Leicester City 2 Watford 0: Apply some pressure
Enzo Maresca wanted a reaction after two losses and the disruption of the international break and he got it. It wasn't always pretty, the Foxes weren't at their best throughout but they got the three points. Helen Thompson breaks down the good and the gaps in a weekend where the chasing pack failed to register a win between them.
After the tenth international break of the season (an exaggeration, but there’s been a lot considering it’s only November), real football was back, Watford the opponents coming to the King Power. The first game of the season where it felt like winter is here and everybody donned hats and scarves. Union FS unveiled their latest Tifo pre-match, a great ‘meet me at the clock tower’ tribute, and it felt timely.
On the field, with our midfield Rolls-Royce, Harry Winks, suspended, would it be Hamza Choudhury or Wilfred Ndidi to cover? Both started in the end, a little too soon to throw Dennis Praet straight into the lineup perhaps and although a lot of us thought we'd see Tom Cannon, Kelechi Iheanacho was the starting striker. Largely unchanged otherwise as Maresca continues to stick to his guns.
Waiting for that oomph
The Foxes faithful have grown accustomed to some slower starts this year and the first half had its moments. This wasn’t such a vintage display and despite some early chances when Justin’s quick freekick nearly ended in Iheanacho slotting home, it was clear patience would be needed. You all know somebody who started the groaning early because of this.
For the opportunities created, Maresca’s men lacked that deadly, decisive, cutting pass and Iheanacho's movement and decision making appeared a little sluggish. Dewsbury-Hall could have broken the deadlock with a whipped free-kick that went just wide.
Watford were partly to blame for the early style, it very much looked like another all men behind the ball job for them and it was quite easy to see why they’ve shut out a number of teams lately. Therefore, the responsibility to get us going fell often to Jannik Vestergaard and Wout Faes again, the latter taking matters into his own hands, charging upfield on a couple of occasions. Both performed tremendously well and deserve their credit.
Hermansen saw plenty of the ball, but wasn’t really forced into actual, goalkeeping action by the away side. With the second half looming, it was going to be down to us to wear them out and force it.
Apply Some Pressure (or Abdul)
Enzo didn't ring any alarm bells at half time, allowing his starters a little more time before shaking it up, and Mavididi came closest after some good team movement. Kasey McAteer had tried and there were moments where he'd made the run only to be missed. He was perhaps a little unlucky to be replaced by Fatawu in a double change that saw Iheanacho replaced by Jamie Vardy. Cue something about a wife being a snitch. You know, the usual that always comes back to bite fans.
The second Abdul Fatawu came on, it was an injection of pace, the tempo lifted and we looked the team more likely to score. Vardy brings a doggedness, a desire to recover the ball more quickly and it rubbed off on the others. Stephy Mavididi was on a different level after this too. One particular moment of strength to hold off his defender and still get to the ball first showed a determination that fans will get behind.
Having Fatawu pushing McAteer to start on the right is a great headache for Maresca. A little nuts too given we'd all given up on having an actual right winger and now there's two! Fatawu is the live wire as it stands. Content to make it happen himself if a pass isn't forthcoming. His name isn't on the scoresheet but his inclusion was critical for us gaining the upper hand over a team who were content to begin time wasting with sixty minutes gone.
Jamie Vardy's non-hattrick bags the win
How Vardy left the stadium with just two goals to his name is baffling. He should have had four and he knows it, evidenced by a trademark punch to his own head after one of the misses. Had we collapsed in on ourselves like last year, those two misses would have been the focus.
We won't get him scoring twice in front of the Kop and those celebrations forever, so we may as well celebrate. Healthy debate is happening already about what his role should be and how you acknowledge his legend while being allowed to suggest he shouldn't start every game. What can we conclude from this latest chapter? Not a revelation but there is still life in the goat, it's just about using him in the right way.
A lovely moment at the end between him and a young fan added some much needed warmth to the chilly day too.
A CAM on the Christmas list?
This game did serve to highlight that we haven't quite solved the James Maddison shaped CAM gap yet. With the early success, he’d probably not been missed too much but there were various mutterings of his name throughout. We missed somebody with that spark, that special ball in. Do we have the answer in the squad already? Perhaps. The Belgian bias says Praet could be it if he could stay fit and was actually allowed to play there. Enzo may well be asking Santa for a CAM though.
It may have felt slow in the first forty-five minutes but we were creating chances. Yet again, it was a combination of luck and poor finishing that kept us at 0-0 for so long. Jamie Vardy appeared to forget how to hit a ball for a spell, coupled with that Dewsbury-Hall chance that somehow didn't go in. We were worthy of the three points, even if it took some work.
If Santa or Enzo could also shed some light on how much longer we're without Callum Doyle, that would be great. James Justin is fine at left back but he isn't the same driving force going forward, nor does he possess the same passing ability we get from Doyle. With a fully fit squad, left back doesn't seem a problem. But it does feel like a weaker spot as things stand.
KDH's Century
It wasn't just Stephy Mavididi who suddenly looked electric with the lift in tempo during the second half. This type of style plays into Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's hands too. He and Mavididi have a good understanding on the left and he was unlucky not to walk away with a goal or an assist.
This marked Dewsbury-Hall's 100th game for the Foxes, and looking around, he's probably the player you're hoping will creep up towards the top of the appearances table. His free kick delivery that led to the first goal, which really should have been for Vestergaard as it was a great header, saw the chaos that allowed Vardy a tap-in. The local lad will likely still rue that he didn't open the scoring too in both halves.
It took a while for him to come to life in the game but when he did, he was crucial and looked a threat again. His set pieces were generally well worked.
Unapologetically Enzo
“We’re born with this idea, we die with this idea. If there are some of them who aren’t happy, it’s their problem” was Enzo Maresca’s assessment after the game in response to fans who still aren’t quite on board with the style and pace. It's unapologetically authentic from him. Of course, it's easier to say it knowing the three points are in the bag and with the cushion of a little gap at the top but still. There's no compromise for him and assuming he's the same in the dressing room, this is the type of things players will back and will run through walls for him for.
It won't sit well with all fans, in the same way that some still aren't on board with Hermansen's high line and how much our centre backs have of the ball. But that's OK, the main man knows what we're doing and it will keep getting better.
If you are a fan who finds yourself frustrated by the style, or by his comments, please remind yourself what we got served up week on and off both on the pitch and in post match comments last year. This style can take a whole half to warm up, but it's one with a clear identity and when it's exciting, it's really exciting!
12 Days of Christmas at The Bridge
For the past 10 years, The Bridge Homelessness to Hope has served a 3-course Christmas Dinner with all the trimmings to hundreds of people in Leicester who are experiencing homelessness.
This year, they want to go one better and offer their guests (service users) not just one day of celebrations but 12 days of festive events over the month of December.
If you’re enjoying The Fosse Way, please consider donating to The Bridge’s Christmas appeal:
