Leicester City | 2021/22 season thread

[MenInG]

Date Time Match
14/08/2021 15:00 Leicester City v Wolverhampton
21/08/2021 15:00 West Ham United v Leicester City
28/08/2021 15:00 Norwich City v Leicester City
11/09/2021 15:00 Leicester City v Manchester City
18/09/2021 15:00 Brighton v Leicester City
25/09/2021 15:00 Leicester City v Burnley
02/10/2021 15:00 Crystal Palace v Leicester City
16/10/2021 15:00 Leicester City v Manchester United
23/10/2021 15:00 Brentford v Leicester City
30/10/2021 15:00 Leicester City v Arsenal
06/11/2021 15:00 Leeds United v Leicester City
20/11/2021 15:00 Leicester City v Chelsea
27/11/2021 15:00 Leicester City v Watford
01/12/2021 19:45 Southampton v Leicester City
04/12/2021 15:00 Aston Villa v Leicester City
11/12/2021 15:00 Leicester City v Newcastle United
14/12/2021 19:45 Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur
18/12/2021 15:00 Everton v Leicester City
26/12/2021 15:00 Manchester City v Leicester City
28/12/2021 15:00 Leicester City v Liverpool
01/01/2022 15:00 Leicester City v Norwich City
15/01/2022 15:00 Burnley v Leicester City
22/01/2022 15:00 Leicester City v Brighton
09/02/2022 20:00 Liverpool v Leicester City
12/02/2022 15:00 Leicester City v West Ham United
19/02/2022 15:00 Wolverhampton v Leicester City
26/02/2022 15:00 Chelsea v Leicester City
05/03/2022 15:00 Leicester City v Leeds United
12/03/2022 15:00 Arsenal v Leicester City
19/03/2022 15:00 Leicester City v Brentford
02/04/2022 15:00 Manchester United v Leicester City
09/04/2022 15:00 Leicester City v Crystal Palace
16/04/2022 15:00 Newcastle United v Leicester City
23/04/2022 15:00 Leicester City v Aston Villa
30/04/2022 15:00 Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City
07/05/2022 15:00 Leicester City v Everton
15/05/2022 15:00 Watford v Leicester City
22/05/2022 16:00 Leicester City v Southampton

 

[MenInG]

Leicester City have completed the free transfer of defender Ryan Bertrand.

Bertrand, 31, left Southampton after seven years at the club earlier this summer after his latest deal expired.

 

[Saj]

Wesley Fofana was carried off on a stretcher after suffering a potentially serious injury during Leicester's pre-season friendly against Villarreal on Wednesday.
The injury to Fofana's left leg occurred after a scissor challenge by Villarreal forward Nino during the second half, with Leicester leading 3-0 at the King Power Stadium.

Fofana immediately called to the bench, with physios and paramedics rushing on.

Following a lengthy period of treatment, Fofana was stretchered off to applause in front of a crowd of over 17,000 fans.
The 20-year-old French defender established himself as a key player for Brendan Rodgers' side in his debut Premier League campaign last season, making 38 appearances in all competitions.

 

[Saj]

Southampton have accepted an offer from Leicester for defender Jannik Vestergaard.

One source has told Sky Sports News the fee is £15m, while a second source has suggested Leicester will pay less than that for the 29-year-old.

Vestergaard is free to travel to Leicester to undergo a medical and discuss personal terms.

 

[MenInG]

Add leicester city

Jannik Vestergaard has completed his Leicester City medical, with the club trying to finalise a deal ahead of Saturday's season opener against Wolves.
A fee of £15m was agreed with Southampton on Wednesday with the hope that the legalities on the defender's contract can be completed by midday on Friday so the Dane will be available to play on Saturday.

The Foxes wanted to sign a centre-back after Wesley Fofana was ruled out for a significant period with a broken leg sustained in a pre-season friendly against Villarreal last week, while Jonny Evans is struggling with a long-term foot issue.

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/58124900

Jamie Vardy picked up where he left off at the end of last season as his superb header for Leicester City meant Bruno Lage's Wolves tenure began with a defeat.

The Foxes' number nine was the most lively player on the pitch and struck just before half-time courtesy of a timely run and clinical angled header from Ricardo Pereira's right-wing cross.

The 34-year-old, who netted 17 times last season including two on the final day against Tottenham, had earlier seen a finish from a tight angle ruled out for offside.

Wolves, beginning life under Nuno Espirito Santo's successor Lage, missed a golden chance before Vardy's header but, having run clear of the defence Adama Traore side-footed tamely wide.

Lage had promised a more attacking approach than that seen in Nuno's final season at Molineux and there was certainly evidence of that after the break as the visitors pushed forward in pursuit of parity.

To stem the Wolves attacks, Brendan Rodgers handed City debuts to two summer signings in centre-back Jannik Vestergaard and central midfielder Boubakary Soumare.

It still took some timely blocks and an offside flag to rule out a finish from Conor Coady to deny Wolves an equaliser few could have described as undeserved.

The game also saw a return to action for Wanderers striker Raul Jimenez, who was quiet in his first game since fracturing his skull last November. This summer has been something of a showcase for the enduring attraction of 34-year-old players.

Paris St-Germain's signing of Lionel Messi shows their understandable faith in his ability to continue at the highest level during the middle years of his fourth decade.

At the King Power, they have their own seemingly age-defying forward in Vardy, who led the City frontline and the Wolves' defence a merry dance throughout.

He certainly shows no signs of losing a yard of pace, playing on the shoulder of the last Wolves defender to stretch the play and make himself a target for precise forward passes.

His goal was a testament to his sharp thinking, movement and finishing, with his front-post dart catching the away defence out and then his glancing header being too good for debutant goalkeeper Jose Sa.

But for an assistant's flag, some last-ditch sliding tackles from Conor Coady and a wayward finish, the ex-England forward would have had more goals.

New Wolves boss Lage must wish he had a forward like him.

In Traore, they do have someone with unparalleled pace and bags of tricks but he lacked composure or the ability to make the right decision when it mattered.

He should have given his side the lead with the chance he put past the post and had countless other opportunities, including an effort he fired straight at Kasper Schmeichel after outmuscling Vestergaard.

Summer recruit Francisco Trincao also showed flashes of promise, but not enough to earn his side a point.

 

[Firebat]

Leicester City are looking to bring in Callum Hudson-Odoi on a permanent deal.

 

[MenInG]

Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy is set for up to a month on the sidelines after aggravating a hamstring injury in Tuesday's 1-0 win over Liverpool.

The 34-year-old was treated on the pitch after a collision with Reds' defender Joel Matip, but opted to play on to the final whistle.

He had missed the 26 December defeat by Manchester City with the same injury.

"It could be the next three to four weeks," said manager Brendan Rodgers of Vardy's absence.

Fellow striker Patson Daka is out for another two-three weeks after limping out of the team's Carabao Cup defeat by Liverpool, while forward Kelechi Iheanacho has been called up to the Nigeria squad for the Africa Cup of Nations along with team-mate Wilfred Ndidi.

The tournament begins on 9 January, with the final on 6 February.

Vardy, who has scored 11 goals in 22 appearances this season, adds to a lengthy injury list at Leicester that features another seven players.

The Foxes' forward options appear to be limited to Ademola Lookman and Ayoze Perez for the next few weeks.

Rodgers said the demands of a hectic fixture schedule and the pressure that Covid-related absences are having on squads contributed to Vardy's injury.

BBC

 

[James]

Substitute Danny Welbeck scored a late equaliser to earn Brighton a battling point against Leicester at the King Power Stadium.

Welbeck beat Kasper Schmeichel with a powerful header from Neal Maupay's cross with eight minutes remaining.

Dan Burn came close to snatching a winner but his towering header was cleared off the line by Youri Tielemans, before Schmeichel made a stunning save to deny Leandro Trossard.

Patson Daka had earlier fired Leicester in front 30 seconds into the second half after goalkeeper Robert Sanchez had parried Harvey Barnes' shot into his path.

The draw keeps Brighton in ninth place, four points clear of Leicester in 10th.

Brendan Rodgers struck an upbeat tone in the build-up to this game and said his Leicester players would "get up and fight again" despite the crushing nature of their midweek defeat to Tottenham, which saw them concede two goals in stoppage-time.

However, despite a bright start the Foxes were nervously hanging on in the closing stages, with that Spurs defeat likely fresh in their minds.

In the end they had Schmeichel to thank for preserving a point. The Denmark international made two stunning stops to deny Welbeck and Trossard either side of the equaliser.

The home side had started the brighter and had the best chance of the first half when Barnes seized onto a loose pass and played in Ademola Lookman, who could only side-foot straight at Sanchez.

They caught Brighton cold within seconds of the restart when James Maddison's shot deflected straight to Barnes, whose stabbed effort was then parried into the path of Daka who scored his ninth goal of an impressive first season at the King Power Stadium.

But instead of building on that goal Leicester appeared to retreat in their shell and instead it was Brighton who finished the game well on top.

Brighton were second-best for large parts of this game but their resilience paid off, with Welbeck's goal the eighth time they have scored in the final 10 minutes of a Premier League game this season.

It is the 12th time the Seagulls have drawn in the Premier League this season and extends their unbeaten run to six games, with a top-10 finish and challenge for the European places now looking likely.

They suffered a blow before kick-off when it was confirmed assistant boss Billy Reid had joined manager Graham Potter in testing positive for Covid-19, with first-team coach Bjorn Hamberg in the dugout.

They recalled first-choice forward pair Maupay and Trossard after they only featured off the bench against Chelsea in midweek, but struggled to create many clear-cut opportunities.

But as the nerves started to creep into Leicester's play the arrival of Welbeck and Tariq Lamptey just after the hour changed the game.

Lamptey was a constant threat down the right, though it was Maupay who provided the cross from that flank for Welbeck to bury a fine header beyond Schmeichel.

It could have been even better for Brighton when Trossard broke clear inside the area, but Schmeichel did superbly to parry his drilled effort.

 

[James]

Brutal.

— — —

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60282419

<b>FA Cup: Leicester's Brendan Rodgers 'embarrassed' by Nottingham Forest exit</b>

<I>"Awful, embarrassing and a lack of hunger."</I>

As Leicester City's reign as FA Cup holders came to a tame end, humiliated 4-1 in the fourth round by second-tier local rivals Nottingham Forest, Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers was in no mood to hold back.

"Our players have to look at themselves in the mirror and prove they are good enough to be here," said Rodgers.

"A lot of players have to improve. It was an awful performance. I have to apologise to the fans. We needed physicality and authority and lacked it.

"There was a lack of hunger and you get destabilised when you make errors. That's the first time since I've been here that I was embarrassed."

Rodgers, who has guided Leicester to successive fifth-placed finishes in the Premier League - although they are 10th this season - says complacency has crept in among his players and changes need to be made. And, he added, "time could be up" for some of his squad.

"Too many players think they are top players but are a long way off," said Rodgers. "Some players may have achieved everything they can here.”

 

[the Great Khan]

I don't know what to say...disgraceful garbage and somebody needs to be held responsible..this year has been a disaster and I'm dreading next year if we don't make changes..

 

[James]

<b>Leicester City 2-2 West Ham United</b>

<I>Craig Dawson's injury-time header earned West Ham United a crucial point in the fight to finish in the top four just as Leicester City looked set to put their recent struggles behind them.</I>

The first serious questions were being asked about manager Brendan Rodgers after the FA Cup fourth-round thrashing at Nottingham Forest was followed by defeat at Liverpool.

The Foxes made a slow start and were punished by Jarrod Bowen's 10th-minute strike. But they were gifted a lifeline right on half-time when Aaron Cresswell needlessly handled James Maddison's corner, Youri Tielemans drilling home the penalty.

Leicester were galvanised and further rewarded for their improvement when Ricardo Pereira headed home a Harvey Barnes cross after 57 minutes.

West Ham, who were without controversial defender Kurt Zouma after he felt unwell in the warm-up, had lost their way, but rescued the draw that keeps them a point ahead of Manchester United in fourth. Dawson rose highest to meet a Bowen corner and score with a looping header.

The fragile state of affairs at Leicester was illustrated by the sound of groans and jeers as they passed the ball around at the back after West Ham took an early lead.

Frustration was in the air and returned at the final whistle when the Foxes lost the advantage late on, for the third time recently after losing to Tottenham and drawing with Brighton.

It was a desperate body blow for Rodgers and his players who looked like stepping out of their malaise as they were moments away from coming from behind to win.

The pain was etched on faces all around the King Power Stadium as this was a movie they have seen before.

Leicester have a soft centre without key defenders Jonny Evans and Wesley Fofana.

It was exposed by Issa Diop's pass for Bowen's goal and then again in stoppage time, even after Rodgers had sent on the giant figure of Jannik Vestergaard late on, presumably to guard against such an eventuality as Dawson's goal.

So near and yet so far for the Foxes. Again.

West Ham manager David Moyes will have been relieved to earn a point so late on, but also feel his side wasted an opportunity to earn a vital victory.

The Hammers were in control without sparkling in the first half only to throw away a position of power via Cresswell's needless handball moments before the break.

The goal, coming at such a crucial time, threw West Ham off course and few could have complained had Leicester hung on at the end.

The Hammers were poor after the interval but deserve credit for at least sticking at it to stage another late show.

Moyes can point to the reshuffle that robbed him of Zouma just before the kick-off, but he will also know his side let Leicester off the hook when they had them down, in arrears, and with the crowd restless in the opening period.

It may prove an important point in the final reckoning, and West Ham stay in the top four - albeit having played a game more than Manchester United.

Moyes will know, however, that high standards have been set this season and this was a performance that was below them.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60276495

 

[James]

<b>Wolves 2-1 Leicester</b>

Wolves maintained their push for a European place as excellent goals from Ruben Neves and Daniel Podence proved enough to beat Leicester in a thrilling Midlands derby at Molineux.

Neves put the hosts ahead after nine minutes as he applied a precise finish to Raul Jimenez's lay-off from the edge of the area, to take it past an unsighted Kasper Schmeichel.

Then, after Ademola Lookman slid in ahead of Leander Dendoncker to turn home Marc Albrighton's low cross from close range for the Foxes four minutes before the break, Podence struck Wolves' second to seal the points.

In front of Gareth Southgate's assistant Steve Holland, England hopeful Max Kilman carried the ball out of defence before setting Rayan Ait-Nouri away with a superb cross-field pass. Ait-Nouri fed Dendoncker, who in turn moved the ball to Podence, who took one touch before driving his shot into the bottom corner.

It was Wolves' fifth win in six Premier League games in 2022 and puts them seventh - six points behind fourth-placed Manchester United - with two games in hand.

For Leicester, it was another disappointing day during a period where they have collected just two points from five games and been knocked out of the FA Cup by local rivals Nottingham Forest.

 

[James]

James Maddison scored two beauties as Leicester made light work of Danish side Randers with a 7-2 rout on aggregate to reach the last 16 of the Europa Conference League.

Brendan Rodgers' men came into this knockout stage play-off round after finishing third in their Europa League group, but navigated the tie with few issues.

Holding a 4-1 lead from the first leg, it took Leicester just 100 seconds to extend their advantage as Harvey Barnes broke clear and curled a delightful finish into the far corner.

The England international could have added another in the second half but fired wide from an acute angle.

Compatriot Maddison then netted twice in the space of four minutes with a free-kick into the top corner and a sumptuous curling strike from 25 yards.

Randers did pull a goal back late on when Kasper Schmeichel's heavy touch on the ball allowed Stephen Odey to nip in and convert a gift from close range.

The draw for the Europa Conference League takes place on Friday when the Foxes will be picked out of the pot against a group winner.

 

[James]

A precious and solid away win for Leicester against Burnley last night, which gives the Foxes some breathing space in the mid-area of the Premier League table.

2-0 with goals for Maddison (again) and the returning Vardy.

 

[MenInG]

Leicester's Jamie Vardy is set to be out for "a few weeks" says manager Brendan Rodgers after the 35-year-old striker picked up a knee injury.

Vardy sustained the injury during Saturday's 1-0 win over Leeds.

The former England striker was making his first start of 2022, having been sidelined for more than two months with a hamstring issue.

"He got a knock to his knee, but hopefully in the next three to four weeks it responds OK," said Rodgers.

"He's going to be out for a few weeks, which is a shame."

Vardy is the Foxes' joint top scorer with 12 goals from 24 appearances this season.

Patson Daka, Kelechi Iheanacho, Ademola Lookman and Ayoze Perez, all of whom are fit, are the other attacking options available to Rodgers.

 

[James]

<b>Leicester beat PSV to reach first European semi</b>

Ricardo Pereira scored a late winner as Leicester City produced a superb comeback to beat PSV Eindhoven in the Europa Conference League and reach the club's first European semi-final.

After a goalless first leg at King Power Stadium, Eran Zahavi pounced on a mistake by Youri Tielemans to open the scoring but James Maddison levelled with 13 minutes remaining.

The Foxes midfielder slotted into the top corner from Ayoze Perez's clever cutback before Pereira fired the winner in the 88th minute to seal a memorable win.

They will face the winners of Roma versus Bodo/Glimt, who lead 2-1 following the first leg.

Foxes boss Brendan Rodgers had urged his side to make history and reach the club's first European semi-final, but for 77 minutes it looked like they would pass up the opportunity against a PSV outfit who were more adventurous than in the first leg.

It has been an underwhelming season for Rodgers but his changes at Philips Stadion inspired a stirring comeback.

Half-time replacement Patson Daka had already slotted a glorious chance wide before fellow substitute Perez picked out Maddison and the midfielder lashed home.

Then, with two minutes to go, substitute Ademola Lookman found Daka and the forward's effort was palmed into the path of right-back Pereira, who made no mistake.

It has been a decade of firsts for the Foxes, who won their maiden FA Cup last season and claimed a first top-flight title in 2015-16, and hopes of adding to that with a European trophy remain alive, albeit in the third-tier competition.

Winning this competition might also be Leicester's best chance of qualifying for Europe next term, sitting ninth in the Premier League and 11 points adrift of a Europa Conference League spot, but for a long time it looked like it would be the home side heading through.

Leicester were served a warning when Kasper Schmeichel tipped Mario Gotze's well-taken volley over the crossbar but had glorious chances of their own, with Harvey Barnes breaking free and slotting wide despite having Maddison in support.

They were eventually punished when Tielemans gave the ball away outside his own box and Mario Gotze slipped a pass into Eran Zahavi, who finished from a narrow angle in the 27th minute.

That turned the tie into a huge task for Leicester, with PSV arriving on a 15-match unbeaten run and having kept five clean sheets in their past six games under highly-rated boss Roger Schmidt, who will leave at the end of the season.

But it was a challenge Rodgers' side were up to and those late goals showed that the Foxes just might have fight to go all the way in Europe.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61097331

 

[MenInG]

GOAL - Leicester 1-0 Southampton
James Maddison (50 mins)

It's a terrible defensive header from Lyanco which goes straight up into the air.

Jamie Vardy wins it, is through one-on-one with the keeper but is denied. James Maddison comes in for the rebound and slots it into an empty net.

 

[James]

Well done Leicester.

A mixed season but finished strong and took a respectable 8th place in the end.

 

[Saj]

I wonder how long Maddison stays at the club.

Surely a bigger club is going to come in for him soon.

 

[the Great Khan]

Well done Leicester.

A mixed season but finished strong and took a respectable 8th place in the end.

yes...was disappointed this year but we finished strong..just too many injuries..

Madison is prob gonna go this summer..maybe to arsenal..im hoping rogers forks out some cash for some defenders and a new striker..we are desperate for a proper striker..Daka can continue to learn but we need goals..also need a good couple of creative mid fielders..tielemens and mads will probably go this summer..