maintained the pressure. Winks and Faes missed good chances. Great work from Mavididi saw him pulling another cross from the by-line but Bernard blazed over the bar to concede a corner.
Wednesday had some attacking moments buoyed by a large and loud away following. Hermansen made two good saves from long shots from Johnson and Gassama.
In the 36th minute City doubled the lead with a superb goal. Faes’ long pass forward found Dewsbury-Hall in the Wednesday half. Without hesitating he cushioned the ball on the volley into the path of the supporting Vardy. The striker took his time, held off a challenge and calmly stroked the ball across and beyond the outrushing goalkeeper and into the far corner of the net. Classy play all round.
City fans thought they had a chance of a third goal before half time when Mavididi won the ball in the Sheffield half and sprinted towards the area with the ball and unchallenged. Curiously, having been allowed to run nearly 30 yards, he then had to stop as the referee whistled up for an offence. Cue an unsurprising chorus of “You don’t know what you’re doing” from the City fans.
A splendid first half from City, though some fans were saying it was a shame not to have scored even more and to have put the game to bed given City’s dominance.
City started the second half with a good chance for Dewsbury-Hall but his shot in front of goal did not have enough power and was blocked and cleared. Faes made a bold run into the Wednesday area, but his high cross grazed the top of the bar and fell away to safety.
Wednesday meanwhile were showing more threat going forward due to some changes. They had switched to a back five which gave their defence more width and they started to press City further up the field. There was more play in City’s defensive third than in the first half and Mavididi had to resort to a “when in doubt – clout” clearance to relieve pressure.
Errors were creeping into City’s game. An under-hit Justin back pass forced Hermansen to boot clear quickly. A mix-up between Faes and Hermansen risked a Wednesday goal. Hermansen made a good save after City lost the ball in midfield, diving at the feet of Wilks to smother his shot. Wednesday forced three corners in succession but City coped with them.
City could have increased the lead. Fatawu, in particular, was a thorn in Wednesday’s side. He unleashed a powerful shot which Beadle blocked. The rebound bounced around the area but sadly not to a City player. Another slick passing move saw Praet play the ball across the box but just a yard too far in front of the supporting Vardy.
In the end City had a secure enough game management strategy to see the match out.
Interviewed after the game Enzo Maresca said: “We played very well in the first half, on the ball and off the ball, and in the second half we struggled a little bit off the ball in the first 10 to 15 minutes because they changed some things, but overall I’m very happy.”
As should be the fans. With Southampton losing at Bristol City, Leicester are now 14 points ahead of third place. Middlesborough on Saturday is unlikely to be easy – they did beat us in November – but it is winnable. Southampton meanwhile must play at West Brom: certainly not easy. City have some tricky games coming up, not least away at Leeds in nine days’ time, but tonight’s performance showed the team have the ability, stamina, and resolution to keep on track.
Leicester City: Hermansen; Pereira; Vestergaard; Faes; Justin; Praet (Choudhury 81’); Dewsbury-Hall; Winks; Fatawu (McAteer 71’) Vardy (Cannon 81’); Mavididi
Sheffield Wednesday: Beadle; Valentin; Ihiekwe; Bernard; Johnson (Diaby 84’) ; Vaulks; Ugbo (Palmer 45’); Poveda (Wilks 66’); Bannan; Gassama (Musaba 66’); Cadamarteri (Smith 66’)
Referee Tom Nield Attendance 31,550
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.