Next Wednesday, Claudio Ranieri will travel with last year’s champions to Sevilla for the first leg of their last 16 tie in the Champions League. Whilst basking in the company of Europe’s elite, he also finds himself bizarrely struggling to keep his team in the top flight of English football. Such a scenario has polarised Foxes fans, unsure as to whether a change in management would benefit their chances of retaining Premier League status.
A case for the doubters
New managers
Before the turn of the new year, Hull and Swansea looked down with no way back. Fast-forward two months and both clubs now rightly can be optimistic about beating the drop. That is down to two men: Marco Silva and Paul Clement.
This isn’t a new formula, though. Alan Pardew and Tony Pulis worked wonders for Crystal Palace when the Eagles were in a perilous state; Sam Allardyce and Gus Poyet did the same for Sunderland. There is a great deal of past evidence that when a club is in the mire, a change often helps stop the rot. Of course there have been situations where it hasn’t worked but often, the new man makes a substantial difference.
Tactics
The glaring issue is the continuation of playing-style from last season. N’Golo Kanté covered more ground than anyone last season, doing the work of two men. In essence, Leicester basically had three midfield men as opposed to two. No one can match that energy. Now Leicester are playing ordinarily with two men in midfield, and Ranieri has not made changes to help the team to adapt without the Frenchman.
Not only do they now lose the midfield battle in most games, but Robert Huth and Wes Morgan are now exposed and the likes of Riyad Mahrez have had their freedom restricted. Can one man make such a difference? In this instance yes and Leicester haven’t altered their style despite him being the balance that glued everything together. It means tactically Ranieri has got it wrong too often; he’s left his team too open and without a pertinent structure.
Transfers
The summer was a golden opportunity to strengthen the current crop but money was frivolously scattered on imports who have failed to make much of an impact. Islam Slimani at £28 million is a prime example; a potentially prolific goal-scorer but not a fit for the Leicester system.
Ahmed Musa is another expensive flop. The £17 million Nigerian came from CSKA Moscow with a reputation that he has not fulfilled at all. He looks lightweight and Ranieri has often preferred his other options to occupy the forward potions.
In general, the money wasn’t spent with care and it has just made Leicester’s team more disjointed.
Perspective
Robbie Savage stated that Leicester should build a statue of Ranieri for his successes and he’s absolutely right. He instilled a superb team spirit; all the players worked together in unison and played out of their skins last season. That was down to the seemingly unbreakable bond Ranieri had with his players, and his unquenchable thirst to win. Kanté’s loss was huge, but it shouldn’t have taken a team from the table’s summit to the basement.
That love seems to have since died down. There is talk of mutiny within the rank and at times, this has looked evident on the pitch. If true, these players should be sold and the manager should rebuild, even though it is he who will suffer for losing the players. José Mourinho was defeated by his unanimously under-performing Chelsea stars last year because it was the easier option to replace one man than a squad.
The Lowdown
It’s a paradoxical situation. There is absolutely no way Ranieri deserves the axe; he deserves to choose when he wants to leave. He should be allowed to take Leicester down and get the opportunity to bring them back up, if he wishes. At the same time, the Foxes probably stand a better chance of surviving if they bring in a new man to reinvigorate the team. It is a matter of being appreciative and fair or being unceremoniously cruel.
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