Leicester 0-3 Wolves: Three Foxes Talking Points | OneFootball

The importance of this match

It is difficult to exaggerate the importance of this match in the Foxes’ battle to avoid an immediate return to the Championship. It is probably true to say that it marked a key moment in the season. Not only was it against one of the club’s main rivals at the bottom of the Premier League, it also prefaced a difficult run of fixtures heading into the new year with City facing Liverpool and Villa away and Manchester City at home. Going into the game a defeat would have been unthinkable, a draw barely adequate and only a victory really acceptable.

Catastrophic defeat

In the event, a 3-0 defeat for the Foxes was a devastating outcome. All the goals came in the first half, all three coming from calamitous defensive errors. For the first, Jannik Vestergaard allowed an innocuous through ball to pass him leaving Goncalo Guedes with an easy chance. For the second, a cross-field pass eluded James Justin, in what seemed to be a terrible miscommunication with Danny Ward, allowing Ridrigo Gomes to knock the ball past the Leicester ‘keeper. For the third, a Wolves winger found space behind Victor Kristansen before finding Matheus Cunha who knocked the ball past the helpless Ward. By contrast, the Foxes offered little going forward – although Jamie Vardy had two chances – their performance lacking speed and aggression.

In the second half, Leicester huffed and puffed but never really looked likely to get back into the game. Indeed, Wolves could have extended their lead through counter-attacks. The half empty ground at the final whistle was testament to the team’s dreadful performance. Above all, they committed the cardinal sin of making a poor Wolves side look half-decent.

The blame game

Before the game ended, Foxes’ fans were already letting it be known who they blame for the situation the club finds itself in, with boos for Danny Ward - and ironic cheers when the goalkeeper did his job – coupled with negative chants aimed at director of football John Rudkin. In reality, there are a variety of factors at play.

Successive mistakes in the transfer market is one problem. This has been evident for a few seasons now and the summer business – a combined £30 million on Oliver Skipp and Jordan Ayew in particular - appears to be sub-optimal. Steve Cooper must take his share of the blame for this, although the club found it difficult to attract quality talent with the threat of a points deduction, and a relegation battle, facing them. Too be fair, the present malaise is at least partly caused by injuries to key players – Abdul Fatawu, Ricardo Pereria, Wilfred Ndidi, Harry Winks and Mads Hermansen – exposing the weakness of City’s squad.

In addition, as I wrote at the time, Leicester fans have, perhaps, been too negative about Steve Cooper and too optimistic about the ability of Ruud van Nistelrooy to turns things round. His first two games – a home win and draw – were promising but disguised problems that have not been addressed. As The Athletic’s Rob Tanner has pointed out, the new Foxes’ boss has only tweaked the formation rather than transforming it and, like Cooper before him, it is difficult to identify a distinct playing identity.

Finally, it is mystifying that, in the absence of Hermansen, the Dutchman turned to Ward as his replacement, despite the fact that the Welshman conceded goals in quick succession against Newcastle and despite his shaky performances which were a contributory factor in City’s relegation in 2023. It is easy to feel sorry for the ‘keeper not least because he was left brutally exposed by poor defending against Wolves. However, it is clear that he doesn’t instil confidence in his defenders and his distribution isn’t a patch on the first choice Leicester custodian. Fit again Jakub Stolarczyk should probably have started.

All in all, if we didn’t already know it, this season is going to be a huge struggle and relegation is a distinct possibility. With games against Liverpool and Manchester City to come, it is possible – if not likely – that the Foxes will enter the new year in the bottom three. Let’s hope for a better 2025. A good transfer window is essential.