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Leicester - Expected Line-Ups 13 August 2016

Reports during pre-season on expected 1st team Line-Ups for clubs in the English Premier League
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FootballWriter2
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Leicester - Expected Line-Ups 13 August 2016

Post by FootballWriter2 »

Last Season Stats

The defending Premier League Champions despite at one point being 5,000-1 outsiders for the Premier League title after escaping relegation the previous season despite being bottom at Christmas (and winning the Championship the season before) with a new manager in place for the start of the season and a squad valued at about 22.5 million pounds. I know the pound is on rocky ground at the moment but even then that would still have only bought you the left half of Raheem Sterling. So you would think they are going to struggle to survive in the Premier league. Fast forward 12 months and we are still talking about one of the best underdog winning stories to have ever happened. Last season Leicester won the title accumulating 81 points by winning 23 games, scoring 68 goals and losing only 3 games.

Manager

Many of the plaudits of the successful season have to go to the manager Claudio Ranieri. But at this time last year the pundits especially didn’t think it was the greatest appointment after the sacking of Nigel Pearson. But the experienced international ex-Chelsea boss seemed to have a point to prove about Managing again in the Premier league. As with his original stint with Chelsea he likes to keep the formation simple for his players usually adopting a 4-4-2 approach. But within that he demands players work hard for each other, press the opposition and quickly counter attack when possible. Tactically aware and a manager whose players seem to warm to him it’s easy to see why Claudio Ranieri was a success last season.

Defence

Firstly, the goal keepers.

Kasper Schmeichel – The big Danish number 1 will be looking to replicate last season. Definite first choice again this season. Last season he made 40 appearances for the club keeping 15 clean sheets in the Premier league.

Ron-Robert Zieler – The German international player signed from Hannover this summer will be looking to add some competition for Kasper Schmeichel this season. Last season at Hannover he made 36 appearances.

The Defenders include.

Ben Chilwell – The young English full back has been the subject of much transfer speculation this summer. But he has now signed a new contract until 2021. The England youth international will be looking for more first team chances this season.

Wes Morgan – The club Captain and ever present within the team last season will look to continue the defensive solidarity that saw Leicester only lose 3 games last season. Playing at centre back with either Robert Huth or Marcin Wasileski he was still a dominant force. Last season he played in 38 games scoring 2 goals.

Robert Huth – Suspended for first 3 games of the season. A rock in last season’s title charge.

Jeff Schlupp – The experienced and quick Ghanaian fullback come midfielder and last season’s young player of the season for the second year running. Last season he played in 26 games scoring 1 goal.

Danny Simpson – The English fullback and ex Manchester united youth player came in to shore up the defensive unit after a 5-2 defeat to Arsenal last season and never looked back. Is seen as a more defensive option than Ritchie de Laet. Last season he made 32 appearances.

Christain Fuchs – The versatile defender and Austrian national team captain will look to continue the form that saw Leicester only beaten 3 times in the Premier league. Last season he made a total of 34 appearances.

Ritchie de Laet – The Belgian international full back made a quick start to life in the Premier League last season. However, after a 5-2 defeat to Arsenal the full back was loaned to Middlesbrough for the remainder of the season. His future would appear to be still unclear at this point. He made 15 appearances for the team but 6 of those came as a substitute. He also made 10 appearances for Middlesbrough as part of their promotion push to the premier league.

Marcin Wasileski – The former Polish international defender will probably get his chance in the team at the start of the season again due to the suspension of Robert Huth. But usually he is back up to either Wes Morgan or Robert Huth. Last season he made 9 appearances and scored 1 goal.

Yohan Benalouane – The Tunisian defender was on loan at Fiorentina at the tail end of last season and it’s possible he could make the move permanent in the coming season.

Luis Hernandez – The experienced Spanish central defender will be looking to try and break into the first team this season. Last season with Sporting Gijon he made 37 appearances.

Midfielders

Danny Drinkwater – The experienced midfielder was a mainstay at the heart of the midfield for the team last season. He played in 37 games scoring 2 goals.

Riyad Mahrez – The versatile Algerian international attacking midfielder and winger was an inspiration in midfield last year. He is the first African to win the PFA players’ Player of the Year award and the first Algerian to win the Premier League. Instrumental in so many good things for Leicester last season and was a must for any Fantasy Football manager last season who wanted to do well . He played in 39 games, scoring 18 goals and providing 11 assists in the premier league.

Marc Albrighton – The experienced winger was part of the midfield four for the majority of the season. An unselfish team player he made 42 appearances last season scoring 2 goals.

Andy King – The 1 club man and Welsh international central midfield player will be looking for more opportunities in the starting lineup this year with the absence of N’Golo Kante. Last season he made 29 appearances scoring 3 goals.

Demarai Gray – The pacey winger will be looking for more first team game time this season. Last season he made 14 appearances after a January transfer from Birmingham City where he had made 26 appearances scoring 1 goal.

Gokhan Inler – The experienced Swiss midfielder found appearances hard to come by last season only managing a total of 10 appearances for the club.

Daniel Amartey – The versatile Ghanaian international can play in either defence or midfield. A January signing from FC Copenhagen he’ll be looking to make his mark on the team this year.

Nampalys Mendy – The experienced French defensive midfielder signed from Nice this Summer for 13 million pounds looks like a direct replacement for Chelsea bound N’Golo Kante. Last season he played 40 times for Nice scoring 1 goal.

Bartosz Kapustka – The Polish international winger signed from Cracovia is still waiting for clearance to be allowed to play in the Premier League. I don’t think he’ll be quite ready to start the season. He made 35 appearances last season scoring 5 goals.

Forwards

Jamie Vardy – The striker played a major part in Leicester's march to the title last season. A traditional poacher in the box, Jamie Vardy last season scored 24 goals in the Premier league equal second place with Sergio Aguero and only beaten by Harry Kane by 1 goal for the race for the golden boot. With the FWA footballer of the year and Premier League player of the season in the bag Jamie Vardy also holds the record for scoring in consecutive Premier league games with a goal against Manchester United to beat Ruud Van Nistelrooys previous record of 10 games.

Shinji Okazaki – The diminutive Japanese international forward is the second Japanese player to win the Premier League after Shinji Kagawa. Last season he was the main partner up front for Jamie Vardy. He played 39 games scoring 6 goals.

Leonardo Ulloa – The Argentinian striker was back up to Jamie Vardy and Shinji Okazaki last season. I am sure he will be trying to get into the starting lineup this year. However last season he did still play 33 games scoring 6 goals.

Ahmed Musa – The small Nigerian International Forward was bought from CSKA Moscow for a club record 16.6 million pounds in July. Last season with CSKA Moscow he played in 40 games scoring 17 goals. He will be looking to add competition for a place alongside Jamie Vardy this season.

Expected Line-ups

Given the need for a larger squad due to departures and playing in the Champions League this season I would expect more new arrivals before the transfer windows closes. I would expect a team similar to the below to start the season (Possible alternative player marked in brackets):

4-4-2 formation:

Goal Keeper: Kasper Schmeichel

Defence: Danny Simpson, Wes Morgan, Marcin Wasileski (Luis Hernandez), Christian Fuchs

Midfield: Riyad Mahrez, Danny Drinkwater, Nampalys Mendy (Andy King), Marc Albrighton (Demarai Gray)

Forward: Jamie Vardy, Shinji Okazaki (Ahmed Musa)

It’s pretty much business as usual. At the back, suspension for Robert Huth means that Marcin Wasileski will get a chance to start the season alongside Wes Morgan in the heart of the defence. In midfield with the departure of N’Golo Kante it looks like Leicester have a readymade replacement in new signing Nampalys Mendy who has been likened in playing style to Claude Makelele. It should be between him and Leicester ever present Andy King. Upfront it will just be a question who is on form and compliments Jamie Vardy the best. Last season that was Shinji Okazaki but new record signing Ahmed Musa may challenge for that starting spot.

Summary

Leicester produced the sporting shock of this or any century last year having been one of the favourites for relegation in a league dominated by money where the richer get richer. What will this season hold? Not many can confidently predict because we are in uncharted territory. In the end they were deserved champions but there will be greater expectations this season and everyone will know what to expect from them. With the rigours of Champions League football will they cope and stay clear of injuries as they did for the most part last season? As they proved last season they have good players and some of the same old names fantasy managers should look out for if they can recapture the form of last season. Namely Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and Christain Fuchs. But of the new signings Nampalys Mendy and Ahmed Musa, if he starts with Jamie Vardy, upfront will be the ones to look out for. Sunday's Community Shield match against Man Utd will also provide a guide to their team and chances this season.

Preseason matches:

19 July: Oxford United 1-2 Leicester City (Oxford). Goals: Gray, Schlupp
23 July: Celtic 1-1 Leicester, Leicester win 6-5 on pens (Celtic Park). Goal: Mahrez
30 July: Leicester City 0-4 Paris St-Germain (USA)
3 August: Barcelona 4-2 Leicester City (Sweden). Goals: Musa 2

1st 10 EPL matches:

Hull V Leicester
Sat 13 Aug 12:30
Leicester V Arsenal
Sat 20 Aug 17:30
Leicester V Swansea
Sat 27 Aug 15:00
Liverpool V Leicester
Sat 10 Sep 17:30
Leicester V Burnley
Sat 17 Sep 15:00
Man Utd V Leicester
Sat 24 Sep 12:30
Leicester V Southampton
Sat 1 Oct 15:00
Chelsea V Leicester
Sat 15 Oct 15:00
Leicester V Crystal Palace
Sat 22 Oct 15:00
Tottenham V Leicester
Sat 29 Oct 15:00

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Bob Newhart
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Re: Leicester - Expected Line-Ups 13 August 2016

Post by Bob Newhart »

Forward: Jamie Vardy, Ahmed Musa (Shinji Okazaki) surely?

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Re: Leicester - Expected Line-Ups 13 August 2016

Post by Beerfuelledman »

I imagine its a morale thing, introducing 'new' players into the title winning team slowly. I expect Musa to come on for Okazaki and when proving he has what it takes start to edge him out quite quickly, after 3/4 games. Similarly, I expect Kapustka to do the same to Albrighton.

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Re: Leicester - Expected Line-Ups 13 August 2016

Post by admin »

Vardy looked a yard quicker than the defenders and finished clinically in the charity shield against Manchester United. Okazaki played well but his half time replacement Musa showed a lot more pace in tandem with Vardy. Drinkwater had a good game in midfield.

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Re: Leicester - Expected Line-Ups 13 August 2016

Post by admin »

So based on the above and comments on SkySports, I think the line-up today for the early kick-off away to Hull could be:

Goal Keeper: Kasper Schmeichel

Defence: Danny Simpson, Wes Morgan, Wasileski or Hernandez (but just for 1 match until Huth returns), Christian Fuchs

Midfield: Riyad Mahrez, Danny Drinkwater, Mendy or King, Marc Albrighton (Demarai Gray)

Forward: Jamie Vardy, Shinji Okazaki (Ahmed Musa)

Yet again, no injuries for Leicester! It was commentated on last season how few injuries they had (partly down to their training regime) which meant the 1st team wasn't changed very much during the season, although with CL it will be more arduous for them. The main options are noted above and expect those in brackets to come on in the 2nd half. Vardy (who shunned a move to Arsenal to the fans delight) and Mahrez (is he thinking of a move to Arsenal and could this be a distraction?) the most likely for attacking points. Big season needed from Drinkwater to keep things together in midfield.

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Re: Leicester - Expected Line-Ups 13 August 2016

Post by admin »

Musa preferred to Okazaki and Gray to Albrighton today:

K Schmeichel, C Fuchs yellow card, W Morgan, D Simpson yellow card (L Ulloa, 83), L Hernandez, A King (D Amartey, 68), D Drinkwater, D Gray (S Okazaki, 68), J Vardy, R Mahrez, A Musa

Subs not used: M Albrighton, B Kapustka, B Chilwell, R Zieler

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Re: Leicester - Expected Line-Ups 13 August 2016

Post by admin »

Again no injuries at all.

Huth to return in place of Hernandez. I think Ranieri should have started with Okazaki last Saturday so maybe he will rectify that against Arsenal this weekend. Musa looks very quick so will be play some part.

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