Millwall 1 City 0
Post Match Analysis by Coiln Hall
The recent victories over Norwich and Birmingham led many Leicester City fans to believe the team’s run of poor form had finally been brought to an end.
Sadly, this demoralising, depressing and dispiriting defeat by a mediocre Millwall side proved this optimism to have been badly misplaced.
As too often during 2024, Enzo Maresca’s side was set a challenging test of character and mentality and failed it by some distance.
At a venue where a shadow team had defeated the hosts in some comfort in an FA Cup clash three months ago, the Foxes looked apprehensive straight from the kick-off and could easily have gone behind within the first minute.
Wilfred Ndidi, whose form, and fitness had been widely questioned during the previous fixture, conceded a freekick from which Longman rose unchallenged, only to send his header straight into the hands of Mads Hermansen.
This proved to be as close as either side would come to breaking the deadlock during a deeply disappointing first half in which City had long spells of possession but lacked the creativity or urgency to make the most of this. Meanwhile, Millwall were every bit as physical and disruptive as their fans would have wished and which Maresca must have expected.
The pattern continued after the break, although the visitors, now attacking the end where 2000 fans continued to give them loud backing, finally started to show signs of moving through the gears.
But the decisive moment of the game came just before the hour when Wout Faes lost possession deep inside the Millwall half and the hosts immediately broke up field for Longman to curl an angled drive past Hermansen.
City were rocked by this setback and could have fallen further behind when Obafemi rounded Faes to bear down on goal, but the home striker could only miscue his shot straight to the City keeper.
A spate of late substitutions finally sparked a City onslaught in the closing stages, with Ricardo Pereira finally forcing home keeper Sarkic into a meaningful save and Kelechi Iheanacho seeing a header cleared off the line.
The hosts, though, were able to cling on to the lead and clinch due reward for the greater desire and commitment they had shown during the game.
Despite being able to use TWELVE internationals during the course of this latest defeat, Maresca needs to reflect on why his team was unable to make their extra quality count.
If, as he claimed afterwards, fatigue was a potential factor in the result, he has to take responsibility for not making more of the undoubted strength in depth at his disposal throughout the campaign. In particular, he should consider whether Conor Coady and Marc Albrighton – both influential in the victory at this venue in January – might both have been given roles on this occasion.
However, it is not only Maresca’s use of personnel that deserves to be scrutinised. His unwillingness to switch from a rigid possession-obsessed gameplan which has become far too predictable – and thus far easier to counter – during the second half of the season has exposed a stubborn streak which has brought destructive consequences for several of his recent predecessors.
To the immense fortune of the City boss, his squad, and the Blue Army alike, neither Leeds nor Ipswich were able to fully exploit this setback, with both also failing to find the net in home midweek games against eminently beatable opponents.
Thus, the destiny of the Championship title remains with the Foxes, albeit with rather less security than could – and should – have been the case.
Whether it stays that way, though, depends on the team showing far more mental resilience in the next five games than has often been evident in recent times.
Millwall (4-4-2): Sarkic; Leonard, Cooper, Tanganga, McNamara; Longman (Norton-Cuffy 89), Mitchell, Saville, Honeyman (Esse 51); Flemming (De Norre 90), Obafemi (Bradshaw 76)
Scorer: Longman (58). Booked: Saville, Honeyman.
Leicester (4-2-3-1): Hermansen; Ricardo, Faes, Vestergaard. Doyle (Justin 73); Winks (Daka 86), Ndidi (Praet 73); Akgun (Fatawu 62), Dewsbury-Hall, Mavididi; Vardy (Iheanacho 73).
Booked: Winks.
Referee: Sunny Singh Gill. Attendance: 14 889
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.