Ahead of our match-up with Leicester at the King Power on Saturday, I chatted with lifelong Leicester fan Matt Sheldon about what’s happening with the Foxes this season and what Palace can expect at the weekend.
TEB – So Matt, thanks for chatting ahead of the game. What’s with your team this season? Feels like you’ve walked off a cliff…
Matt – Well, we have, but we’ve probably been edging towards it for a while, at least from the back end of last season and into the summer break.
There may be some parallels with Liverpool, a team operating at a high level – who didn’t quite meet their ambitions, and this took a toll. Right now, we seem to be lacking consistency and intensity. Brenden has said for a while we need a reset, but we haven’t really had anything like that in personnel or style. This has led to some public shots being fired which after the early bad results have left a bit of sour taste.
Then there is the financial situation, partly Covid related but also we’ve been building a world class new training ground which is costing in the region of one and a half Wesley Fofana’s – all of which is leaving us a bit adrift at the moment, though the nucleus of the squad is still strong.
TEB – What about the late transfers?
Matt – We have a record of selling badly, late and not being able to reinvest in the same window. With Schmeichel it left a gap both in terms of leadership and Premier League quality in that position.
Then you have some strange selections and comments about certain players – e.g. Iheanacho last season and continuing to favour Vardy.
It did feel like things were coming to a head, and then we had the Forest game, where we were outstanding, and the crowd were back onside. But that maybe just masked frailty.
TEB – How much is it really just about your goalkeeper, he took a lot of flak on social media, and the data isn’t very flattering.
| Goalkeeper | Team | Goals conceded | Goals Prevented
(Goals conceded – expected Goals against) |
| Ward | Leicester | 24 | -5.8 |
| Guaita | Palace | 12 | -2.6 |
Data via fotmob.com and fbref.com
Matt – The defensive frailty was there before Ward, but he certainly hasn’t brought the level up. You could make an interesting comparison with the title winning side – which was constructed around a rock solid back four.
TEB – For the season then, what’s the target? Avoid relegation or something more than that?
Matt – This Leicester team on their day can compete with any team, and with the talent in the squad we should be upper mid table. But what the fans want is also about style, what you could call verve, commitment and an assertive front foot approach.
If we get to that, fans will be happy.
TEB – Not many signings in the summer – just a centre back and a back up goalkeeper? Is that a big problem?
Matt – That is relevant, but it’s also significant that we’ve kept hold of a number of our top players – notably Maddison, Tielmanns and Barnes. Tielmans is quite likely to leave if not in January, then in the summer, but the hope is we can hold on to Maddison and indeed build the team around him. He is that good.
TEB – On the subject of signings – If I gave you a magic lamp who would you like to sign in January?
Matt – We probably need pace on the right wing. Not sure who that person is, but maybe someone like Neto from Wolves but playing on the other side. An upgrade on Ndidi would be welcome, someone like Partey perhaps who can progress the ball more. I would also quite like a centre back and a new goalkeeper.
TEB – You’re only allowed one wish
Matt – Okay, a goalkeeper who can lead the team and improve that goals against column.
TEB – Prediction for the game? Where’s it going to be won and lost?
Matt – Have to be positive, think we’ll score first, and then Palace will equalise before we snatch a winner with a ball bouncing off someone’s shin. (Ed – please don’t mention such a shin!)
Thanks Matt, here’s to a cracker!
