Saturday 15 January 2011

Conclusions from Deepdale

Preston North End1-1Leicester
(HT 0-0)
Hume 90+1Yakubu 60


  • Taking chances is key. Too many times this season we have said that Leicester failed to take their chances and dropped points. The Foxes' run of good form continues, but not in the vein that Sven Goran Eriksson - and 2,500 blue shirted fans - would have hoped.
  • Sven's signings have been pivotal. Two men who stood out today were not the legacy of last season or Paulo Sousa's reign, but signings made by Sven Goran Eriksson. Sol Bamba's defensive maturity and Kyle Naughton's pace and guile going forward made Leicester the winning team today - unfortunately the goals failed to flow and Leicester left the North West with a meagre point.



Winners
Yakubu
The Yak: Scored on his Leicester debut
Another début, another first-appearance goal. The Preston defence had nothing on The Yak when he picked-up the ball, which if he had done more often would have caused real problems. He started slowly and had a poor first half, but his goal on the hour epitomised his somewhat lazy, but rather classy performance.

Sol Bamba
Bamba has given the Leicester defence exactly what it needed - a big man to organise the line and rally the troops. Today his aerial impact up front was not as exceptional as against Manchester City, but he was solid at the back and put in a good, honest shift.

Chris Weale
Commanded his back line well with some confident advances forward and made some crucial saves when the Foxes were under the kosh at 0-0 and 1-0 ahead. Could not be faulted for the Preston goal.

Richie Wellens
The ex-Doncaster man's command of the midfield was again superb, his distribution and passing reigning supreme above any other player on the pitch. A true class act.



Losers
Paul Gallagher
For Gallagher's superb performance to not be rewarded with a goal, let alone a stonking Leicester victory, is a crime. His superb free kick - from too close to goal and too centrally positioned to be a threat - hit the upright and he was again denied when his header ricocheted off the cross-bar in the second half. Gallagher has been a revelation under Sven Goran Eriksson, but without goals the fans cannot get behind him.

Andy King
Another off day for the skipper after a less-than-average performance against Manchester City. King's late miss when he was one-on-one against the Preston keeper was symptomatic of his day, with negative passes and too many touches often stifling a positive run of play. King needs to fire from midfield if Leicester are to find success.

The Best Team
Leicester were far and away the best side at Deepdale but could not capitalise and paid the price. This was definitely two points dropped.

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