Match Preview: Huddersfield Town

Leicester’s fifth fixture in 15 days will be followed by a break of 14 days without a match. This will be City’s only opportunity to cement their status as League One leaders before another international weekend results in the postponement of Yeovil Town’s visit to the Walkers Stadium. Nigel Pearson will be urging one more push before a well-earned rest. With Oldham Athletic the Foxes next opponents, they’re going to need it.

Leicester have managed to win 19 points in their opening eight games. It took the Foxes 16 games to reach this total last season, 15 games in 2006/07 and 13 games in 2005/06. Credit goes to the lads at the Leicester City Football Fancast for that one.

Previous Meetings
Leicester last travelled to Huddersfield in 1995. Mark Robbins levelled the match after Darren Bullock’s opener, but City succumbed to a 3-1 defeat on a soggy evening in Yorkshire. Then as now, City faced the Terriers on the strength of what seemed an invincible away record. With the weather tomorrow looking equally gloomy, one wonders if lightning will strike twice.

We have to go all the way back to August 1956 to find Leicester’s last victory at Huddersfield, a 2-1 success.

Reasons To Be Confident
Leicester haven’t lost away in the league since April. They have three wins and a draw on the road so far this season in League One, the best record in League One.

The Galpharm Stadium has been no fortress for Huddersfield this season. They’ve taken just four points in front of their own fans, conceding an average of two goals a game. Both MK Dons and Tranmere Rovers have taken maximum points on Huddersfield’s patch this term.

Nigel Pearson seems to have honed his half-time team talks. Leicester have scored six times in the first ten minutes of the second half, conceding none.

Reasons To Be Worried
The last time Leicester topped the table, they immediately slumped to defeat at home to Millwall.

In the last three matches, Leicester have required an average of over 20 chances to score.

In the three matches in which Huddersfield have conceded the first goal, they have gone on to win two. The Terrirs comeback record is the second best in League One. Huddersfield will not be easy to put away.

On This Day
Leicester travelled to Craven Cottage on this day in 2003. Strikes either side of half-time from Luis Boa Morte secured a 2-0 win for Fulham as Leicester slipped into the Premiership’s bottom three. It was part of a run of five consecutive league defeats which set the tone of Leicester’s last season in the top flight.

Selected Odds
Huddersfield – 9/4 (Sky Bet)
Draw – 12/5 (Coral)
Leicester – 6/4 (betdirect)

Match Review: Colchester Utd 0-1 Leicester City

Leicester end September as they ended August, top of League One. Isn’t it about time for Bill Anderson to start writing about how unbeatable we are? Leicester fans unused to this joy could use another reality check.

Here are some numbers…

42 – The number of efforts on goal Leicester have made in their last 3 games. Exactly half have worked the goalkeeper and less than 5% have found the net. Presently, Leicester require over 20 attempts for every goal they score.

5 – The number of clean sheets Leicester have kept this season, the most of any team in League One.

1-0 – Leicester have won 3 games by this scoreline in 2008/09 so far. In the whole of 2007/08 the Foxes won six games 1-0. Just four games finished 1-0 to City in 2006/07 and 2005/06 and only three matches finished with that scoreline in 2004/05. How long will it be before we’re chanting “Boring Boring Leicester”?

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.