Leicester’s defensive weaknesses analyzed: Is the system the problem?

Mads Hermansen was in heroic form against Arsenal. It had to be him.

Arsenal had 36 shots on target at the Emirates and the Leicester City goalkeeper made 13 saves, one fewer than the Premier League single-game record.

“I have to admit it was a bit too much,” he said after the 4-2 defeat. “I think we conceded 36 shots on goal. No matter who you play against, it’s just too much. We have to look at what we can improve and try to make it better for the future.”

Leicester have a lot to improve across the pitch. According to Opta, their total expected goals against (xG) is the lowest in the division (4.3 in the first six games) and their expected goals against (xGA) are also the worst at 12.75.

In attack, they scored a goal in every Premier League game, eight goals in the first six games, but had the fewest shots in the division (52). Their goals come thanks to the third-highest shot conversion rate in the league, behind Chelsea and Aston Villa.

It will be very difficult to maintain this conversion rate, which is why it is even more important that Leicester provide support in defense. The Arsenal game skewed their defensive stats as Leicester were reasonably good until their trip to the Emirates, but they still need to keep a clean sheet and Hermansen is now statistically the league’s most used goalkeeper. The Dane took 114 shots, the highest total in the league, with 43 on target, also the highest in the league. He made 31 saves, including 27 shots from inside the penalty area, which is also the highest total.

At the other end of the pitch, Wilfred Ndidi, known for his work in defensive midfield in previous seasons, has been Leicester’s most creative player this season, with four big chances created (joint fifth in the Premier League) and four assists (joint second in the Premier League). ). the Premier League with Cole Palmer and Mohamed Salah – only Bukayo Saka has more). Despite his attacking contribution, Ndidi, who operated as the most advanced of the three midfielders, does not shy away from his defensive duties and leads the division with the most tackles (24), level with Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo.

But behind him, Leicester is still a work in progress. When Leandro Trossard scored Arsenal’s second goal, Hermansen had a lively discussion with midfielder Harry Winks about why Trossard was finding so much space.

The reason for Hermansen’s criticism is presented below. As Arsenal reached the edge of the Leicester penalty area, the defense was in good shape, with a back four and the three central midfielders getting back into position. As Declan Rice’s ball went past goal to Gabriel Martinelli, Winks was on Trossard’s shoulder as he began to run into the box…

…but when the ball was cut back, Trossard had found space between Winks and Wout Faes without either of them making an attack, allowing for an easy finish.

Leicester should have been aware of this danger as they conceded a very similar goal at the start of the half.

Again Leicester looked well positioned as Arsenal attacked down the flank, with a clear back four in defense and the two defensive midfielders Oliver Skipp and Winks in assisting positions. Full-back Jurrien Timber ran past Leicester winger Stephy Mavididi but was not chased…

… Saka gives a simple ball into the channel for Timber to run onto. Martinelli appeared to be well marked by Faes with James Justin supporting him, while Kai Havertz was marked by Caleb Okoli. Timber played his pass through left-back Victor Kristiansen and Winks…

…and again it was a simple move from Martinelli back into space to score without Faes or Justin being able to stop him.

“The two goals in the first half are really typical Arsenal goals in terms of the areas they go into and the type of crosses and cuts,” Leicester coach Steve Cooper said afterwards. “We’ve seen them so many times, so it’s disappointing to admit at the end that you’ve worked on it and watched it, but sometimes they can be so good.”

Justin, who has played as a high full-back in Cooper’s system in recent games, had an eventful game at the Emirates, scoring both of Leicester’s goals and notching his first brace of his career, but this season he has been exposed at times and in the Outnumbered.

Cooper has chosen Faes and Okoli as his central partnership, with the latter having made a great start to his Premier League career since joining from Atalanta in the summer. Italy head coach Luciano Spalletti included him in the senior squad for recent Nations League wins over France and Israel, and although he has not yet won his first cap, he could do so against Faes and Belgium next week if he would come back into the squad.

Faes has been an ever-present for club and country over the last two seasons and already leads the Premier League with 41 appearances this season, but he hasn’t always been in the right place at the right time. In fact, his tendency to be dragged out of position has cost Leicester a few times this season.

At Fulham he was lured from the back four into midfield by Andreas Pereira…

…which exposed Justin…

… and was outnumbered in the run-up to Emile Smith Rowe’s opening goal.

Against Everton at the King Power Stadium, Faes raced out of position to follow James Garner, leaving a large space in Leicester’s defense…

… into which Ashley Young was able to play a pass so that Iliman Ndiaye scored.

Cooper prefers his defenders to be mobile and athletic, which is why Jannik Vestergaard, who started the first two games, and Conor Coady have had limited playing time so far. Faes and Okoli are still in the process of building their partnership and developing their understanding, but much like Cooper’s Leicester, it is still a work in progress.

In the 2022/23 season, when Cooper’s Nottingham Forest were newly promoted to the Premier League, he started the season with a similar defensive formation, but switched to a back five after eight games, taking a more pragmatic approach. He is unlikely to do the same with Leicester.

“I think these are completely different circumstances,” he says. “We are always open to adjustments and changes. We need to build the core of what we believe is needed to make a good game, and then when we are able to make tweaks and changes, we will do that.

“But I don’t compare this to any job before because it’s completely different.”

For now, Cooper is committed to his side’s formation and approach, but defensively they still have a lot of work to do to build the solid foundation on which they can build a successful Premier League survival plan.