BRIGHTON 3 LEICESTER CITY 1
Report by Paul Weston
City started this game still in top spot despite the poor performance and defeat against Sheffield Wednesday in mid-week. Brighton also had had a poor performance at home and so I looked forward to a close fought match against a Brighton side who play an attractive passing game. Was the Sheffield Wednesday match to be just a blip in our good form or was it to be the start of our usual tail spin from the top after Christmas?
Hammond was somewhat surprisingly selected and, equally surprisingly the defence remained the same. Knockhaert was on the bench. City played in their drab away kit which I think looks like it has been made from old curtains!
The match started with an early shot from Drinkwater, well saved by the Brighton goalie. However Brighton got their passing going, City were second to the ball in tackles and moves were breaking down before we could get into the penalty area. Nugent and Vardy had to feed off scraps with no success. Dyer was not able to get the ball often enough but looked dangerous when he could get the ball.
Brighton were sending long diagonal balls to each flank and both Wasilewski and Konchesky were struggling. Wasilewski got booked very early on for a mistimed tackle and I feared that we could end up with ten men.
The first Brighton goal was totally avoidable. A poor goal kick from Schmeichel went straight to the Brighton midfield. In two passes the ball was fed to the right. Konchesky and Morgan were hesitant and the low cross was slotted in by Barnes.
This jolted City but gradually they started to get passing to each other but were creating little close to the Brighton goal.
The second Brighton goal was also avoidable. Drinkwater lost the ball in possession and, with little cover, a long pass caught out Wasilewski and Conway scored well. The first half ended with City 2-0 down and looking like they were not up for the fight.
” Rubbish” would be an appropriate word for their performance. In fact City’s lack lustre play matched the drab kit colour!
Knockhaert was brought on for Hammond at the start of the second half and he injected some quality and urgency into the side. His well flighted free kick found the head of King who had ghosted around the back and his stupendous header went unerringly into the net. Suddenly City upped their game and Brighton started to funnel back. The home fans were anxious for the first time.
Pearson then went for broke and brought on Woods and Taylor-Fletcher for Nugent and Dyer. City at last started to play as we know they can. Taylor-Fletcher had a reflex header tipped over and King’s shot through a crowded penalty area was well saved.
However, in pushing forward we always looked vulnerable to being caught on the break and so it proved. City lost possession in attack. Brighton broke down their right and crossed the ball. Wasilewski mis-timed his header and the ball went over him to Barnes with Morgan behind him in the penalty area. Morgan had got away with a push on Upson in the first half but this time the referee spotted the slight push and awarded a soft penalty. Barnes scored to make it 3-1 although Schmeichel was quite close to saving it with his legs.
City huffed and puffed after that, changing to three at the back and pushing Morgan forward. However, it was fairly desperate play and ultimately futile after such a poor performance in the first half. The match ended 3-1 with Brighton the deserved winners and the better team had won on the day.
We now have an absolutely critical week coming up with matches against Burnley and QPR where we could accrue points against our current rivals. We also have the attraction (or distraction?) of a Cup match against Manchester City. This will test the character and quality of our squad. No-one in the side, including substitutes, can be very proud of their performance on Saturday and Nigel Pearson has a real dilemma on how to arrest this mini- slump and whom to select for the next match.
All of a sudden there have appeared frailties in our attack, midfield and defence and we have shown a lack of drive in our last two games right from the start. So come on City – get back on the winning trail and give me the best possible Christmas present!
Leicester: Schmeichel, Wasilewski, Morgan, Miquel, Konchesky, Hammond (Knockaert 46), Drinkwater, Vardy, King, Dyer (Wood 64), Nugent (Taylor-Fletcher 64). Subs not used: James, Schlupp, Moore, Logan
Brighton: Brezovan, Saltor, Greer (El-Abd 18), Upson, Ward, Bridcutt, Ince, Lopez (LuaLua 74), Crofts, Conway, Barnes. Subs not used: Andrews, Agustien, Calderon, Walton, Lita
Attendance: 27,497 Referee: Robert Madley
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