The Fosse Way

Where to start with that one?

Even after an elongated journey back up the motorway, thanks to road closures, and the additional reflection and pondering time afforded by that, I’m still not entirely sure in which camp I reside. A hard-earned point secured by encouraging fight and desire? Or a disappointing result against a side that had only accumulated one point prior to today’s fixture?

The answer is probably a bit of both. As off-trend as that might be in a world where everything is pitted against something else and there is little room for nuance.

Contrasts. There were plenty on show here. For after all of the optimism of new signings coming into the squad, news of the starting eleven brought familiarity with the exception of Aaron Ramsey starting: Vestergaard, Soumare, Skipp, Ayew. Those who have disappointed us, or who have taken the brunt of fan frustration in recent times, all keeping their places.

Leicester started slowly. The away end grumbled and groaned in parts, restrained and composed in others. Team ‘Get It Forward’ vs Team ‘Trust The Process’. Vestergaard either slow and ponderous, or calm and intentional, depending on who you asked. But, again, the truth is probably somewhere in between – this Cifuentes Leicester City side not quite as patient as a Maresca side, not as counter-attacking as a Ranieri one. Not as unadventurous as a Steve Cooper one, and not as utterly ineffective as a Van Nistelrooy one.

We’re seeing this side still try to find its identity and understanding this game properly was aided by Marti Cifuentes’s excellent appearance on BBC Radio Leicester in the week. He wants bravery on the ball but not passing for passing’s sake. He cares about character as much as ability.

Unfortunately, in the opening 10 minutes, the direction of travel was towards the car park that Leicester were defending. Nine minutes in, a Matt Phillips strike from range was saved by Stolarczyk but he didn’t parry the ball to safety and then seemed to spring back to his feet in slow motion as a grateful Oxford player squared the ball across goal for Will Lankshear to put the home side 1-0 up.

Just three minutes later, Leicester were back level. A gift of a loose back pass put Ayew through on goal and he slotted home. But the balance of play remained with the home side. Luke Thomas and Caleb Okoli defended well on numerous occasions. City’s attacking threat came largely via Fatawu and Ayew.

To the 24th minute, and the moment that determined how this game would play out. A ball breaks to the left wing and Aaron Ramsey, with the enthusiasm of a new player wanting to shine on his debut for some, or reckless stupidity for others, lunges into a challenge. It’s mistimed, out of control and he catches the Oxford player long after the ball has departed. The red card is produced and there are few protests by players on the pitch or by those in the stands.

Leicester are penned into their own half and Ayew drops deeper to maintain defensive solidity. Attacking breaks are few and far between but Stephy Mavididi runs the ball half the length of the pitch before failing to get his shot off quickly enough to make anything of the chance. Unfortunately, it does nothing to ignite a season that looks to be inevitably heading towards Monga taking his shirt.

The away end is subdued. The frustration is palpable. Old habits of criticism and anger seemingly die hard. There was a time where going down to 10-men would have galvanised a Leicester away end. That the supporters would have taken up the task of giving a bit extra to the team. Not today – and that, to me, speaks to the disconnect many still feel with this club that is not communicating with them and with this team which still feels a little too similar to one that failed us. 

Get to half time, re-group and see what we can do in the second 45 minutes. 

A late corner for Oxford puts an end to that idea. A header towards goal deflects off Soumare and leaves Stolarczyk flailing in a way that, if you’re being critical, doesn’t cover him in glory. He has, and will, cost us some points this season, but that’s the price you pay for making a keeper who has less than 30 appearances across three lower league loan spells your number one keeper in the Championship. As he did at The Valley, hopefully he can also win many of them back.

Second half. Ricardo and Winks on. Soumare and Mavididi off.

Figuring out what kind of tactical sorcery Cifuentes was cooking up with this change was beyond me, and certainly beyond those in the away end who thought it was the right place to chant about Keir Starmer and Tommy Robinson at points during the football match. We can’t complain about our club being used as a vehicle for Thai political messaging during the Fiorentina home match and then tolerate this kind of chanting at another game. There are enough divisions and factions in our fan base currently, without the need for political ones to appear in an environment where people go to escape the stresses and strains of daily life.

The opening 10 minutes showed that the plan was actually just to get our best passers in close proximity of each other.  Vestergaard punched balls through the lines. Winks purred like he’d never spat his dummy out. Ricardo manipulated the ball like a man who, were it not for injury, would have graced the Bernabeu or Nou Camp. 

In the 55th minute, an intricate passing move, and a one-two with Fatawu, releases Ricardo into the box. Just to the right of goal about 18 yards out he strikes perfectly across goal into the far corner. Game on.

In the remaining 35 minutes, either side could have won it. City slick and smooth in their passing. Oxford probing without troubling the Leicester goal too much. Skipp, who Cifuentes said on Thursday night had impressed him with his running, covered a lot of ground, disrupting Oxford in what was probably his best game in a Leicester shirt. Jordan James making his debut and covering with an impressive defensive run in the closing stages of the game. Ricardo showed why he has no peer in this tier of English football.

At full time the players head over to largely applause from the travelling fans. Do they believe it? Do we believe it? I’m not sure either party is sure right now. It still feels like the early exchanges post-argument. But Cifuentes is trying. Trying to create a connection. Trying to build an identity. Trying to instil characteristics like pride, hunger and desire that have been missing for so long.

10 points from a possible 15. It could have been much worse. A bigger test of this team’s identity and personality awaits at lunchtime next Saturday. Hopefully the divisions and factions are only based on shades of blue.