Leicester City 4 Huddersfield Town 1: Light the New Year Cannon
No New Year's resolutions appear to be needed for Leicester City. Opening 2024 with a home tie at a subdued King Power stadium, Helen Thompson looks at why all Foxes fans can start the year on a positive note, even if we did have to wring out our clothes after the heavens opened in the second half.
Happy new year to all! It’s chaotic fixture time in the Championship as all clubs looked to their third fixture in six days, although for Leicester it was at least a welcome home game after traipsing to Ipswich and Cardiff back to back. Huddersfield Town were the visitors, not surprisingly bringing a modest away support that contributed to one of the Foxes’ lower home attendances of the campaign so far.
There were a few sore looking heads amongst the crowd and watching the opening quarter of the first half, perhaps the players were feeling the New Year’s Eve after effects too. It was a very slow, subdued start, not dissimilar to the dismal opening against Cardiff. Huddersfield were set up deep and conservative as we’ve come to expect and this had all the hallmarks of the script we’ve got used to at the King Power from teams in the bottom half of the table. Doubtless for the ill and hungover, wondering why they dragged themselves out in the cold.
The crowd was in need of some excitement, something to rouse us and unlike many other first halves at home, Leicester City took an earlier lead. Tom Cannon opened the scoring in fine fashion and although a little ahead of schedule, the home script looked set to play out as usual. For their part, Huddersfield didn’t entirely submit, causing Enzo Maresca’s men some difficulty in small doses, but truly not enough to really trouble the league leaders.
If anybody remains unconvinced by this Leicester City, then share the statistics. The Foxes sit seventh for most points earned in the Championship throughout 2023, despite only joining it eight months in. Ensuring the year got off to a good start with four pretty nice goals (or well worked anyway) to boot.
Enzoball meet Cannonball
Four changes may not scream of ‘ringing the changes’ given the fixture congestion and inevitable illness/injury, but there were some noticeable changes. There’s no rest for the Winks but there was a well-earned rest for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Yunus Akgün taking on his creative role. And with Wilfred Ndidi and Patson Daka having departed for AfCoN duty, up stepped Cesare Casadei and Tom Cannon to replace them, giving our newest striker his first start in Leicester blue since his £8 million pound move attracted attention.
Having joined injured and then found himself waiting patiently for a chance, this was Cannon’s time to shine. With Daka gone for at least a few weeks, the striker spot is up for grabs and ending the day with two goals, it’s definitely a great start for the youngster who turned twenty-one on Thursday. Strikers are simple creatures really, they just want to score and one single goal, regardless of how it goes in, changes the whole mood and gives them a swagger. As demonstrated perfectly by Cannon when, having already notched two goals, he tried a rather audacious bicycle kick. It didn’t quite work but it was fun to see him try it.
Cannon’s opening goal was well struck, capitalising on an ambitious flick by Ricardo Pereira to put it into the bottom corner. If we were still in the Premier League, doubtless an ex-pro would tell us all the wrongs of the Huddersfield goalkeeper, but it was a fine strike and broke the deadlock.
The former Everton man may have his doubters; it would be easy to ask why a club who desperately need strikers were so willing to sell not only Cannon but Ellis Simms in the same transfer window, leading some to conclude they must be rubbish. Foxes fans got a glimpse of Simms (and probably agreed with this) when Coventry City came to town in the season opener but have had to wait much longer for a real look at Cannon.
It’s Cannon’s second goal that is the one to study. Showing some intelligence for where he should be, then strength to hold off the defender while playing it down. He took his shot at exactly the right moment, not too many touches and confidently hit the back of the net. It helps that the ball over the top from Harry Winks was so perfectly weighted, but he dealt with it very convincingly. It’s too early to claim he’s worth every penny, but it looks like Maresca and his team have rooted out another gem who slots in perfectly.
Props to Pereira
There’s a lot of players in this Leicester side who get the plaudits and the attention, either by sheer star power or by letting goals and assists do the talking. Ricardo Pereira can be overlooked not only outside of the club, but from within the fanbase too. He was excellent against Huddersfield, not just for winning a header that a man of his stature shouldn’t really be winning and his goal. He was everywhere, showing the full breadth of what his inverted wingback role can do and how damaging it can be.
For the first goal, what seemed like quite a simple flick down, viewed from the Kop end of the King Power, is actually quite outrageous watching it back. Cannon may have been the one to get the goal, but Ricardo was instrumental. He looked entirely in his element today, helping keep some consistency and experience alongside Winks as our lesser used midfielders took to the field.
We’re told time and time that players like Winks, Dewsbury-Hall and Vardy are a Championship cheat code. File Ricardo there too, he’s clearly good enough to have stayed in the Premier League, perhaps he would have long left Leicester entirely if not for cursed injury luck, but he’s here. Sporting the Captain’s armband and quietly going about destroying the opposition. Were it not for Cannon’s brace, Ricardo would be getting the Man of the Match nod.
It has to help finally having some strength in depth in the fullback positions too, we’re able to manage his minutes rather than just running him into the ground. Having Callum Doyle back as another incredibly good option on the left can only help that.
The midfield B team and an Abdul boost
It’s not been particularly comfortable watching Leicester this year when both Dewsbury-Hall and Ndidi have been off the pitch, but we knew we’d have to live without Ndidi as January arrived and we have to be able to let the others rest at some stage. This was a huge opportunity for Casadei and Akgün to lay down a marker and for Enzo to see if this was a workable midfield before facing tougher opposition (no disrespect).
Casadei’s biggest issue has been consistency and his defensive work, or like for the late Ipswich goal, lack thereof. In moments, he’s looked ridiculously good and he’s notched some lovely, key goals. But he hasn’t truly looked a threat to any of our key starting eleven, forgivable for his age but not ideal for a team who need reliable cover. This match won’t entirely have changed the narrative around him, but this felt a more controlled, disciplined outing from him. Is he the answer were we to sustain a serious injury? The jury is still out, but he’s earned some patience after today.
The Akgün question is an interesting one. His biggest flaw seems to be that we’re asking him to do what Dewsbury-Hall does and this season, that’s a high bar. He’s got copious amounts of energy and determination and he’s clearly a creative mind, there’s just something that hasn’t quite clicked so far. What we’ve not seen a lot of though is him alongside the main midfield and if he could sharpen up on decision making, he could be a real livewire.
There were moments where the midfield looked weak, gaping holes were left open and we spent a few minutes inviting Huddersfield back into a game they should have long been out of. All opportunities for Enzo to tweak and finesse of course as we strive for perfection.
It’s a positive to have squad options who can come in and do a job, Cannon and Doyle being available just as we lose some players is a huge plus. Leicester City got another boost too, Abdul Fatawu opting out of the Ghana squad. Given his recent form, this was great news to wake up to in 2024, even if he was quieter by his standards against Huddersfield.
Beginning 2024 as we mean to go on
The result on paper looks like a cake walk, and for the most part, this did feel very comfortable. It wasn’t without its flaws, things got sloppy in moments and we allowed the opposition a very scrappy goal that nobody will be happy with watching back. But Maresca has long maintained that this is a marathon and not a sprint. As we showed with some of the goals and the build up play, when it’s sexy football, it’s really sexy football. And with only Leeds grabbing all three points from the chasing pack, that gap is looking a little wider once again.
With another four goals notched, we are looking a pretty menacing force, even when not at full speed. There’s a slight league interlude now with an FA Cup tie away to Millwall up next, a fixture not likely to be the real focus for the season, though maintaining our momentum would be helpful.
A chance to right the very embarrassing last time we played out this fixture back in 2017. This tie should give Maresca a chance to rotate and try some other players again, and I doubt we’ll have to endure a fullback who’s too scared to take throw-ins this time. Expect the Foxes to keep one eye on the lunchtime M69 derby trip to Coventry in just under two weeks.
