Not making up the numbers: The stars and stats firing Leicester City’s WSL survival bid
It’s been a season of two halves for Leicester City in the WSL. Ahead of a showdown with West Ham that could see survival sealed, we take a look at the numbers that have helped Willie Kirk’s side turn things around.
Pressing matters
Aggressive pressing from the front has been a hallmark of Leicester's transformative second half of the WSL season.
With an average possession percentage of just 40.8%, Leicester have seen less of the ball than any other team this season. They've also made 690 tackles or interceptions, the highest number in the division.
Even more than that, there's just been a different feel about the side since the turn of the year. The relentless nature of Leicester's approach without the ball looks a nightmare to play against and has proven too much for most opponents outside of the elite.
Loan stars
Of course, it helps when a genuinely world class player arrives halfway through the season. Janina Leitzig has been a revelation since being borrowed from Bayern Munich.
The only WSL goalkeeper with a higher save percentage than Leitzig's 74.7% from more than 6 games this season is Manchester United and England's number one Mary Earps (79.2%).
Leicester's other goalkeepers had conceded 25 goals from 52 shots. Leitzig has conceded 21 from 83.
As with pressing, stats only tell part of the story though. The eye test will tell you Leitzig is a star. Nothing is a certain goal with the German between the sticks. Her spectacular saves in the goalless draw with Everton in March defied belief, but that's far from the only game in which she's impressed.
In fact, it's been surprising just how enjoyable a goalkeeper can be to watch. Whatever happens from here, Leicester fans will follow Leitzig's career with interest and affection.
Not far behind Leitzig in terms of impact, fellow loanee Ruby Mace has been a brilliant addition to a midfield in need of greater control. Manchester City have a future Lioness on their hands. At just 19 years of age, Mace has played like an experienced old head to impress at WSL level.
The key to Mace's game in defensive midfield is her ability to break up play and set Leicester on the attack. Of players to have played at least 9 games, only Brighton's Kayleigh Green has more interceptions per 90.
Mace has also had to slot in at the back in difficult trips to Arsenal and Chelsea.
Welsh dragons
If there's one thing Leicester lacked in the first half of the season, it was pace in attack.
When Hannah Cain returned from long-term injury, suddenly there was an outlet. Displaying a real affection for the club both on and off the pitch, Cain is integral to the way Leicester have transformed their attack.
It's not only her pace and energy that have helped turn things around. Cain also scored one of the goals of Leicester's season from a well-worked set piece routine against Liverpool at Tranmere to secure a vital victory.
And there may be 23 WSL players with more goal-creating actions per 90 minutes than Cain this season, but only two - Everton's Nicoline Sorensen and loanee Jess Park - who have been playing for a club outside the top five.
When Liverpool came to LE2 for the return fixture, it was Cain’s fellow Welsh international Josie Green who scored the vital opener in a 4-0 win.
It took the third member of Leicester’s Welsh trio, Carrie Jones, a while to make her mark following a loan move from Manchester United, but there were always promising signs.
Her timing to make that mark was impeccable, firing in the crucial 97th minute winner at home to Reading and the second goal in the victory over Liverpool.
Although she's been in and out of the team, Jones has embodied the team's spirit every time she's pulled on a blue shirt. While she may soon be back to a red one at Manchester United to match her Welsh jersey, there will always be a fond reception waiting at Leicester.
Jones is one of only three players to overperform her xG by more than 0.5. The others are the exciting young midfielder Monique Robinson and Sam Tierney.
Tierney has popped up with two vital goals this season against fellow strugglers - the second in the 3-0 win over Brighton and the opener in the 2-1 win over Reading. With 7 shots on target from 12 attempts this season, only two players have recorded better shooting accuracy in the WSL this season.
Rocks at the back
Despite conceding plenty of goals early on in the season, it never really felt like the defence was the problem. Ash Plumptre and Sophie Howard are the kind of players you want playing for your team. They will head and kick anything to get Leicester over the line.
At 69.2%, Plumptre's tackle success percentage is the 8th best in the WSL. Both Plumptre and Howard are in the top ten in the league for blocks made.
A third Leicester player makes that top ten - CJ Bott, an exciting right-back full of direct running. Bott's 3.17 tackles per 90 minutes is the highest of any WSL player to play at least 10 games.
On the other flank, Courtney Nevin has shown defensive tenacity but her attacking output is her real standout quality. The Australian's delivery from dead balls and wide areas has been a huge factor in the second half of the season.
Nevin is one of 20 players with at least 4 assists in the WSL this season, but the only other player in the entire league to achieve that total from fewer than 17 games is Arsenal and England's Euro 2022 Player of the Tournament Beth Mead.
Nevin is also one of only three players outside of the top five with at least 4 assists. The others are promising English youngsters Jess Park and Katie Robinson.
There are other players worthy of mention - captain Aileen Whelan has played more minutes than anyone else, January addition Remy Siemsen has added dynamism in attack and Missy Goodwin is a willing worker on the wing who scored the brilliant headed fourth goal against Liverpool.
This has been a real squad effort, orchestrated with character by Willie Kirk and his staff.
Now there’s only one number that counts - a finishing position higher than 12.
