CITY 0 SUNDERLAND 0
Report by Eddie Blount
It was 27 years ago that Leicester last went 4 games without scoring a goal but after yesterday’s game 5 we have to go back apparently to 1981! And from what a full house at the King Power saw against fellow relegation favourites, Sunderland, the run is not likely to end any time soon.
Having said that this was a much better game than the sterile contest against West Brom when both sides packed central midfield and rarely penetrated to their opponent’s final third. Pearson made the change in formation that supporters have been shouting for, bringing back Mahrez and Schlupp to give the side some width going forward and the fullbacks some protection when defending. Frankly I would far sooner lose 4-3 than 1-0.
At least in this game there was some goalmouth action at both ends but neither side packed any punch when it mattered and a goalless draw was predictable long before the end. A point each was a fair result but Sunderland will feel much happier than us given their recent form on the road.
They may feel an entitlement to all three points given a 60-40 possession stat in their favour! This is easily explained by City’s constant inability to keep the ball. Time and time again we gave the ball away virtually as soon as we regained possession, the highlight being a clearance from de Laet which cleared the stadium roof and headed off in an easterly direction.
The explanation was simple – Sunderland pressed as soon as they lost the ball, we ran away from the man in possession leaving him isolated, he lacked the confidence, Cambiasso excepted, to create space for himself and finished up hoofing a long ball forward which was promptly returned with interest. I felt particularly sorry for Konchesky whose growing sense of panic when frequently closed down by a pack of Black Cats was painful to behold.
City’s best spell came in the opening 15 minutes and Schlupp should have done better than to find the side netting when played in at an angle down the left by Mahrez. A top Premier League striker would have put it away but it’s a big ask for a youngster who was not even an established Championship player last season.
The remainder of the half belonged to the visitors without them ever being dominant. Schmeichel made two crucial saves, the first when a quick one-two put Fletcher clear for the best opportunity of the match only to place his effort too close to the advancing City keeper and the second a wonderful under-rated save from a long-range Johnson effort. The ball bounced awkwardly in front of the keeper who expertly deflected it round the post for a fruitless corner, one of nine won by Sunderland.
Some of the corner routines by the visitors were original but nonetheless unproductive. The thought occurred that when a team loses 8-0 it might spend more time on the basics than on fripperies but that’s their business, I suppose.
The second half was probably just shaded by the home team as the better chances fell our way. James twice burst through brilliantly from midfield but his finishing was inadequate on both occasions though he did manage to work the keeper. Inevitably Mahrez was the central figure in the other two incidents. First twisting and turning in the box he came in on the same angle as Schlupp earlier but from the right and also hit the side netting when he should have done much better.
The only talking point on Match of the Day was the denial of a penalty to City when Mahrez fell in the box under a challenge from Reveillere late on. The challenge was from behind but of the feeble variety and as Mahrez went down very easily he failed to convince the referee that it was a worth the ultimate sanction, though as he failed to book Mahrez for simulation there was a degree of inconsistency involved.
At this stage of the season it’s clear that the challenge of Premiership football is more severe than the City management envisaged. We have a chance against the top sides who think they can turn us over and come with attacking intent, leaving them vulnerable to our counter-attacks, but the less glamourous clubs are much more hard-nosed and give us nothing. They have learned how to give themselves a chance of survival and their physicality is something we simply cannot match.
It hasn’t helped that Pearson chops and changes the formation in a vain effort to make us competitive. We have now played home games against three sides who will be at the wrong end of the table come April/May and we have not taken three points in any of them. It simply does not augur well
City: Schmeichel, de Laet, Wasilewski, Morgan, Konchesky, Mahrez, Cambiasso, James, Schlupp (Knockaert 79), Vardy (Nugent 72), Ulloa (Wood 88)
Sunderland: Pantilimon,Vergini, O’Shea, Brown, Reveillere, Larsson (Bridcutt75), Cattermole, Jordi Gomez (Buckley 86), Johnson, Fletcher, Wickham
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