While all eyes were on the failure of former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho and Manchester United’s patchy form, Leicester City quietly went on with their business during the entire season of the Barclays Premier League. They are now in a position to actually win one of the world’s toughest leagues.
The Foxes are two points ahead of Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table, with 12 more games to go. They have lost only three matches this season.
Leicester, who fought for a Premier League spot last season is at the helm at the moment. If they go on to win the league, it will certainly be one of the greatest sporting stories ever. But what brought them to their present position in the first place?
The Quint takes a look at the top five reasons behind Leicester City’s success in the 2015-16 Barclays Premier League.
1. The Deadly Vardy-Mahrez Combination
England’s Jamie Vardy has been the striker of the season so far. He has broken former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record of scoring in 11 consecutive Barclays Premier League matches, and is also the highest goalscorer (19 goals) in the league at the moment.
But it’s not just about the Guinness World Record holder. As they say, one man can never win a football game, Leicester City’s winger Riyad Mahrez has also played a huge role
One player can be devastating, but two are brutal. Mahrez has so far scored 14 goals this season.
Both are fast, with one being a deadly finisher (Vardy) and the other being a chance creator and scorer (Mahrez), which makes them a stellar combination.
Also, Leicester is a team which works on the motto ‘attack is the best defence’. The Foxes have the third poorest possession and have the worst pass completion rate in the league.
But since they have a fantastic pressing game, they can win the ball back higher up in the field. The Foxes have made more interceptions than any other club.
2. Organised Recruitment System
Did you know that Vardy and Mahrez were bought for £1.5 million? This is how extraordinary Leicester’s recruitment structure is. The club’s Joint Assistant Manager Steve Walsh is the head of recruitment, and he has to be credited with finding some amazing players in the last few years.
Walsh has three office-based staff who work on the Wyscout computer system to look through the footage of the top five European Leagues – Barclays Premier League (England), La Liga (Spain), Bundesliga (Germany), Serie A (Italy) and Ligue 1 (France).
They put together clips of already marked targets and compare statistics of other players with those of their own.
Midfielder N’Golo Kante was recruited on the basis of his statistics of recovering the ball. He had the best numbers in Europe.
And Walsh always pursues a player after watching him live.
3. Ranieri – ‘The One on the Drawing Board’
The man, Claudio Ranieri, who was replaced by Jose Mourinho at Chelsea in 2004 has lit up the League with his interesting tactics and undying energy.
The Italian returned to the Premier League after eleven years and began ruling the roost right from the word go.
Ranieri is at the training ground everyday, drawing out different tactics, trying to get the team in better shape. He changed Pearson’s three-man defence strategy to a 4-4-1-1 formation towards the end of last season, which has worked wonders for the team.
The 64-year-old also sets high standards for his team which keeps the side on its toes. After Leicester beat Newcastle 3-0, he pointed out a few aspects to the team which could have been worked on better.
When they (players) train, they always put the same effort as a match. I never once had to tell someone off for being lazy.Claudio Ranieri
4. Never-Say-Die Attitude
Leicester City have personified the never-say-die attitude. They never give up and fight till the very last minute of every match.
24 of their 37 goals have been scored in second halves and they have won 10 points after winning games from behind.
The attitude was inculcated by their previous manager Nigel Pearson, later enhanced by Ranieri.
5. Perks of Being a Small Team
Sometimes, being a small team like Leicester can be a big advantage. The top teams have to also concentrate on other big tournaments like the Champions League or the Europa League whereas Leicester can focus only on the Premier League.
At the moment, top teams like Chelsea and Arsenal are busy with Champions League commitments, but Leicester’s got a two-week off, which can be a much-needed breather before the twilight of the season.
Also, vigorous Champions League competitions can cause injuries to players which hampers the team’s chances in the Premier League.
Being a low-key team, they also have nothing to lose. As long as they are assured a Premier League spot, they can play freely and maintain an aggressive approach.
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