Ask Foxblogger: Part One

Fleckneymike asks; “Are there any 'opta' style stats available for midfield? I would like to know statistically how poor Andy King is.”

Unfortunately there are no freely available opta style statistics on individual League One players. Below are all the statistics on Andy King I have been able to gather. I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions.


Name: Andy King
Date of Birth: 29/10/1988
Height: 6' 0" (183cm)
Weight: 11st 10lbs (74.45kg)

Season 2008/09
Appearances: 8 (1)
Goals: 1
Shots: 17
On Target: 10
Hit Woodwork: 1
Assists: 1
Fouls: 3
Yellow Cards: 0
Red Cards: 0

Match Preview: Colchester United

Leicester travel to the Colchester Community Stadium knowing victory will put them top of League One. It will require the Foxes’ third successive league victory, a feat not achieved since February 2007. Colchester are under the caretaker management of Kit Symons following the departure of Geraint Williams. The new U’s boss will be hoping to improve on their mediocre start to the season.

Previous Meetings
Both matches between Leicester and Colchester last season finished one apiece. Collins John gave City the lead in front of the Sky cameras at Layer Road before the Foxes were pegged back. Ian Hume salvaged a point for City in the 89th minute in the sides’ last meeting at the Walkers Stadium.

All four meetings between these two sides have ended honours even. For symmetry fans, Colchester have now gone four games without a draw.

Reasons To Be Confident
Colchester have yet to win a competitive fixture at their new home. The U’s have managed just two draws and a defeat, scoring two and conceding five. In contrast, Leicester have yet to taste defeat on the road, scoring seven and conceding just one in the process.

Before Friday night’s 4-3 victory at Tranmere, Colchester were on a run of three consecutive defeats, the third of which was a 3-0 spanking at home to MK Dons. The win on Merseyside suggested at least a few of the players were cheating their manager, but caretaker revolutions, as Leicester fans known all too well, are often fleeting.

Leicester have picked up the useful habit of winning despite themselves. Matty Fryatt continues to score despite clearly lacking qualities such as touch, pace and finishing. In the last post it was asked when Leicester were going to be found out in League One, what is just as plausible at this point is whether “when” is the correct word at all, but rather “if”.

Reasons To Be Worried
Of the 12 midweek games played in 2007/08, Leicester won only two. The Foxes lost six games under the midweek floodlights.

Leicester allowed far more pressure from Leyton Orient than was healthy in their last away game. Orient managed to force 10 corners and 12 attempts on goal.

This will be the Foxes fourth game in 11 days. Colchester have played a game less in this period and due to facing Tranmere last Friday, enjoyed an extra day to prepare for this fixture. Fitness towards the end of the game could prove a factor.

On This Day
18,435 were at Carrow Road on this day in 1995 to witness the first league goal of Emile Heskey. Bruno’s 90th minute strike meant to Foxes snatched all three points at Norwich City in a 1-0 win. The victory put Mark McGhee’s men three points clear at the top of Division One.

Their start that season;
P10 W6 D2 L2 F16 A11 Pts 20

Selected Odds
Colchester – 2/1 (totesport)
Draw – 12/5 (Corral)
Leicester – 7/5 (Bet365)

Match Review: Leicester City 1-0 Hartlepool Utd

Successive league wins have partially removed the bitter taste of the Milwall defeat, but the mood around the Walkers Stadium is still one of concern. Many Foxes fans remain dubious after another unconvincing win, even though another victory on Tuesday at Colchester will see Leicester return to the top of League One.

Yet the question remains, how long will it be before Leicester are found out? City seem to be doing just enough at present, but it remains to be seen if this level of performance will be sufficient to ensure City’s stay in League One is as short as possible.

Here are some numbers…

16 – The number of attempts on goal from Hartlepool yesterday, the highest total of any team playing Leicester so far this season. Whilst Leicester continue to create chances, the number of opportunities they afford the opposition is increasing. In the first three league matches of the season the Foxes allowed three, six and four attempts from their respective opponents. In Leicester’s last three league matches the opposition have forced six, 13 and 16 attempts of goal. Perhaps City’s remarkable defensive record is no longer due to solid defending, but woeful finishing.

13 – Leicester’s goals for tally is the lowest of top five. City are only the 9th most prolific side in the division. Oldham and Bristol Rovers are League One’s top scorers with 19. This statistic itself should be too concerning. Historically it is the teams with the strongest defences, not most firepower, who beat the other promotion contenders into second place.

5 – The number of league games this season in which Leicester have scored the first goal. They have a 100% record when they take the lead.

Match Preview: Hartlepool Utd

“These boys are Championship players, if not some of them Premier League players” – Danny Wilson

Wilson would do well not to remind his players of these words before Saturday. The Hartlepool boss will have undoubtedly studied Leicester’s defeat to Millwall and seen the all too obvious lack of strength in the side. The question is, are Hartlepool strong enough?

Previous Meetings
The JPT Northern Section 1st Round encounter in which the Foxes ran out 3-0 winners has thus far been the only competitive meeting between the two sides. That night Hartlepool created more chances, but failed to make any of them count.

Whilst Leicester were busy reaping the rewards of that win in midweek by boring everyone to death at home to Lincoln, Hartlepool were being dumped out of the Carling Cup by Leeds.

Reasons To Be Confident
Hartlepool have picked up a rather worrying habit of conceding late goals. Their defeat to Leeds in midweek came as a result of a 90th minute strike from Andy Robinson. It was the sixth time this season the ‘Pool have conceded in the final five minutes. We could see another City late show.

Hartlepool have yet to beat a team in the top half of League One this season.

Hartlepool have scored just two goals away from home in League One this season. Both goals came in a two minute spell during the 2-1 victory over Peterborough.

Reasons To Be Worried
Hartlepool have found their scoring boots in recent weeks. The Monkey Hangers have knocked in seven goals in their last two league games. They’ve been pretty accurate too, with 60% of attempts on goal working the keeper. James Brown in particular deserves a fair amount of credit for these statistics. Brown has hit 15 shots on target this season whilst only striking 8 wide.

The goals dry up in away games for Hartlepool at both ends. ‘Pool have conceded only four away from home this season. The Hartlepool team bus may well be parked in front of goal at the Walkers. It will be up to City to break Hartlepool down.

Leicester managed to scrape a victory at Brisbane Road last week despite a poor performance. Whilst it’s often said that strong sides win even when they play badly, Leicester haven’t put together a good performance since August. Leicester fans need some reassuring.

On This Day
Leicester raced into a two goal half-time lead at QPR in 2004, only for the travelling Foxes faithful to watch in horror as City threw the advantage away and a last-minute strike from Paul Furlong ensured Leicester left Loftus Road with nothing. The 3-2 reverse was the straw that probably broke the back of the Micky Adams era at the Walkers Stadium. Three games later, he quit.

Selected Odds
Leicester – 8/13 (totesport)
Draw – 14/5 (Bet365)
Hartlepool – 11/2 (Bet365)

Match Review: Leicester City 0-0 Lincoln City (Leicester win 3-1 on penalties)

Leicester needed penalties to see off Lincoln, and looking again at the video it’s clear the players care little about progress in this competition. The Foxes are now in the last 16 of the JPT, or the Quarter-Finals of the Northern Section of the draw. Even that statement is enough to make eyes roll.

So when will all this be over? Before the Hartlepool game Foxblogger looked at the final league positions of finalists in the JPT. For comparison, here are the exit points in the JPT for the eight sides automatically promoted from League One in the last four seasons.

2004/05
Luton Town – Southern Section 1st Round
Hull City – Northern Section 1st Round

2005/06
Southend Utd – Southern Section 1st Round
Colchester Utd – Southern Section Final

2006/07
Scunthorpe Utd – Northern Section 2nd Round
Bristol City – Southern Section Final

2007/08
Swansea City – Southern Section Final
Nottingham Forrest – Northern Section 1st Round

Make of that what you will.

Match Preview: Lincoln City (Johnstone’s Paint Trophy 2nd Round)

With Leicester suspecting international call-ups would lead to the cancellation of this fixture in two weeks time, both clubs agreed to move the match forward. Opinion on the JPT is still evenly divided, but those who do visit the Walkers Stadium (which will have only one stand open) will expect a win.

Previous Meetings
The Foxes haven’t played Lincoln City in a league encounter for over 50 years. In ‘recent’ years meetings between the two sides have been restricted to cup matches, the last of which being a League Cup tie in 1982 which the Imps won 3-0 on aggregate. Indeed, Leicester haven’t scored against Lincoln since 1975.

The overall record is Leicester City 32 wins, Lincoln City 21 wins and five matches have been drawn.

Reasons To Be Confident
Not so long ago Lincoln City used to flirt with promotion on a regular basis. The Imps reached the play-offs for five successive seasons between 2002/03 and 2006/07 but failed on each occasion to gain promotion. These days they still threaten to exit League Two but in precisely the opposite direction. Lincoln’s start this season has shown little to encourage the faithful, they’ve managed just five points from their opening seven games. Lincoln’s only win came against Barnet, a side conspiring to relegate themselves too having gained just one point.

Lincoln have managed just six goals in the League this season, the 3rd lowest total in League Two. They’ve scored first in only two on their opening seven matches.

Lincoln have won just one point away from Sincil Bank this season. Put simply, home bankers don’t come any more secure than this.

Reasons To Be Worried
Despite Nigel Pearson’s protestations to the contrary, Leicester’s commitment to this competition remains a doubt. Momentum is one thing, but risking injury is another. Expect to see some underused players alongside just enough regulars to appease the Football League.

Lincoln City haven’t won a Football League Trophy match since 2003. They’ve exited the competition after their first match in each of the last four seasons. This really should be in ‘Reasons To Be Confident’ but all sequences must end…

They’re really aren’t enough viable reasons to worry here. If City can’t beat this bunch something has gone very seriously wrong. Leicester don’t handle pressure that well though, do they?

On This Day
Leicester travelled to White Hart Lane in 1996 to play Spurs in front on the Sky Sports cameras. A headed winner from Ian Marshall made it a Super Sunday for the Foxes, as they recorded only their second ever away win the Premier League. It was also the match in which Steve Walsh decided never to take penalties again after a rotten spot-kick meant City almost had to settle for a point. Tottenham Hotspur 1-2 Leicester City.

Selected Odds
Leicester – 4/9 (William Hill)
Draw – 3/1 (William Hill)
Lincoln – 7/1 (Bet365)

Match Review: Leyton Orient 1-3 Leicester City

It wasn’t quite smash and grab, but Leicester were unconvincing for long periods at Brisbane Road. Matty Fryatt earned another stay of execution after slotting in his 7th goal of the season. His frailties are obvious to every City fan, but it’s impossible to replace a striker who consistently finds the net, especially when the only other option is DJ Campbell.

Here are some numbers…

9 – The number of games City had gone without a win in the capital. Leicester had managed just two draws and seven defeats in London since Stephen Hughes gave the Foxes a 1-0 victory at Millwall in March 2006. The late show at Orient put that record to bed.

4 – The number of goals Leicester have scored in the last five minutes of games this season. It is their most productive time of the match. In 2008/09 39% of Leicester’s goals have come in the last 15 minutes. Last season City scored 26% of their goals in the final 15 minutes.

100 – Leicester still have a 100% record in League One…against teams in the bottom half. It’s important that Leicester continue to take a sizeable points tally in these games. For comparison, here are how last season’s promoted sides fared by this measure.

Swansea City
P24 W16 D5 L3 F52 A24 Pts53 (Season points total: 92)

Nottingham Forest
P24 W15 D5 L4 F41 A18 Pts50 (Season points total: 82)

Doncaster Rovers
P24 W15 D4 L5 F42 A19 Pts49 (Season points total: 80)

Leicester City (2008/09)
P2 W2 D0 L0 F7 A1 Pts6

Match Preview: Leyton Orient

After an utterly abject performance against Millwall, Leicester will be hoping to get back on track as quickly as possible at Brisbane Road. The ground is one of the more unique in English football, with blocks of flats filling the corners after they were sold to property developers. As a result those with pitch facing apartments effectively have free Orient season tickets, though with Orient being as reliably mediocre as ever this season it's doubtful how much value the view adds to the property.

Previous Meetings
Post-war meetings between the two sides have been rare, there have been just 15 matches in this period. City’s last visit to Brisbane Road came in 1982. The O’s ran out 3-0 winners. The Foxes last recorded a victory away to Orient in 1980 when an end of season encounter finished 1-0 to City.

There hasn’t been a draw between the two sides since 21st January 1922.

The overall record stands at Leicester 24 wins, Leyton Orient 17 wins and a further five games have ended honours even.

Reasons To Be Confident
Leyton Orient are the lowest scorers in League One with just four goals to their name. The O’s have failed to score in four of the opening six league games this season and they haven’t scored at home since the opening day against hapless Hereford. In a division where Matty Fryatt has 6 goals to his name, it is a remarkably poor record.

Leicester have by far the best defensive record in League One, with just two conceded. Oldham and Stockport, the Foxes closest challengers to this crown, have conceded 5 each. So, the first half of the score prediction is settled, right?

The atmosphere at the Brisbane Road is likely to be far from intimidating. Leyton Orients’s average home gate this season has been 4,334, or 46.7% of capacity. With at least 2,300 City fans heading to London the Foxes will have no excuses. They will be fired up.

Reasons To Be Worried
Leicester have yet to secure any points after conceding the first goal this season. Whilst the early season high conveyed a sense of dominance, the defeat to Millwall demonstrated that confidence amongst the players is still fragile.

Despite only scoring four goals, Leyton Orient have somehow managed to scrape eight points together, 5 of them against teams in the top half. City should not expect the O’s to roll over.

On This Day
Steve Walsh rose highest at Elland Road to give City a 1-0 victory against Leeds Utd in 1997. The result lifted Leicester to 3rd in the early 1997/98 table with 14 points from seven games. The win also healed wounds from the previous season's trip, when Leicester fans caught in heavy northbound traffic arrived at Elland Road to find City already 3-0 down.

Selected Odds
Leyton Orient – 23/10 (Ladbrokes)
Draw – 5/2 (Coral)
Leicester – 13/10 (Paddy Power)

Match Review: Millwall

Early season setbacks are nothing new to Foxes fans. Those with good memories will remember the early 1-0 reverse at Tranmere in 1993/94, the 3-2 home defeat to Stoke in 1995/96 and the 6-1 thumping at Ipswich in 2002/03.

Nevertheless, this was a poor performance and City will need to bounce back quickly. Leicester cannot afford to be bullied out of too many games at home this season.

Here are some numbers…

9 – The average number of defeats teams since 2004/05 have suffered in League One whilst clinching an automatic promotion spot. Luton Town had the lowest number of defeats in this period (6) whilst in the same season Hull City lost on 12 occasions but managed to finish 2nd. Last season both Swansea and Nottingham Forest lost 8 times.

4 – The number of City’s opening fixtures against top-half opposition. Leicester have taken 7 points from these games. One of the reasons City fans should not be too concerned by the table at this stage is the way opening fixtures can lead to false positions in the table. Walsall in 7th place, for instance, have only played one team in the top half so far. Hereford fans should really worry, their side lies 23rd and has yet to play any side in the top half.

6 – The number of red cards drawn from the top pockets of League One referees this weekend. Millwall have been reduced to 10 men on two occasions this season, have received 23 yellow cards and committed 111 fouls. They are by far the most ill disciplined team in League One. In contrast Leicester have committed 52 fouls, the 3rd fewest in the division.

Note: Due to the inept people at BT Broadband, Foxblogger will be without an Internet connection until Monday 22nd September. Normal service will resume after this date, but for those looking for a quick stat on the Leyton Orient game, the match pitches League One’s meanest defence (2 conceded) against the division’s most feeble attack (4 goals, failed to score in 4 games). City won’t have a better opportunity to bounce straight back from last weekend’s disappointment.

Match Preview: Millwall

It’s an early kick-off at the Walkers this weekend for the visit of Millwall. Leicester's stay at the top of the table may not have lasted due to international call-ups but the Foxes have the chance to briefly reclaim first place in League One thanks to the 13:00 start.

Previous Meetings
Matches against the Lions have proven profitable in recent years. The last encounter in 2005 may have ended in a 1-1 draw but prior to that the Foxes had won five in a row at home to Millwall. City put at least three goals past a succession of despairing Milwall keepers (Kasey Keller among them) on all but one of those occasions.

In all competitions Leicester have 14 wins, the Lions 10, and there have been a further 8 draws.

Reasons To Be Confident
Leicester City haven’t lost at home to Millwall since 1991. Millwall have failed to win at either Filbert Street or the Walkers Stadium in their last seven attempts, scoring just five and conceding 18.

Despite sitting in a respectable 7th place, Millwall have yet to record an away victory this season. The Lions managed five away victories in 2007/08, the 17th best (or 8th worst, depending how you look at it) away record in League One.

Andy King and Nicky Adams played the full 90 minutes in Wales U21’s 3-0 win in Romania, no doubt building confidence. With Aleksander Tunchev coming through International duty unscathed too, City have no additional injury worries.

Reasons To Be Worried
Leicester City are not early risers. They have performed poorly in early kick-offs for a number of years. In the last six seasons City have played 17 competitive fixtures before 15:00, wining only one. The Foxes have lost a staggering 12 of these matches, scoring nine and conceding a whopping 28.

Millwall arrive at the Walkers in good form. Following their opening day reverse they are undefeated in four, winning their last two. But for a late collapse against Oldham on the opening day when they turned a 73rd minute 3-1 advantage into a 4-3 defeat, this match might have been a battle for top spot.

Like Leicester, Millwall start matches strongly. If matches ended at half-time, Millwall would have exactly the same number of points as they have in reality - eight.

On This Day
Leicester hosted Tottenham Hotspur at Filbert Street in front of the Match Of The Day cameras and duly thumped their opponents 3-0. Steve Walsh, Emile Heskey and a thunderbolt from Steve Guppy gave City all three points. The result lifted City to 5th in the early 1997/98 Premiership table.

Selected Odds
Leicester – 8/13 (Bet365)
Draw – 11/4 (Sky Bet)
Millwall – 5/1 (Bet365)

The season so far...

With this weekend’s trip to Colchester called off due to international call-ups, it’s a good opportunity to take stock of the season so far. Some facts have been repeated many times before but are worth doing so again; Leicester are unbeaten in League One and possess the best defensive record in the division.

Nigel Pearson has been named Manager of the Month, and deservedly so. He’s produced results, but much more importantly he’s changed the atmosphere around the Walkers Stadium. This season the club feels like the home of professionals. What Pearson lacks in a sense of humour, he makes up for with a sense of direction.

Some players have performed way above expectations. Matty Fryatt in particular has made a mockery of his career record of 0.26 goals per game with six goals in six appearances.

Others have provided just what was hoped of them. Max Gradel and Lloyd Dyer have excited the Foxes faithful with an energy and creativity not seen at the Walkers since the days of Muzzy Izzet. Michael Morrison deserves attention too having stepped up two divisions and coped admirably. Morrison has no doubt aided by the experience of Alexander Tunchev and the ability of Jack Hobbs.

The numbers say this has equalled City’s best start to a season in the post-war era, but there are also other telling statistics…

Shots
In all games but the JPT trip to Hartlepool, City have made more attempts on goal than their opponents. City have made 81 efforts on goal so far this season with just over half (43) being on target. By contrast, Leicester’s opponents have managed just 43 attempts on goal, with 31 of those working the keeper. City’s goals to shots ratio is 0.19, for their opponents it has been 0.09.

When broken down by individual players the numbers look positive for Matty Fryatt. His 18 shots (12 on target) have resulted in six goals, a strike rate of 0.33. Steve Howard’s 14 attempts (8 on target) have produced 3 goals, a strike rate of 0.21.

Possession
Leicester are much better at using the ball effectively this season. In three of their four League One games they have kept the ball better than their opponents. Some may argue that possession is nine tenths of the law, but City have managed to win 2 of the 3 games this season when they have seen less of the ball. At Hartlepool in particular, City had just 44% of the possession, but managed to leave Victoria Park with a 3-0 victory.

Discipline
City have received just five yellow cards in all competitions so far this season, this despite committing more misdemeanours than their opponents. Leicester have committed 90 fouls in the campaign so far, their opponents 74. Perhaps one explanation for this discrepancy is the number of fouls committed by Steve Howard, who has managed to accumulate a total of 23 offences already this season, almost all for jumping unfairly with defenders.

Assists
Another positive is the number of different players credited already with assists this season. Eight Leicester players have assists to their name already in 2008/09, a record only Oldham can equal. It is probably no coincidence that the player with the most assists in League One (Mark Wright) comes from MK Dons, a team that has just three players with assists this season. One of the Foxes biggest strengths this year is that their goals really can come from anywhere on the pitch.

This really has been an excellent start to the 2008/09 campaign. History shows that when Leicester start well, they keep up the momentum.

Let’s hope history repeats itself.

Match Preview – Hartlepool Utd (Johnstone’s Paint Trophy First Round)

Is it ever right to root against your team? That must be the question nagging many Foxes fan’s thoughts. Does the greater good apply? Should we hope for a post-match interview from Nigel Pearson featuring the time old cliché “concentrate on the League”?

Lacking any true credentials, the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy demands respect, literally. Each team must field at least 6 regular first team players in its starting line-up, no exceptions. It’s the kind of rule which conveys exactly the opposite of what the Football League hopes to project. Instead of creating a tournament of willing contenders, we have a competition of coerced clubs. It is a distraction few fans want and even fewer attend. Unsurprisingly, no broadcaster has seen fit to buy TV rights for anything but the final.

Below is a list of finals Football League Trophy Finals in the 21st Century with the final league positions of the finalists.

1999/00 - Stoke City (6th L1) vs Bristol City (9th L1)
2000/01 - Port Vale (11th L1) vs Brentford (14th L1)
2001/02 - Blackpool (15th L1) vs Cambridge Utd (24th L1)
2002/03 - Bristol City (3rd L1) vs Carlisle Utd (22nd L2)
2003/04 - Blackpool (14th L1) vs Southend Utd (17th L2)
2004/05 - Wrexham (22nd L1) vs Southend Utd (4th L2)
2005/06 - Swansea City (6th L1) vs Carlisle Utd (1st L1)
2006/07 - Doncaster Rovers (11th L1) vs Bristol Rovers (6th L2)
2007/08 - MK Dons (1st L2) vs Grimsby Town (16th L2)

No finalist in the Football League Trophy has been promoted to the Championship this century.

Defeat is an option, in fact it is the option. It might be the only time City fans can hedge their bets by backing Leicester.

Selected Odds
Hartlepool – 2/1 (Totesport)
Draw – 12/5 (Bet365)
Leicester – 13/10 (William Hill)