Saturday 10 December 2011

Conclusions from Peterborough


Leicester City1-1Peterborough United
(HT 0-0)
Gallagher 56Tomlin 71

King Power Stadium, attendance: 25,948
BBC Match Report


Home Team: Schmeichel, Peltier, Konchesky , Bamba , St Ledger, Wellens, King, Dyer, Gallagher (Danns 71), Beckford (Schlupp 76), Nugent  (Howard 76)

Away Team: Lewis, Bennett, Zakuani, Alcock, McCann (Kearns 58), Rowe, Frecklington (Newell 68), Tomlin, Boyd, Sinclair, Taylor



  • Football is a game of two halves. And the memories of football fans are short. Leicester were far and away a superior outfit in the first half against a mediocre Peterborough side but failed to make a breakthrough until the second half. With the Foxes leading and the Posh seemingly happy to defend - they had eleven men in their own half at one point on the hour - the match was only going one way. A slow in pace, a drop in concentration and Peterborough could, in the end, have snatched all the points. Leicester were poor in the final twenty minutes but hardly deserved the jeers given to them by many of their fickle fans on the full time whistle.   
  • It's a bad start to the Christmas period. When many were predicting a need for at least thirteen points over the festive season, Leicester have spurned their first opportunity to make a serious dent in that total. Ipswich and Portsmouth at home - plus next week's trip to Doncaster - should yield a good hat full of points. More, from those three games the Foxes must pick up no losses or they are bound to lose pace with an accelerating top six.



Winners
Paul Konchesky and Lloyd Dyer
On the ball once more, Paul Konchesky and Lloyd Dyer were the architects of an impressive first half from the Foxes. Together on the left flank they caused mayhem in the Peterborough defence, without a named right-back unable to challenge the pace and skill of Leicester's wide men. Only the pair's finishing could be questioned, Dyer spurning at least one decent chance (hit over the bar) with another blocked on the line.

Jermaine Beckford
The lukewarm reception afforded to Jermaine Beckford as he was substituted did not do credit to his perseverance this afternoon. On a day where fellow striker David Nugent was fairly absent, Beckford was afforded two tricky opportunities that on any other day could have seen him give the Foxes a comfortable win. As it happened, he headed over from Dyer's blocked shot as the ball bounced awkwardly and was unfortunate to hit the post in the first half. Beckford will be frustrated by a lack of deliveries from his midfield team mates and it is a lack of quality there - rather than with the former Everton man's game - that was the problem against the Posh.

Andy King
Andy King was tasked in the first half in keeping Posh danger man Emile Sinclair quiet. The fact that Sinclair's sole impact on the game came as the delivery to the away side's equaliser after King had been relieved of those defensive duties proves how effective the young Welshman was at the heart of the Foxes midfield.

Sean St Ledger
An uncomplicated, mature and assured performance from the Irish international.

Kasper Schmeichel
Another outstanding performance from the young Dane, who is attracting interest from the Premier League.

Anthony Taylor, Cheshire
The mark of a good referee is to be unnoticed during the game. Mr Taylor was firm, assured and made the right calls to ensure a good and competitive game of football was contested. Top marks to the man in, err, yellow.



Losers
Richie Wellens
Negative and lacking imagination, Richie Wellens was the hands around the Foxes' throat and stifled a congested midfield. Wellens has been lauded as Leicester City's key man but, on this performance, there are other, more creative, players in the squad who should be afforded an opportunity in the first team.

Sol Bamba
The Ivorian international remains an almost laughable liability in defence and was, today, fortunate to not gift the away side a goal. Where before his forays into the midfield have been skilful and exciting, today they were frightening and led - often - to a Peterborough counter attack mopped-up by St Ledger and the outstanding Schmeichel.

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