Match Review: Leicester City 0-0 Oldham Athletic

“Shocking scenes. How did we not win that? They had the mascot for Pukka Pies in goal!”

It was once rumoured that the great Martin O’Neil was interested in signing Dean Windass. The veteran striker is just one short of 200 league goals but last night he kept his first clean sheet. Matty Fryatt clearly let the situation get the better of him. The delay between the award of the penalty hand the strike itself gave English football’s top scorer far too much time to think about it. There’s no doubt Windass played his part too, all credit to him.

Here are some interesting numbers…

4 – The number of players dismissed in matches against Leicester this season. Stockport, Millwall, Huddersfield and Oldham have been reduced to 10, Leicester have yet to see a single player see red.

0 – Leicester City have yet to win a game at 17:20. The Foxes just can’t seem to adjust to tea time kick-offs. They’ve scored only twice in five matches which have kicked off late for Sky’s Saturday night football.

197 – The number of minutes since a goal was scored at the Walkers Stadium. There have been 38 goals in 16 league matches at the Walkers this season, an average on 2.375 per game. This is better than life at Southend where matches average just two goals a game. But by far and away the most entertaining place in League One to watch football this season has been Victoria Park – 3.8 goals a game are scored there.

Match Preview: Oldham Athletic

It wasn’t supposed to be this easy, was it? At this rate, City will be promoted by the end of March. Ironically, the way in which this campaign has appeared at times almost routine has created not just respect for Nigel Pearson, but even greater expectation.

Yet just one defeat will be enough to convince some of an impending tailspin. Leicester will lose again before the season is over, and Oldham are as likely as any team in League One to turn City over. Here’s why…

Key Stats
For a few weeks at the start of the season Oldham appeared to be in title contention, and whilst John Shreidan’s men haven’t been able to keep the pace it’s not because, as some might argue, their players are a bunch of journeymen over the hill. In the Latics’ last home game against Swindon they fielded a starting 11 with an average age of 27. The number is only dragged upwards sharply by the strike partnership of Lee Hughes (33) and Dean Windass (39). Five of that 11 were under the age of 23. Despite his best years being behind him, Hughes has certainly craved a niche for himself in League One. The former West Brom and Coventry man has 15 goals this season making him the division’s joint 5th top scorer.

Oldham, along with Leicester, have the best record against other sides in the top 6. Both have taken 11 points from a possible 18 and the sides couldn’t be separated at Blundell Park in October.

Oldham are resolute. They have the second best record in the second half…second only in League One to Leicester. But what’s more impressive is that the Latics have conceded just one in the last 15 minutes all season. This is precisely the period in matches where City have proven most productive.

On This Day
It was a tale of two penalties as Leicester faced Leeds on this day in 1998 at Filbert Street. Gary Parker professionally dispatched his spot kick past Nigel Martyn on the stoke of half-time. Then, as the final whistle loomed large, Leeds had the chance to level from 18 yards themselves. Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink hopped, skipped and sent the ball wide to the delight of the kop and City debutant Theo Zagorakis.

Selected odds
Leicester – 4/6 (Totesport)
Draw – 14/5 (bet365)
Oldham – 5/1 (Totesport)

Match Preview: Walsall

Assuming tonight’s match goes ahead, this will be the first of four away matches for Leicester in February. Matty Fryatt returns to his old club and City head to a ground where they haven’t lost a league game since 1900. I’m working on the assumption that this game will fall victim to the snow, but just in case it doesn’t here are a few numbers to think about.

Key Stats
This is another match for City against a side who show no signs of departing this division in either direction. Walsall lie 12th, nine points above the relegation zone and 14 below the play-offs. Since Walsall got a 2-2 draw at the Walkers Stadium in October they haven’t moved higher than 10th. Saturdays home win over Leeds was only Walsall’s second win since the start of December. Scunthorpe and Stockport have both left the Bescot Stadium with nothing this season.

Leicester are aiming to match Peterborough’s record unbeaten run of 16 matches. If they avoid defeat it will better the 15 match unbeaten streak achieved the last time Leicester achieved a promotion in 2002/03.

On This Day
Leicester completed a league double over Chelsea on this day in 2001. Muzzy Izzet and Garry Rowett were on target as City edged Chelsea 2-1 at Filbert Street. The result left City well in contention for European places, the horror of the next eight years seemed implausible.

Selected Odds
Walsall – 7/2 (Boylesports)
Draw – 11/4 (Paddy Power)
Leicester 5/6 (bet365)

Match Preview: Northampton Town

With the transfer window closing fast Nigel Pearson decided he had little option than to strengthen his back line. The Aleksander Tunchev sized hole in City’s defence was certainly exposed against Huddersfield, and whilst City have kept two clean sheets in three since the Bulgarian’s season ending injury, experience is clearly required for the big games. Wayne Brown seems like an excellent fit.

Yet we’re still waiting on another striker to cover for Steve Howard. Tuesday’s goalless draw seemed to expose quite vividly the lack of a Plan B. Howard is the player with the most fouls in League One (80) and will certainly miss more games before the season is over through suspension if not injury.

Key Stats
Northampton are one of only four teams to keep a clean sheet against Leicester this season. Most of their campaign has been a picture perfect illustration of mid-table mediocrity, full of statistics that are just painfully average. The Cobblers have the 13th best attack and the 10th best defence. Since the middle of October they have done little but oscillate between 12th and 16th position. The club’s longest unbeaten run this year has been four games and they’ve managed only one win since Christmas…against Crewe.

Leicester should know that Sixfields has proven a tricky ground so far this season; Millwall, Peterborough, Leeds and Huddersfield have all failed to win here. In fact, just two sides, Oldham and Colchester, have managed it this season. On the upside, Northampton have won just once against a side in the top half of League One. Perhaps the smart money should be placed on the draw.

On This Day
Tony Cottee’s first half strike at Old Trafford on this day in 1998 gave the Foxes a famous win over the champions. United threw everything at Martin O’Neil’s men, but some resolute defending, a fair bit of luck and one of the worst misses you’ll ever see from Teddy Sherringham ensured that City left with their fifth away win of the season.

Selected Odds
Northamton - 11/4 (BlueSq)
Draw – 5/2 (Bet365)
Leicester – 11/10 (totesport)

Match Preview: Brighton & Hove Albion

Brighton and Hove Albion are a rare breed in League One. They are one of only two sides in the division who could still do a league double over Leicester. Micky Adams’ side were the last team in League One to beat the Foxes, but since that October night the pressure on the Seagulls boss has only increased. Defeat at the Walkers could leave Brighton in the bottom four.

Key Stats
For some there’s no place like home, for Brighton there’s no better time to get away. The Seagulls have lost their last four in front of their own fans. Brighton’s last win came at Swindon, but it has been their only win in the last 10 games. The club is on a miserable run of just five points from the last 30 available. Brighton haven’t taken more than six points in a calendar month since August.

By contrast, Leicester have taken 35 of the 39 points on offer since they last met Albion. This is City’s best unbeaten streak since they went 15 games unbeaten under Mickey Adams in 2002/03. Leicester have already taken as many points in their current run of form as they did in that 15 match sequence six years ago.

Brighton do possess threats. Despite their lowly goals for tally, Nicky Forster appears to be in a rich vein of form with four goals in his last four games. As Leicester learned to their cost in October, Brighton also have the capacity to strike late on. Their seven league goals scored between the 85th-90th minute mark has been their most productive period of the match all season.

With MK Dons facing hapless Leyton Orient at home, one would assume City will need all three points to maintain their nine point advantage, currently the biggest lead in the Football League.

On This Day
Both sides were reduced to 10 men on this day in 2001 as an Arnar Gunnlaugsson screamer put Leicester City into the 5th Round of the FA Cup at the expense of Aston Villa. Darius Vassell was dismissed in the 34th minute before Adi Akinbyi put the Foxes in front. Calum Davidson then received his marching orders, and Villa looked like they might have done enough for a replay when Julian Joachim equalised with 15 minutes remaining. Gunnlaugsson stole the headlines, but it was the Cork youngster Damien Delaney who received the plaudits for a commanding performance in midfield.

Selected Odds
Backing Leicester at weekends this season has yielded a +38% return. Betting on City in midweek has brought in just a +5% return.

Leicester – 2/5 (bet365)
Draw – 7/2 (bet365)
Brighton – 8/1 (Sky Bet)

Match Review: Leicester City 4-2 Huddersfield Town

The countdown to promotion continues unabated. Seven wins to go.

Here are some interesting numbers…

106 – The number of points Leicester are on course to reach at their current rate of 2.3 points per game. If they manage this the club will equal Reading’s record from 2005/06 for the highest number of points won in a Football league season.

2 – The number of points per game City win when their opponents score first. By coincidence their closest competitors in this category are Huddersfield Town who’ve managed just 1.11 points per game. Last season Leicester achieved just 0.34 points per game when they conceded first.

4 – The number of games Matty Fryatt went without scoring. It was his longest dry spell of the season.

35 – Ever-present Andy King has now made 35 starts this season, a fantastic achievement for the 20 year old who, like Fryatt, has shaken off many early season critics.

Match Preview: Huddersfield Town

How soon is too soon to speak in terms of inevitability? City’s win at Yeovil on Monday night means they now require just eight more victories to essentially tie up promotion. The bookies clearly think this is over. Both bet365 and Paddy Power will offer just 1/14 on City returning straight back to the Championship (Sky Bet offer the best value at 1/7).

Of course, whilst it’s all well and good for the fans to ponder life in the Championship, players need to keep their heads. The most pressing concern of some fans is what, if anything, will be scribbled on the front of the shirts next season. Professionals can afford no such luxury, and achieving a eighth consecutive home league victory is likely to be anything but routine.

Key Stats
Leicester made hard work of seeing off Huddersfield at the Galpharm Stadium in October. Following that fixture City went on their worst run of the campaign so far, four league games without a win.

Recent changes at Huddersfield have worked quickly. Since the departure of Stan Ternent a run of five wins and just one defeat in eight matches has seen Huddersfield lift themselves from 14th to 8th in the table.

But still, a Huddersfield Town match, as City fans should know already, is never over until it’s over. Huddersfield have come back to win from losing positions on three occasions this season. Frustratingly for the Terriers they’ve dropped a staggering 17 points from winning positions this term. This sort of topsy-turvy football has ensured Lee Clark’s side have remained consistently inconsistent. Their current run of four matches unbeaten equals the longest stretch of form (good or bad) this season.

Leicester are looking to take another step towards beating Peterborough United’s 16 match unbeaten run earlier in the campaign. Avoid defeat and City will have gone 13 league games without a loss.

On This Day
Paul Wotton’s free kick sealed a 1-0 victory for Plymouth Argyle and left Leicester deep in relegation trouble on this day in 2006. The match was being replayed after a waterlogged pitch had forced the original fixture to be abandoned. To the surprise on no-one City manager Craig Levein was sacked a day later and Rob Kelly took temporary, then permanent charge.

Selected Odds
Leicester – 7/10 (BlueSq)
Draw – 13/5 (Paddy Power)
Huddersfield – 11/2 (Sky Bet)