Defensive errors cost bottom-of-the-league visitors once more
Sunday 7 December 2014 21:12, UK
“It’s another frustrating afternoon for us,” Leicester boss Nigel Pearson told Sky Sports, after seeing his side surrender a lead and go on to lose for the third time in a week.
On this occasion Ciaran Clark and Alan Hutton struck the decisive blows for Aston Villa, to leave Leicester rooted to the bottom of the Premier League, but, as with the Foxes’ defeats to QPR and Liverpool, defensive errors were the chief reason they came away empty handed.
Leicester have conceded seven goals directly from set-pieces this season – the joint-most in the division – and slack marking from Liam Moore allowed Clark to cancel out Leonardo Ulloa’s opener.
Then, Hutton found himself unmarked at the back post in the second-half, and tucked away Christian Benteke’s chipped pass with calmness not usually associated with a right-back in the box.
“From Leicester’s view the equaliser is incredibly soft,” said Sky Sports pundit Alan Smith. “Yes, it is a well-placed free-kick but it’s in an area where they’ve got plenty of bodies and Liam Moore is more interested in making sure the line is pushed up and organising that rear-guard than staying with his man. Clark doesn’t have to do anything to get free.
“For the second goal, that’s the kind of defending that’s been letting them down for the last few weeks. But, having got their noses in front, it was that equaliser that proved their undoing.
"If they’d got through to half-time and played on Villa’s insecurities, they’d have been in with a great shout of getting three points today – but they couldn’t manage it and it was a really poor goal they conceded.”
Pearson needs to get his players believing, when they go ahead, to continue playing in that form and in that positive manner.
Smith says Leicester must buy an experienced centre-back in January to shore-up their defence, while fellow pundit Dwight Yorke reckons they must consider their approach when they do go in front.
“The fact they’re going ahead and from there on losing a football match, that would be more worrying,” he said. “Pearson needs to get his players somehow believing, when they go ahead, to continue playing in that form and in that positive manner.
“They seem to retreat and invite pressure and Villa capitalised on that brilliantly this afternoon.”
However, it’s not unreasonable for a side which has taken just two points from the last 30 available to be nervous at the prospect of a rare victory, nor for them to feel they have to cherish a one-goal lead, knowing they’ve scored just six times in their last 10 games.
There’s no easy solution to Leicester’s predicament – but with champions Manchester City up next, followed by the hectic festive schedule, an answer needs to be found or last season’s second-tier winners, who are currently four points from safety, could be in serious trouble.
“Only ourselves can rectify that, it’s not about hoping things will happen it’s about continuing to work hard and we have to look now to the next game,” said Pearson.
“There’s no quick fix in life and the foundation for any side to be competitive is to retain the desire to work hard and there is a very strong team ethic within the dressing room and I have no doubts about that. But we have to find the answers ourselves.”
Whether Pearson – the 8/11 favourite with Sky Bet to be the first Premier League manager sacked this season – is the right man to find those answers, time will tell. But there’s no doubt his staff and players are standing by him.
After the game Kasper Schmeichel spoke up for him and coach Kevin Phillips wrote in his skysports.com blog last week: “Nigel has been in the game a long time, he’s an experienced manager and we believe and trust in him. There will always be a minority who won’t be happy if things aren’t going well but we need everyone pulling in the right direction.”
