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David Nugent’s inevitable goal was sandwiched between strikes from Jamie Vardy and Chris Wood as Championship leaders Leicester comfortably beat Town 3-0 at the King Power Stadium. Vardy opened the scoring in the 19th minute, Nugent added the second on 31 and Wood completed the scoring two minutes before the end.
As expected, Frank Nouble replaced injured top scorer David McGoldrick alongside Daryl Murphy up front, while Dean Gerken returned in goal, despite Scott Loach’s impressive display in last week’s 0-0 draw with Blackpool.
Jay Tabb took over in midfield from Luke Hyam, who is out for a fortnight with the hamstring injury he suffered in the early stages against the Seasiders. For Leicester, Jeff Schlupp replaced the suspended Paul Konchesky at left-back.
There was an early scare for Town, in their red and black away kit, when the wind caught a ball over the top but Tommy Smith got across to dispossess Vardy.
There was another worrying moment in the third minute when Gerken mishandled Luke Chambers’s header back to him but fortunately grabbed hold of the ball before it reached his goal and ahead of Vardy.
The table-topping home side were starting strongly and on four Gerken saved sharply down to his left after Wes Morgan had headed Matty James’s left-sided corner goalwards.
Vardy claimed Smith had felled him as he chased the ball in a promising area in the seventh minute but referee James Linington waved away his protests, the former Fleetwood man having gone to ground very easily.
Cole Skuse mis-hit Town’s first chance of the game wide in the 12th minute after Paul Green had caught James dallying in possession on the edge of his own area. The loose ball fell nicely to the former Bristol City man, who should have gone much closer to netting his first goal for the Blues.
Marcin Wasilewski got his name in referee Linington’s book for a high challenge on Stephen Hunt on 16 then moments later Tabb joined him for a foul on Vardy.
Cresswell forced Kasper Schmeichel into his first serious save of the afternoon on 18, the left-back whipping over a cross-shot which the Danish international tipped beyond the bar.
Vardy had been Leicester’s main danger and in the 19th minute he put his side in front, although with significant help from the Blues. Tabb failed to spot the Leicester striker in behind his defenders and played a backpass towards Gerken which Vardy intercepted and then flicked past the Town keeper from a tight angle on the left.
Twelve minutes later, it was 2-0 and perhaps inevitably David Nugent was the scorer. Chambers tried to divert Ritchie De Laet’s cross from the right behind but only succeeded in returning the ball to the Belgian, who sent it back into the box to Nugent, who gleefully tapped home his 14th goal in 13 games against the Blues and sixth in five for Leicester against Town.
There was little doubt that Leicester had been on top from the off but both goals owed almost everything to woeful Town defending.
Anthony Knockaert went looking for a third, curling a 36th minute freekick just wide, then just before the break Wasilewski flicked James’s cross from the left just over.
As the half moved into injury time, Nugent found Lloyd Dyer breaking down the centre to his right but Aaron Cresswell got across to dispossess the winger.
The end of the half came as a bit of a relief for the Blues who had been shown exactly why Leicester are top of the table and seemingly certain to return to the Premier League come May.
The Foxes had been on top throughout — Skuse’s scuffed shot was Town’s only real chance — but both goals were the result of poor defending. Given the home side’s superiority, a second half Town comeback seemed an unlikely prospect.
Morgan headed a Knockaert corner wide at the far post five minutes after the restart with Leicester starting the second half on the front foot.
On 54 Knockaert shot wide from the right with Cresswell on the ground just off the pitch having hurt himself trying to cut out an earlier Vardy cross. The Blues left-back was OK to return after treatment.
Nouble showed persistence to come close to blocking a Schmeichel kick, then on the hour Smith was unable to keep a header down at the far post after Berra had flicked on a Cresswell freekick from the left. On 61 Paul Anderson replaced Tabb with Green moving into the middle.
Town were looking more of a threat than they had in the first half and in the 61st minute Hunt’s cross from the left eventually fell to Murphy after battling work from Nouble but the Irishman’s scuffed shot failed to test Schmeichel. In the 66th minute Sylvan Ebanks-Blake replaced Nouble.
James shot wide from distance for the Foxes on 68 with the half a more even affair than the first period. Three minutes later, Cresswell dragged a 25-yard freekick well wide when he ought to have done better.
Gerken blocked Schlupp’s shot from a tight angle on the left in the 74th minute after good work from sub Riyad Mahrez prior to Paul Taylor taking over from Hunt.
Ebanks-Blake’s backheel from Anderson’s low ball from the right in the 79th minute was too close to Schmeichel, then the former Forest and Bristol City man couldn’t get away from Schlupp after being sent away by Murphy’s clever flick.
Taylor shot into the side-netting from the left as the game entered its final seven minutes. Town’s nemesis Nugent made way having netted his usual goal soon afterwards, Kevin Phillips taking over up front for the Foxes.
An Ebanks-Blake strike deflected wide on 85, winning Town only their second corner of the afternoon. Taylor flicked on Anderson’s flagkick but neither Ebanks-Blake nor Murphy could divert the ball goalwards.
Wasilewski should have made it 3-0 in the 87th minute but headed James’s cross from the left over from virtually under the bar.
However, the Foxes didn’t have to wait too long for a third goal. James played in sub Chris Wood, who beat the advancing Gerken.
In injury time Taylor curled a 25-yard freekick wide, but there was no way back for the Blues and referee Linington’s final whistle confirmed Town’s heaviest defeat of the season.
While Leicester’s two goals were rather gifted to them by poor defending, the Foxes were much the superior side and a home win never really looked in question from the opening minutes.
Town were better after the break than they had been during the first half, however, the game was all but over by that stage with Wood’s third goal adding a late gloss.
Today’s results see the Blues drop to 10th but still five points from the play-offs with sixth-placed reading losing at home to Blackburn.
After hitting the heights of 6th just after xmas things are slowly going the way of the pear,our games since the New Year including FA Cup read: W2 D5 L4 - clearly not good enough, in fact similar to what we were experiencing under PJ and Keane and Micks win percentage at around 34% has to be said is disappointing but knowing him he'll be accountable by the amount amount of games he's lost. Really is time for Mick to break his defense minded shackles, play a right back, start Taylor up with Murphy, Anderson right Hunt left with Green/Hyam centre with Skuse and see where it takes us for the Birmingham game otherwise we could be seeing the same old bore draw.
I think that Mr McCarthy has done a pretty good job on a limited budget; 18 months ago we looked a certainty to be relegated and now we're only five points off sixth spot.
What is going to kill our chances of the playoffs is not so much results against the likes of Leicester away, but our inability to beat the lower teams consistently both at home and away.
Yes, I agree that some of the selection decisions are baffling.
Yes we played poor today, but playing a good strong team was always going to be difficult. On to next week, hopefully taylor n Anderson in place of tabb n nouble. Had a fairly good season, just need to spread out a little rather then gathering in the middle!!! Stop moaning n support our team...give them some encouragement...
Anyone think the team will be different next week your having a laugh what I don't get is Anderson was playing every week and was poor gets a break from the starting 11 comes back scores gets assists and gets dropped still think we are good enough to compete but tactics and team selection need to Change since beating Donny we've been very poor didn't expect to win today but we set up like we'd already lost which is not good enough
We were frightened to death of Leicester today and it was damage limitation from the off. The biggest gulf in class and ability as ive seen in the division this season and a shame for Smith and particularly Berra who both had decent games but when youve a midfield that cant keep possession for more than a few seconds you are going to be overworked. Glaringly obvious that there were about 4players in this group today who are nowhere near championship quality. Hard to stomach today but thankfully they went easy on us but as at Millwall the sound of a Leicester fan walking passed us at the end saying"theyre the worse side weve had down here this season" doesnt make you feel good.
The gulf in quality & class was very evident to the 1200 or so of us there today. A very poor 1st half, slightly improved in the 2nd but by then the result was in no doubt. We are simply not good enough, midfield just not at the races creatively & were overrun all afternoon. Leicester certainties for promotion, Town light years away.
Its not all about the so called shoestring budget its MM choice of player that he looks for.Richardson because we dont have a natural right full but never plays,Green we think for Turncliffe but has been deployed at right mid at the expense of a winger.Also getting SEB was good but a big gamble as he was injured when he came to us just lucky eddie didnt get his injury sooner. Even if funds are available I have my doubts as to Micks choice of player and the position he asks them to play.Theres nothing wrong with Micks squad small as it is but use them in their rightful place.Our good season is fading fast as predicted by most of us moaners only because Mick has chosen to choke the death out of our games.Mick again I say has steadied our sinking ship but its time to start sailing and give us 2 or 3 months enjoyment at least..
Leicester have proved what you can do in this division with two good strikers. I really didn't think they looked much better than us (apart from their obvious confidence) anywhere else on the pitch except the final third. We have proved that an ok team can make top ten with one striker, they have proved an ok team can win the league with two. Positives today? SEB showed quality when he came on, we keep him and McGoldrick, then next season we are the ok team with two good strikers.
I will add my thoughts as been boiling for a while now. Why why why go to a place like Leicester and play boring, negative football? We are going to lose whatever but at least go for it for crying our loud, at least make them work for a result. We are playing players in wrong positions all over pitch, just to keep getting the favourites in. For crying out loud we have 4 proper right backs at club and we continue to play a slow centre half there. I think was very unfair on loach not to keep his place. We then have 4 centre midfielders playing, no width no pace no creativity. Then don't get me started on Nouble I am better than him. I'm sorry but if I were Paul Taylor I would do my nut being behind someone so poor. We just play not to lose rather than play to win which is a big difference. I have had season ticket for many years but will not be renewing as I love football not hoofball spoiling game. It is dinosaur football and you can't progress playing this way. Get some pace some creativity and play football the way it should be played on the floor. Rant over
I dont know whats worse, Micks tactics or the same people on here giving the minus when people point out the FACTS that Mick plays players out of position, is blind when it comes to Tabb and Nouble and plays for a draw every single game. I can only assume they are blind
just seen the highlights on the football league show, suprise, suprise, because we got beaten by the league leaders we're second on instead of last!!! Tabb's back pass was woefull, It's just a huge shame he cant weight a ball in to one of our strikers, up the other end of the pitch like that. That would be really decent service. It's good Mick isn't one for slagging off his players in public, but how he can say Tabb is great or has been great is beyond me
just seen the highlights on the football league show, suprise, suprise, because we got beaten by the league leaders we're second on instead of last!!! Tabb's back pass was woefull, It's just a huge shame he cant weight a ball in to one of our strikers, up the other end of the pitch like that. That would be really decent service. It's good Mick isn't one for slagging off his players in public, but how he can say Tabb is great or has been great is beyond me
Wasn't expecting anything today but at least Reading lost, in the grand scheme of things we are still only 5 points back. Could still see someone dragging Reading back and taking sixth, I doubt it will be us unfortunately but at least we are still in the mix. I think that was all of our hopes this season, just to be involved for once. The season is not over, lets hope we can at least keep it interesting and finish in the top 10.
You can all moan all you like on here, I for one moaned when Mick was appointed, don't get me wrong I like the guy, he stopped us going down and galvanised the sides ability to defend. He has had virtually no money to spend and our squad is threadbare and small and lacking in creativity. Considering the tools he has been given to do the job with, he's done well it was only a few weeks ago some of you were talking play-offs on here.
The club needs time and investment to get back to being serious promotion contenders, but as we have seen all too many times money isn't always the answer. However we can't attract players because our wages are low and our academy is not yet producing what we need. The only certain outcome is that we will be a Championship side for several years to come yet, we may not have the ideal manager, the tactics or the players yet but to be fair to Mick it isn't all his fault.
I wish people would stop banging on about spending no money and the size of the squad. What has that got to do with the fact that we have a defensive minded central midfielder and a centre half occupying our right hand side when we have 2 right backs out on loan, another one on loan and 2 right wingers sat on the bench? Its what he does with the players he has, where he plays them and who he plays thats the problem!
the beat- you are absolutely correct. The problem is with MM- not the players. And who knows what instructions he gives them???? You only have to luck at Man U to see what difference a manager can make...
Just read all the comments.seems that nearly everyone on hear is of the same opinion.We all know that MM is working on a shoestring budget and has worked wonders to assemble the squad that he has for next to no money.What baffles me is he goes on about competition for places but when people do well ie Loach,Taylor,Anderson he just reverts back to his so called favourites.He says if you impress me in training you will get a chance.If I was one of the above mentioned I would think why bother!!
i think at present mick is the man to do the buisness for us, how ever he is going down the same route as keene and jewel is and its becoming evident of roughly the same time frame for being in the managment of the team.
if you all remember what was big mick first comment when he arrived, " why do we have a winger as a rightback, carlos is never a right back, you need round pegs in round holes for a balanced team" or it went some thing like that.
but as previoulsy said about a million times, we have a center half as a right back we have center defensive midfielders as wingers and a stiker who pretends to be a striker, so weres the balanced team there then BIG MIck.
if we dont have players for them postions through injuray ect fine we all accept that dont we, we do, for me hewitt always played better at RB than chambers has, he had the best partnership in smith and chambo, but broke it up with berra and hewitt got tossed aside, and thats one major week part of out team, because if cressy gets marked out of the game and hunt we are buggered on the creative front. because we have nothing down our right at all,
just dont get me started on micks rent boy or love child or the best shoe polisher going, he must be banging in some messi style goals in training because god he is awfull as a hole on a sat afternoon.
we all know taylor should be starting and deep down mick does aswell because if he cant see that then he defo lost the plot, if we had didsy and seb on fire upfront then fine but ummmmmmmmm we dont, we dont have that luxuary.
if i was mick, put your best balanced team out available and go out and attack teams from the off, lets play how we did against qpr , i know we lost but we went down all guns blazing, not abbanoded ship just because a shell has knocked the mizin sail off.
MM has got a small squad ??BUT if he used the players he has in there right positions and to there ability he might start to get the results !!! and stop playing favourites if they are not on form ???? He has got the right tools in the tool box but insist on using the wrong tools ????
Some Wolves fans will say that he kept playing his favourites when they were not on form there,, and that lead to his downfall at Wolverhampton
Good post Hogster but sorry I cannot agree with your first line, Mick is not the man to do the business for us. What we need is a young thrusting type of Manager who has sufficient intelligence to sort this awful mess out.
Yes from the outset we looked nervous and jittery at the back , a keeper who fumbles like that gives the rest of the defence no confidence The two goals in first half would have been poor to concede at U14 level Agree with all posts - I am not anti MM and have said what a great job he did to get us from bottom to 6th in 15 months - what was evident yesterday was the complete lack of confidence in the team - we were so nervous - I think by the pace of the opposition Strangely Dyer didnt fire - he usually does against us - and Berra starting at RB may have been the reason - much quicker than Chambers Even so Leicester are a good side - play with width , pace , some good running off the ball and two good centre backs and attacking full backs If you go in cautious you get beaten - first half was as one sided as you could imagine - strangely without Leicester having to be brilliant Shame but I think we seem to realise with DM we have no quality up front And finally please , please leave FN on the bench , I try to see something in him but him and Murphy up top is laughable - there were times when they were both out on the left wing in the first half . Whilst Leicester took foot off gas in second as soon as Taylor comes on he played a great cross field ball - FORWARD AND INTO THEIR BOX !! Note to our midfielders - you can pass forward guys Gotta beat Birmingham But lets just focus in finishing top 10 no talk of play offs please today we saw the gulf in class and we need more time - Pearson has shown other teams how to do it and has not spend millions in the process
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