In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Brendan Rodgers reflects on his team's set-piece woes and what Leicester City must do to turn it around. Watch Leicester vs Newcastle live on Sky Sports Premier League from 1pm on Sunday; kick-off 2pm
Sunday 12 December 2021 15:59, UK
If there was any consolation for Brendan Rodgers in Leicester's 3-2 defeat to Napoli that cost them their place in the Europa League, it might have been that none of the goals were conceded from set-piece situations. Instead, all three came from open play.
"It is always the issue isn't it," Rodgers tells Sky Sports. "You plug one gap and something else comes up. We were playing against a very good side and dominated all the statistics in the game but we conceded poor goals. It was hugely disappointing.
"We need to start doing the basics right. In order to win games, you have to be hard to beat. Fundamentally, to attack well, we need to defend well. Offensively, we have created chances and we look a threat. But just at the moment we cannot defend."
The set-piece problem has dogged their season. Leicester have conceded more goals that way than any other team in the Premier League. They have also conceded the most goals from headers and the most goals from crosses, all of which is clearly linked.
A nadir was reached in the 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa last weekend in which centre-back Ezri Konsa scored twice. Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler had almost predicted his second goal before the ball came in, so predictable have Leicester's problems become.
Training-ground conversations helped address that in Naples. "We look at that for this game and were much better in defending those moments," says Rodgers. "Then, of course, we make a mistake for the first goal and could do better for the second and the third."
It was a reminder that the issues run deeper. "In the Aston Villa game, it was set-pieces. In the games before that, it was penalties. We have just conceded poor goals. Individual mistakes.
"It was something that we have been analysing and looking at what we could do better. It is about having a mentality to defend.
"That is not just the back four and the goalkeeper, it is the whole team. There have been moments of concentration when we have switched off and been punished. There are other moments when players have been too passive in our defending and that has cost us.
"So, it is about mindset and tactical cohesion."
Finding that cohesion given the current schedule is the challenge. The squad are straight into their preparation for the Premier League game against Newcastle on Sunday. That is the first of seven games that Leicester are set to play in just 21 days over Christmas.
"The struggle we have at the minute is the ability to train that and work on the areas that need improvement because the players are recovering and then going into the next game so you are not really getting that cohesion from working on it through the week.
"If you work on something with intensity and time that helps. If you are able to work with your back four, even for just a couple of days, on certain pressing moments, when the ball is in certain situations, to slide and work and connect it and be cohesive, that helps.
"At the moment, we are looking at video footage and you can only really walk through certain situations as opposed to the real game scenarios. The scenarios are only coming up in the actual games. That is always the challenge when you are playing in Europe."
Bereft of confidence, shorn of belief, mistakes have been frequent.
"A certain panic sets in. We just need to return to a level where we are compact, tight, pressing the game at the right moments and staying calm in our defending. We have been good at that in the past but not right now. I need to find a solution to that."
There are solutions in this Leicester team. Youri Tielemans is highly regarded across Europe, Wilfred Ndidi too. Caglar Soyuncu quickly became a cult hero. Harvey Barnes and James Maddison are capable of magic. All are aged either 24 or 25, coming to their peak.
But for all the quality they have shown, Rodgers wants more because he knows that all still have much to prove. He makes a clear distinction between being a gifted prospect and an elite player and that distinction comes down to consistency of performance.
"We have lots of talents at this level but in order to be a top player rather than just a top talent, you have to do it week in and week out, season in and season out," he explains.
"This is the challenge for our talented young players. They have to prove they have the mentality to be top players by doing the other side of the game. It is concentration, it is mentality, it is all these off-the-ball things that are important for the very best teams."
He still believes in his players. "We have a coaching culture based around support and improvement. That is how we approach it." The back four that started against Aston Villa also started the FA Cup final win over Chelsea, albeit alongside Wesley Fofana.
Rodgers points to that past record of success.
"It is definitely something that we have done well in over a long period of time. If you look at the statistics, defensively we have been one of the best teams in the Premier League in terms of our pressing and our goals against. This season has been a struggle.
"Because of where we have been these last few seasons, challenging for Champions League places and trophies, we have set a really high level. If you drop short of that, you are judged on that. But I have that sense of perspective in terms of where the team is.
"That perspective is important. We have challenges now that maybe years ago we would have dreamt of in terms of being in Europe. But we are where we deserve to be in the league because we have not been consistent enough. That is the challenge for us.
"There is no need to panic. Patience and composure is important too. Stay patient. It will turn. We need the players to be confident when they walk on the pitch, not to be fearful of it, because it will turn for us. We need to stay strong and be resilient."
An assured performance against Newcastle would calm everyone.
So, what does Rodgers want to see from his team?
"I just want to see us bring our attitude and intensity to the game, play with that confidence with and without the ball. That is what we strive for. Players will make mistakes, especially young players. They will make bad decisions. But they have to stay focused on their job.
"We need to return to being hard to score against."
Watch Leicester City vs Newcastle United live on Sky Sports Premier League from 1pm on Sunday; kick-off 2pm
