Leicester City’s relegation from the English Premier League in 2022–23 came as a surprise to many. A poor start under Brendan Rodgers was followed by inconsistency on the field by Leicester City players. They faced the consequences and were relegated from the top division of English football.
The Foxes appointed a new manager at the start of the season. He is none other than Pep Guardiola’s former assistant, Enzo Maresca. The Italian manager was given the opportunity to bring Leicester City back to the Premier League, and he has started on a positive note. The Foxes sit at the top of the table, level on points with Ipswich Town after eight rounds. The EFL Championship is a tough league, as teams play in 46 matches and have to fight really hard to gain promotion. Let’s take a look at what the change in management has brought to this club.
Leicester City started the 2023-24 season with a 2-1 win over Coventry City. This was followed by three consecutive victories. Hull City came in the fifth game week to the King Power Stadium and defeated the Foxes at their home. The team was unhappy with the performance and responded with three consecutive wins.
The Foxes have found the back of the net 14 times in the current season. They create 26.88 positional attacks and are also dependent on counterattacks. Leicester City averages 3.5 counterattacks per 90 minutes. Averaging 15.88 shots per 90 minutes, Leicester have an accuracy rate of 32.3%. All the goals have been scored from inside the penalty box and the xG rate per match has been 2.01.
Kasey McAteer has been the difference maker in front of the goal for the Foxes. The academy graduate has chipped in with four goals in six league appearances. He has a 50% accuracy rate and operates from the right flank.
Enzo Maresca’s men like to keep the ball and average 587 passes per match. The accuracy rate is quite high, at 89.4%. The above shot assist map shows all the chances created by the team to score a goal. Leicester City have won most of the corners from the right side. Other than this, a few attacks have come from the left side as well.
The Foxes have shown quality on the field and recovered some balls in attacking areas. They have made 30 dangerous recoveries and seven came inside the penalty box.
Leicester City have the best defence in the league this season. They have conceded five goals in the first eight matches. The defence has allowed the players to take 11.5 shots per match, and 31.6% of those shots have been on target. By looking at the above viz, we can observe that three goals have been scored from inside the box and two came from outside. These defensive performances have been the biggest reason behind their early-season success.
The Foxes last won the title in 2013–14. They have won the Championship seven times, and one more triumph will make them the most successful team in the second division. Enzo Maresca and his men will look to continue this good run and get back to the Premier League.
