Match Preview: Walsall

Leicester are entering some serious fixture congestion. The Foxes will play two games every week until at least the middle of November. It’s fortunate that many absentees are returning to fitness just in time for the calendar crunch. Paul Dickov, Patrick Kisnorbo and Joe Mattock are all back fit and available for selection, leaving Nigel Pearson with one of those headaches he probably doesn’t mind all too much.

Previous Meetings
Leicester and Walsall only met five times in the 20th Century, with the Foxes winning four. The most recent meetings between the two sides came in City’s last successful promotion campaign. At the end of the season the two teams made for separate exits from Division One.

Second half goals from Matt Heath and James Scowcroft were enough to cast Walsall aside at the Walkers Stadium in November 2002. The Walsall team that day contained former City man Steve Corica. This time it will be a Fox facing his old club as Matty Fryatt aims to put one past his former employers.

Reasons To Be Confident
Walsall’s 9th position in League One does appear to be something of a false one. The Saddlers only played three sides in the top half and eight in the bottom half.

Walsall also appear to be in something of a slump. Jimmy Mullen’s men have only taken one point from the last nine and threw away a 2-0 half-time lead at home to Hartlepool this weekend, losing 3-2.

In contrast, Leicester are unbeaten in five matches, with a winning streak of four games only interrupted by the point at Oldham on Saturday.

Reasons To Be Worried
Walsall haven’t lost away from home since August and have only conceded four goals on their travels this season. Expect a tight game.

There appear to be few other statistical reasons to back Walsall. Foxblogger dislikes intangibles, especially as footballs have developed a tendency to hit the woodwork multiple times in quick succession this weekend. We’ve yet to see a real freak occurrence involving Leicester this season, but there is always time for a first.

Sky Bet have Walsall down at 5/1 for a win. That’s extremely generous in a two horse race. Hedge fund managers may not be all that popular at the moment, but hedge betting here could net a tidy profit. If you can deal with betting against your own side, this might be worth it.

On This Day
Leicester recorded their last win to date at Bramall Lane on this day in 1995. David Lowe, Iwan Roberts and Scott Taylor were on target for the Foxes as their imperious away record under Mark McGhee continued with a 3-1 victory against the Blades.

Selected Odds
Leicester – 4/6 (Boylesports)
Draw – 11/4 (Bet365)
Walsall – 5/1 (SkyBet)

Match Review: Oldham Athletic 1-1 Leicester City

Despite being pegged back at Boundary Park and not winning five in a row for the first time in five years, this should be looked on as a useful point for City. The Foxes can still go top of the pile with their game in hand.

The return of Patrick Kisnorbo is wonderful news. Those who saw his injury in Leicester’s final home game last season probably thought the Australian would be out of action until Christmas and possibly beyond. With Joe Mattock back in contention too the competition for places in the sternest backline in League One will be fierce. That can only be good for the promotion campaign.

Here are some numbers…

6 – The number of games Steve Howard had to wait to bag his 2nd league goal of the season. Howard found himself in acres of space to head in Lloyd Dyer’s centre and give the Foxes the lead. Howard also hit the woodwork for the first time this season. After a string of disallowed strikes the former Derby man must have been wondering if his luck would ever change.

8 – The number of Championship games involving Leicester that finished 1-1 in 2007/08. It was City’s most common result last season. Yesterday’s match was the first time in this campaign Leicester had finished a game with three points for the pools. 0-0 and 0-1 were the joint second most frequent results in 2007/08, occurring seven times apiece. What a miserable season that was.

1 – Yesterday was the first time in 2008/09 that Leicester had scored first and failed to win. Whitaker’s splendid equaliser ensured that these were Leicester’s first dropped points of the season. In 2007/08, City dropped 13 points from winning positions.

18 – The number of goals Leicester have scored this season. Only one team in the top half has scored less, Stockport County.

Match Preview: Oldham Athletic

Four of League One’s top six go head to head this weekend. Millwall host Leeds at the New Den, whilst Leicester travel to Boundary Park to face the division’s early pacesetters, Oldham Athletic. For the Foxes, it’s their first major examination since the home defeat to the Lions just over a month ago. Leicester have only faced one side in the top half away from home. They’ll need to be on top form to take points from the Latics.

Previous Meetings
Leicester’s last trip to Boundary Park came in 1996. Despite a cracking free-kick from Mike Whitlow, City were beaten 3-1 on a wet and windy afternoon in Lancashire.

Leicester have taken only one point in their last five visits to Oldham, their last win coming in an end of season encounter in 1983. The 2-1 victory took City to the brink of promotion to the top flight. We’ll ignore the fact City had to rely on Derby doing the business against promotion chasers Fulham on the final day. In characteristic fashion, the Foxes had failed to see off Burnley at home on the final day.

Reasons To Be Confident
One of City’s greatest strengths is Oldham’s greatest weakness. Nigel Pearson’s men have registered seven goals in the 10 minutes after the restart, conceding none. In contrast, Oldham have been weak. The Latics have conceded four in the same period after half time.

Leicester have the best away record in League One. The Foxes remain undefeated having managed four wins and a draw so far. They have the 3rd highest scoring record away from home in League One.

For what it’s worth, Leicester’s goal difference away from home (+8) is also the highest in League One.

Reasons To Be Worried
Oldham have the best home record in League One, the Latics’ home form is a mirror image of Leicester’s away performances. Oldham have not lost at home for 12 matches.

Oldham have scored goals for fun this season, 24 in total. They’ve scored in every league game this season. It isn’t as if John Sheridan’s men have been facing weak defences either, they’ve scored against the MK Dons, Stockport, Leeds and Millwall, four of the seven meanest backlines in the division.

As mentioned on Tuesday, Oldham have yet to lose a League match after conceding the first goal. They’ve picked up 5 points in the 3 games in which they’ve conceded first, including that remarkable 4-3 win at home to Millwall on the opening day of the season.

On This Day
Frank Leboeuf hit a 35 yard screamer with two minutes remaining to end Leicester’s resistance at Stanford Bridge on this day in 1997. The Frenchman had broken Leicester hearts just months earlier. His disputed penalty in the 118th minute of extra time ended Leicester’s FA Cup hopes in a 5th Round Replay. This time, however, there was no argument.

Selected Odds
Oldham – 13/8 (Coral)
Draw – 12/5 (Paddy Power)
Leicester – 9/5 (Sky Bet)

League One - The Competition

It’s often said that it takes at least 10 games for the league table to take shape. With Leicester having the weekend off, now seems like the perfect opportunity to assess City’s closest competitors.

What follows is an appraisal of the top 6 in League One; their strengths and weaknesses.

One statistic needs to be explained before we start. The strength of schedule (to borrow an Americanism) relates to the league positions of each side’s opposition. A low strength of schedule number means the side has been dealt a tough fixture list. A high number means the club’s fixtures (on paper at least) have been easier.

All statistics relate to league matches only.

Scunthorpe Utd – Position 1st

Strength Of Schedule: 147
Scunthorpe have played four of the bottom five in their last four matches.

The Iron for the moment sit pretty on top of League One. They have the division’s third best scoring record and the second best defence. Scunthorpe’s success has been due in part to their ability to impose their will on games. They’ve scored first in nine of their opening league games with their most productive period of the match being just before half-time. The Iron have netted three in the five minutes before the break, and took seven points from those matches.

Scunthorpe’s problem this season has been closing the deal. Already this season they’ve dropped eight points in games which they were leading. Worryingly, Nigel Adkins’ side have only conceded two goals before half-time, but let in seven after the restart.

Leicester City – Position 2nd

Strength Of Schedule: 125 (147 including Yeovil)
Since the home defeat to Millwall, Leicester haven’t played a side higher than 16th.

Like Scunthorpe, Leicester have enjoyed the pleasures of a relatively burden free fixture list thus far. That being said, you can only beat what’s put in front of you, and City have done just that. Their win percentage is higher than any side in League One.

Nigel Pearson has built his side around a defence that has proven stingier than the serving sizes at Leyton Orient. With just five conceded, the platform has existed for City to win every game in which they have opened the scoring. Leicester have also acquired the exceedingly useful habit of scoring late goals. They’ve netted four times in the last five minutes this season.

Pearson has also installed discipline into the Foxes. With an average of just 1.3 bookings per game, suspensions have not been an issue so far.

Concerns remain up front, where Steve Howard has still only one league goal to his name. Matty Fratt has netted 8 from 43 attempts.

Oldham Athletic – Position 3rd

Strength Of Schedule: 133
100% record against teams in the top 6 (3 games)

Oldham have proven to be the surprise package of the season so far. John Sheridan’s men really believe they can produce a sustained challenge for promotion this season. The Lee Hughes gamble seems to have paid off, both he and Chris Taylor have hit six. In fact, Oldham are League One’s leading scorers with 24.

The Latics are also proving to be remarkably resilient. Oldham are unbeaten in matches where their opponents have scored first, taking five points from those three games. Just as ominous, Oldham have scored in every single league game this season.

If there are weaknesses, they appear to lie just after half-time. The Latics have conceded three just after the break, 25% of all the goals against them this term.

Leeds Utd – Position 4th

Strength Of Schedule: 139
Beat Scunthorpe and lost to Oldham on opening weekends.

Garry McAlister’s policy at Leeds this season appears pretty straightforward: shoot on sight. Leeds have fired in a massive 179 efforts on goal this season. Consequently their accuracy has suffered, only 45% of these attempts hit the target. This policy has also meant Leeds are only League One’s fourth highest scorers. Having the most shots is not the same as scoring the most goals, just ask Frank Lampard.

Elsewhere it is business at usual for the Yorkshiremen, they’re conceding late (four in total) and racking up the disciplinary points. Leeds have accrued 18 yellow cards and a further two red.

Millwall – Position 5th

Strength Of Schedule: 115
Toughest fixture list of the top 6.

Millwall can claim, quite fairly, that the fixture computer has not been kind, yet they’re impressing League One if not with flowing moves then with muscle. As Leicester learned to their peril, teams will have to be prepared for a physical challenge against the Lions. Their disciplinary record is the worst in League One (again) with 24 yellow cards and three red picked up in just 10 matches. Kenny Jackett’s team have been pulled up for a staggering 130 fouls.

Millwall are also the lowest scorers in the top six, having breached opposition defences just 16 times. More impressive are Millwall’s four clean sheets, but without a real focus in attack you have to wonder if automatic promotion will be too much of a stretch.

MK Dons – Position 6th

Strength Of Schedule: 119
Best start of the promoted sides.

MK Dons have not been dealt an easy set of fixtures either, but their start under Roberto Di Matteo has impressed many. The Dons come into their own in the second half, where they have scored almost twice as many goals as in their first half outings.

Just 10 bookings to date make MK Dons the nicest side in the top six, but that didn’t stop them tearing Millwall to shreds at the New Den. The Dons are proof that there is success to be had playing football in amongst the brutes of League One’s more burley sides. It probably helps when your shooting is the most accurate of the top six too. 58% of the Dons’ 113 attempts have worked the keeper.

Conclusion
It’s still too early to know who will be able to keep pace and who will fade away. All of these sides have potential. If anyone needs reminding, League One will not be a stroll in the park for the Foxes.

Match Review: Huddersfield Town 2-3 Leicester City

Leicester’s fourth consecutive league win makes this their best league run since April 2003. If City beat Oldham in two weeks time, they’ll match the five game winning streak which virtually sealed promotion in 2002/03. The Foxes will stay top of League One with a game in hand unless Scunthorpe United beat Crewe by three clear goals next weekend.

Here are some other pleasing numbers…

7 – It took Leicester until the 28th January to record seven league victories last season, a tally which took so long to reach not least because of City’s 13 draws up to that point. The Foxes are flying. This start of 22 points from nine games is identical to the 2002/03 campaign.

8 – Matty Fryatt is League One’s joint second top scorer. As much as this blog has critiqued his play, he can’t be denied praised for the goals he has scored.

3 – Once again it appears Nigel Pearson got his half-time team talk right. Leicester have gone in level at the break on four occasions this season and have won three. They’ve now scored seven goals in the first 10 minutes after the break this season.

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”?