Match Report: Outfoxed but not outfought

[Olé]

They say you learn more in defeat than victory and that was never truer than in Nigel Pearson’s highly anticipated return to Leicester. Facing the clear Championship favourites, a side loaded with Premier League talent and inarguably top flight in all but status, City’s manager got his game plan spot on, sitting in resolutely to frustrate the hosts football for an hour and fashioning brief spells of threat that might have created a smash and grab headline. Losing instead to a penalty kick was no disgrace and confirmed that the competitive visitors are in safe hands.

Spilling out of the terraced streets around the ground, travelling fans converged on one corner of the King Power Stadium under blue skies and against a sea of blue replica shirts weaving excitedly towards their turnstiles ahead of kick off. In the eleven years since City’s last trip to the stadium the Foxes have won the Premier League and FA Cup and played in the Champions League - and with street sellers hawking scarves and flags, the venue resembled every bit of the top flight Match of the Day style location montage - a rarity for Bristol City supporters.

Yet it was that small Westcountry corner of the stadium that laid down a clear marker from the start - 3,400 fans determined to be the 12th man with a continuous, lung busting cacophony of noise. Pearson’s men responded in kind, almost always on the back foot but running tirelessly to close down passing lanes, and in full backs Cam Pring and George Tanner endlessly dealing with Foxes wingers Stephy Mavididi and Abdul Fatawu. It took Wilfred Ndidi’s needless tumble over Kal Naismith’s outstretched boot and Jamie Vardy’s penalty to separate the teams.

In truth it was largely one way traffic in the first half although City shielded their box well and Max O’Leary was rarely threatened. Winger Fatawu sent a spinning volley from outside the box just wide from a corner, and the on-loan Sporting Lisbon star also forced City’s keeper to parry with a dipping shot on the run. Defender Callum Doyle also saw two headers easily dealt with, and in response the deep lying visitors struggled, Nahki Wells unable to hold up the ball, and in particular midfielder Joe Williams guilty of some poor decision making and careless passes.

But remarkably the first half closed with Pearson’s men suddenly threatening an unlikely opener. Winning a series of free kicks on the break on both flanks offered a welcome respite and a chance to get bodies forward. On the stroke of half time from one such set piece Mark Sykes brilliantly threaded Williams in behind on the right and his low driven cross seemed destined for Wells or Sam Bell to turn home with Leicester unable to scramble it clear of the six yard box, but without a shooting angle, Pring laid it back for Naismith whose lashed shot was blocked.

With the sun still shining down on the King Power Stadium and its heavily watered playing surface, City were out first for the second half and still clearly committed to their task. On the run Vardy was edged out by Rob Dicke trying to flash a near post header across the face of goal after Ndidi got in behind, and Tanner did brilliantly to prevent Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s follow up. Next the wingers combined for Mavididi to blaze over from the left, before O’Leary produced a sensational stop of Dewsbury-Hall’s point blank header from Fatawu on the other wing.

The Foxes brand of football is about releasing their electric wingers quickly into space behind on both flanks and City had to be at their very best to track the relentless attacking football. A clever dummy by Ndidi gave Fatawu another chance from the right and again he combined with his opposite number Mavididi, lifting it across to the far post where the left winger had just keeper to beat, O’Leary spreading himself quickly to block the shot. Some have questioned City’s home grown keeper but twice in as many minutes he kept the visitors in the fixture.

And just as in the crazy final minutes of the first half, City had a chance to turn the game on its head against the run of play. Pearson threw on three arguably attacking substitutions at the hour mark - Taylor Gardner-Hickman, Andi Weimann and 17 year old Ephraim Yeboah - and almost immediately the young striker might have put City in front. Twice Wells drew a defender to give Yeboah room outside him in the box from the right. First the youngster chose a square return ball that was just behind Wells, at the second of asking his driven shot was well blocked.

With the raucous away corner roaring their ever louder approval, it was perhaps ironic that the moment the game seemed to finally open up for the stubborn away side was also the period that decided it. Leicester built patiently and Ricardo Pereira threaded Ndidi into the box. City had bodies covering but Ndidi turned Naismith twice, spotting the defenders planted standing foot he took the easy option to tumble over for an obvious penalty. Vardy stepped up and despite a crescendo of abuse from the away end, sent his spot kick unerringly into the top corner.

Harry Cornick replaced Wells up top for City who by now were pressing Leicester relentlessly around the Foxes own box hoping to recover something from the fixture. Knight seized on a desperate half clearance to flash a fierce rising shot just over with the goal gaping, Knight turned provider but his heavy ball inside to Weimann was miscued high and wide, before the impressive Gardner-Hickman went on a mazy run before combining with Pring whose curling shot forced a save but left Weimann clear beyond the far post to see a drilled shot blocked.

Short on possession throughout, City were nothing if not energetic and committed and in these final moments there was still always the possibility of finding an unlikely leveller in front of their massed ranks of expectant fans - even as the match headed into injury time. Amazingly the noisy visiting supporters were still in it right until the very end, Yeboah winning a free kick right on the edge of the Foxes box deep into time added on, but with everyone holding their breath, Gardner-Hickman’s free kick through the wall was straight into the keeper’s grateful hands.

And that was it - City may have lost the match but in running the league leading promotion favourites so close on their own ground, will take away only positives for the rest of the campaign. Exhausted players lapped up the deserved positive reaction at full time from the travelling support, and manager Pearson - a hero to so many around the stadium - enjoyed warm applause from all four corners of the ground. He executed an effective game plan in difficult circumstances and surely now is overdue the recognition of a new contract from his own employers.

O’Leary 9

Tanner 8

Pring 8

Dickie 8

Naismith 8

James 7

Williams 5

Knight 7

Sykes 6

Bell 5

Wells 6

 

Gardner-Hickman 7

Weimann 6

Yeboah 6

Cornick 6

Mehmeti 5

[And Its Smith]

Yesterday is where we really miss Scott. We now don’t have anyone who can handle the ball at the level needed to really hurt teams like Leicester.  An odd game from Williams. The stats show he didn’t give the ball away at all bit had far fewer touches than Knight or James.  And really needed more from Bell and Sykes.  
 

edit:  Gardner-Hickman could be the man we need in these types of games 

Edited September 24, 2023 by And Its Smith

[Atyeo's lift]

Excellent report (as usual) and exactly how I saw it

[Davefevs]

18 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Yesterday is where we really miss Scott. We now don’t have anyone who can handle the ball at the level needed to really hurt teams like Leicester.  An odd game from Williams. The stats show he didn’t give the ball away at all bit had far fewer touches than Knight or James.  And really needed more from Bell and Sykes.  
 

edit:  Gardner-Hickman could be the man we need in these types of games 

Good edit!

[Mr Popodopolous]

Foxes talk reckon our way end was a library. Nice report however..

[One Team]

54 minutes ago, Olé said:

They say you learn more in defeat than victory and that was never truer than in Nigel Pearson’s highly anticipated return to Leicester. Facing the clear Championship favourites, a side loaded with Premier League talent and inarguably top flight in all but status, City’s manager got his game plan spot on, sitting in resolutely to frustrate the hosts football for an hour and fashioning brief spells of threat that might have created a smash and grab headline. Losing instead to a penalty kick was no disgrace and confirmed that the competitive visitors are in safe hands.

Spilling out of the terraced streets around the ground, travelling fans converged on one corner of the King Power Stadium under blue skies and against a sea of blue replica shirts weaving excitedly towards their turnstiles ahead of kick off. In the eleven years since City’s last trip to the stadium the Foxes have won the Premier League and FA Cup and played in the Champions League - and with street sellers hawking scarves and flags, the venue resembled every bit of the top flight Match of the Day style location montage - a rarity for Bristol City supporters.

Yet it was that small Westcountry corner of the stadium that laid down a clear marker from the start - 3,400 fans determined to be the 12th man with a continuous, lung busting cacophony of noise. Pearson’s men responded in kind, almost always on the back foot but running tirelessly to close down passing lanes, and in full backs Cam Pring and George Tanner endlessly dealing with Foxes wingers Stephy Mavididi and Abdul Fatawu. It took Wilfred Ndidi’s needless tumble over Kal Naismith’s outstretched boot and Jamie Vardy’s penalty to separate the teams.

In truth it was largely one way traffic in the first half although City shielded their box well and Max O’Leary was rarely threatened. Winger Fatawu sent a spinning volley from outside the box just wide from a corner, and the on-loan Sporting Lisbon star also forced City’s keeper to parry with a dipping shot on the run. Defender Callum Doyle also saw two headers easily dealt with, and in response the deep lying visitors struggled, Nahki Wells unable to hold up the ball, and in particular midfielder Joe Williams guilty of some poor decision making and careless passes.

But remarkably the first half closed with Pearson’s men suddenly threatening an unlikely opener. Winning a series of free kicks on the break on both flanks offered a welcome respite and a chance to get bodies forward. On the stroke of half time from one such set piece Mark Sykes brilliantly threaded Williams in behind on the right and his low driven cross seemed destined for Wells or Sam Bell to turn home with Leicester unable to scramble it clear of the six yard box, but without a shooting angle, Pring laid it back for Naismith whose lashed shot was blocked.

With the sun still shining down on the King Power Stadium and its heavily watered playing surface, City were out first for the second half and still clearly committed to their task. On the run Vardy was edged out by Rob Dicke trying to flash a near post header across the face of goal after Ndidi got in behind, and Tanner did brilliantly to prevent Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s follow up. Next the wingers combined for Mavididi to blaze over from the left, before O’Leary produced a sensational stop of Dewsbury-Hall’s point blank header from Fatawu on the other wing.

The Foxes brand of football is about releasing their electric wingers quickly into space behind on both flanks and City had to be at their very best to track the relentless attacking football. A clever dummy by Ndidi gave Fatawu another chance from the right and again he combined with his opposite number Mavididi, lifting it across to the far post where the left winger had just keeper to beat, O’Leary spreading himself quickly to block the shot. Some have questioned City’s home grown keeper but twice in as many minutes he kept the visitors in the fixture.

And just as in the crazy final minutes of the first half, City had a chance to turn the game on its head against the run of play. Pearson threw on three arguably attacking substitutions at the hour mark - Taylor Gardner-Hickman, Andi Weimann and 17 year old Ephraim Yeboah - and almost immediately the young striker might have put City in front. Twice Wells drew a defender to give Yeboah room outside him in the box from the right. First the youngster chose a square return ball that was just behind Wells, at the second of asking his driven shot was well blocked.

With the raucous away corner roaring their ever louder approval, it was perhaps ironic that the moment the game seemed to finally open up for the stubborn away side was also the period that decided it. Leicester built patiently and Ricardo Pereira threaded Ndidi into the box. City had bodies covering but Ndidi turned Naismith twice, spotting the defenders planted standing foot he took the easy option to tumble over for an obvious penalty. Vardy stepped up and despite a crescendo of abuse from the away end, sent his spot kick unerringly into the top corner.

Harry Cornick replaced Wells up top for City who by now were pressing Leicester relentlessly around the Foxes own box hoping to recover something from the fixture. Knight seized on a desperate half clearance to flash a fierce rising shot just over with the goal gaping, Knight turned provider but his heavy ball inside to Weimann was miscued high and wide, before the impressive Gardner-Hickman went on a mazy run before combining with Pring whose curling shot forced a save but left Weimann clear beyond the far post to see a drilled shot blocked.

Short on possession throughout, City were nothing if not energetic and committed and in these final moments there was still always the possibility of finding an unlikely leveller in front of their massed ranks of expectant fans - even as the match headed into injury time. Amazingly the noisy visiting supporters were still in it right until the very end, Yeboah winning a free kick right on the edge of the Foxes box deep into time added on, but with everyone holding their breath, Gardner-Hickman’s free kick through the wall was straight into the keeper’s grateful hands.

And that was it - City may have lost the match but in running the league leading promotion favourites so close on their own ground, will take away only positives for the rest of the campaign. Exhausted players lapped up the deserved positive reaction at full time from the travelling support, and manager Pearson - a hero to so many around the stadium - enjoyed warm applause from all four corners of the ground. He executed an effective game plan in difficult circumstances and surely now is overdue the recognition of a new contract from his own employers.

O’Leary 9

Tanner 8

Pring 8

Dickie 8

Naismith 8

James 7

Williams 5

Knight 7

Sykes 6

Bell 5

Wells 6

 

Gardner-Hickman 7

Weimann 6

Yeboah 6

Cornick 6

Mehmeti 5

Your reports get better and better @Olé. That second paragraph is genius!

[ralphindevon]

40 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Yesterday is where we really miss Scott. We now don’t have anyone who can handle the ball at the level needed to really hurt teams like Leicester.  An odd game from Williams. The stats show he didn’t give the ball away at all bit had far fewer touches than Knight or James.  And really needed more from Bell and Sykes.  
 

edit:  Gardner-Hickman could be the man we need in these types of games 

I’m sure Williams gave the ball away at least once in the first half. 

[And Its Smith]

14 minutes ago, ralphindevon said:

I’m sure Williams gave the ball away at least once in the first half. 

When I say ‘at all’ I don’t mean absolutely.  Twice he gave the ball away 

[jimbolcfc]

Alright boys. Leicester fans here.

 

I think it's a fair enough reflection albeit obviously one sided from your unwaivering support of your team 

I bumped into 4 of your younglings, very drunk and enjoying an away day much like I did in my younger days. They somehow had managed to find their way from the train station to one of the roughest pubs in the city and nowhere near the route from the station to the ground a good bunch of lads though, I warned them not to try the cider up here and got them out of there and I walked them down to the ground. I told them at the time our ground is weird for atmosphere, we never really hear the away fans from where I sit, away fans assume they're the loudest, the home fans believe the opposite, truth is that usually it's a bit 50/50, but the sounds never carries. The only away fans that constantly put us to shame at our place is Newcastle, but they do that to most teams 

 

In regards to the game, we know better than anyone how oragnsied Pearson can set his teams up to be, and judging by his pre match press conference we were pretty confident with how you'd approach that game, and so it proved to be. From my blue tinted specs perspective, I thought we made you look a lot poorer than you actually are. It was the 1st game, at home this season, where I didn't feel in the slightest threatened by what you had to offer. It felt only a matter of time before our goal would come, but we have this habit in the early part of this season of looking dangerous without ever looking like we're truly threatening. However yesterday, for the 1st time at home, we saw flashes of what we can offer. Our perspective is that we're still a work in progress and while we're winning games, us Leicester fans still have a feeling that we're not 100% yet, and it's still not clicking as it should. 

I pre warned your youths on the way down to the ground that if Fatawu was on form then Pring didn't stand a chance, I like Pring a lot, he's a very good left back, but Fatawu beat him 9 out of 10 times.  Mavididi is your typical winger, when he's good he's very good, when he's not he's a bit meh. Your guys quite rightly pointed out though, we're shopping at Sporting Lisbon, you're shopping at West Brom. The onus is on us to do what we do, so fair play to you lot for frustrating us the way you did. 

I personally have a bit of a soft spot for you guys due to the obvious connections and I hope you well, but on another day yesterday's game ends up 2 or 3 nil, but that's on us, we need to be more clinical because teams who set up such as yourselves, will catch us out from time to time, and we'll be left scratching our heads at how we didn't win and we'll be saying the same thing "on another day we could have won 2 or 3 nil"

 

But that's what makes football the game we love so much, it's all subjective. I like to read other fans perspectives on games, I feel it gives me a more measured view and this was a good read. I wish you well for the rest of the season, and I'm looking forward to playing you at your place, again going back to Pearsons pre match talk, I expect you to try and play a bit more at home, and we need to see how we compete in those sorts of games, teams so far are coming to our place and playing our reputation as a "premier league team" and setting up as such. Facts are that we're not and we weren't good enough for the premier league last season, but that was the fraud that is Brendan Rodgers fault. We are where we are, and we're under no illusion that our financial status and the players retained should see us go back up, but true Leicester fans with memories that stretch a lot further back than 2016 will always be the eternal pessimist, so until that is 100% confirmed we'll always believe that it'll probably go wrong and we know we're in a dog fight to get out of the championship and we'll come up against well organised sides that are very capable of getting a result, such as yourselves.

 

 

[kingswood red]

32 minutes ago, jimbolcfc said:

Alright boys. Leicester fans here.

 

I think it's a fair enough reflection albeit obviously one sided from your unwaivering support of your team 

I bumped into 4 of your younglings, very drunk and enjoying an away day much like I did in my younger days. They somehow had managed to find their way from the train station to one of the roughest pubs in the city and nowhere near the route from the station to the ground a good bunch of lads though, I warned them not to try the cider up here and got them out of there and I walked them down to the ground. I told them at the time our ground is weird for atmosphere, we never really hear the away fans from where I sit, away fans assume they're the loudest, the home fans believe the opposite, truth is that usually it's a bit 50/50, but the sounds never carries. The only away fans that constantly put us to shame at our place is Newcastle, but they do that to most teams 

 

In regards to the game, we know better than anyone how oragnsied Pearson can set his teams up to be, and judging by his pre match press conference we were pretty confident with how you'd approach that game, and so it proved to be. From my blue tinted specs perspective, I thought we made you look a lot poorer than you actually are. It was the 1st game, at home this season, where I didn't feel in the slightest threatened by what you had to offer. It felt only a matter of time before our goal would come, but we have this habit in the early part of this season of looking dangerous without ever looking like we're truly threatening. However yesterday, for the 1st time at home, we saw flashes of what we can offer. Our perspective is that we're still a work in progress and while we're winning games, us Leicester fans still have a feeling that we're not 100% yet, and it's still not clicking as it should. 

I pre warned your youths on the way down to the ground that if Fatawu was on form then Pring didn't stand a chance, I like Pring a lot, he's a very good left back, but Fatawu beat him 9 out of 10 times.  Mavididi is your typical winger, when he's good he's very good, when he's not he's a bit meh. Your guys quite rightly pointed out though, we're shopping at Sporting Lisbon, you're shopping at West Brom. The onus is on us to do what we do, so fair play to you lot for frustrating us the way you did. 

I personally have a bit of a soft spot for you guys due to the obvious connections and I hope you well, but on another day yesterday's game ends up 2 or 3 nil, but that's on us, we need to be more clinical because teams who set up such as yourselves, will catch us out from time to time, and we'll be left scratching our heads at how we didn't win and we'll be saying the same thing "on another day we could have won 2 or 3 nil"

 

But that's what makes football the game we love so much, it's all subjective. I like to read other fans perspectives on games, I feel it gives me a more measured view and this was a good read. I wish you well for the rest of the season, and I'm looking forward to playing you at your place, again going back to Pearsons pre match talk, I expect you to try and play a bit more at home, and we need to see how we compete in those sorts of games, teams so far are coming to our place and playing our reputation as a "premier league team" and setting up as such. Facts are that we're not and we weren't good enough for the premier league last season, but that was the fraud that is Brendan Rodgers fault. We are where we are, and we're under no illusion that our financial status and the players retained should see us go back up, but true Leicester fans with memories that stretch a lot further back than 2016 will always be the eternal pessimist, so until that is 100% confirmed we'll always believe that it'll probably go wrong and we know we're in a dog fight to get out of the championship and we'll come up against well organised sides that are very capable of getting a result, such as yourselves.

 

 

Don't disagree with that however,  we were very  depleted by injuries.  We will be well up  for 29th March,  it won't be so  one sided,  so do make sure you come back on here.

[Mr Popodopolous]

The injury thing does make me laugh. In the sense that a WBA fan I saw in my feed saying but for a striker they would have beaten us.

They have a bigger squad, more experience- less injuries...and between 2002-03 to 2022-23 in receipt of either PL or Parachute money.

Playing a tiny violin here! When they have 5 or 6 out medium term then you can talk. I certainly hope they don't get a takeover that eases cash flow until after Janaury and then FFP also.

Even some of our first team are recent academy products (Bell and Conway), let alone the barely tested or new Leeson, Knight-Lebel, Araroye and Yeboah.

[Davefevs]

3 hours ago, jimbolcfc said:

Alright boys. Leicester fans here.

 

I think it's a fair enough reflection albeit obviously one sided from your unwaivering support of your team 

I bumped into 4 of your younglings, very drunk and enjoying an away day much like I did in my younger days. They somehow had managed to find their way from the train station to one of the roughest pubs in the city and nowhere near the route from the station to the ground a good bunch of lads though, I warned them not to try the cider up here and got them out of there and I walked them down to the ground. I told them at the time our ground is weird for atmosphere, we never really hear the away fans from where I sit, away fans assume they're the loudest, the home fans believe the opposite, truth is that usually it's a bit 50/50, but the sounds never carries. The only away fans that constantly put us to shame at our place is Newcastle, but they do that to most teams 

 

In regards to the game, we know better than anyone how oragnsied Pearson can set his teams up to be, and judging by his pre match press conference we were pretty confident with how you'd approach that game, and so it proved to be. From my blue tinted specs perspective, I thought we made you look a lot poorer than you actually are. It was the 1st game, at home this season, where I didn't feel in the slightest threatened by what you had to offer. It felt only a matter of time before our goal would come, but we have this habit in the early part of this season of looking dangerous without ever looking like we're truly threatening. However yesterday, for the 1st time at home, we saw flashes of what we can offer. Our perspective is that we're still a work in progress and while we're winning games, us Leicester fans still have a feeling that we're not 100% yet, and it's still not clicking as it should. 

I pre warned your youths on the way down to the ground that if Fatawu was on form then Pring didn't stand a chance, I like Pring a lot, he's a very good left back, but Fatawu beat him 9 out of 10 times.  Mavididi is your typical winger, when he's good he's very good, when he's not he's a bit meh. Your guys quite rightly pointed out though, we're shopping at Sporting Lisbon, you're shopping at West Brom. The onus is on us to do what we do, so fair play to you lot for frustrating us the way you did. 

I personally have a bit of a soft spot for you guys due to the obvious connections and I hope you well, but on another day yesterday's game ends up 2 or 3 nil, but that's on us, we need to be more clinical because teams who set up such as yourselves, will catch us out from time to time, and we'll be left scratching our heads at how we didn't win and we'll be saying the same thing "on another day we could have won 2 or 3 nil"

 

But that's what makes football the game we love so much, it's all subjective. I like to read other fans perspectives on games, I feel it gives me a more measured view and this was a good read. I wish you well for the rest of the season, and I'm looking forward to playing you at your place, again going back to Pearsons pre match talk, I expect you to try and play a bit more at home, and we need to see how we compete in those sorts of games, teams so far are coming to our place and playing our reputation as a "premier league team" and setting up as such. Facts are that we're not and we weren't good enough for the premier league last season, but that was the fraud that is Brendan Rodgers fault. We are where we are, and we're under no illusion that our financial status and the players retained should see us go back up, but true Leicester fans with memories that stretch a lot further back than 2016 will always be the eternal pessimist, so until that is 100% confirmed we'll always believe that it'll probably go wrong and we know we're in a dog fight to get out of the championship and we'll come up against well organised sides that are very capable of getting a result, such as yourselves.

 

 

The biggest compliment I can pay you is that you (in that game) are far better than Burnley.  Fulham had Mitrovic and another couple of stars, but he bullied teams.  If you play like that most weeks you will piss the league.

Going into the game, having watched you a couple of times this season and highlights, I thought we might be able to find space behind Winks and get at Faes, and also stop Winks getting on the ball.  But I saw the game in midweek, and Ricardo was on a different planet (to Choudhury), and his inversion into midfield made it virtually impossible to stop Winks, Ndidi and KDH finding pockets whether through the middle or KDH in the left channel.

Its easy to sit here and come up with ways of stopping that, but I think they’d have exposed us had we gambled.

e.g. Bell follow Ricardo = easy route into Fatawu who’d be 1v1 on Pring.  As good as Pring did, it was a bloody tough game where you are gonna give him too many chances to not make one count

e.g. go 3v3 at the back.  Can you imagine pushing Naismith into midfield and leaving Dickie v Vardy?

e.g. go really deep and congested the pen area.  We will eventually concede.

What we did was stay in it for almost an hour and used our subs for impetus.  It almost worked.  That final 30 mins was fairly even…in terms of us creating attacks off of better possession / build-up.  Yeboah sight of goal not long after coming on and still 0-0 (from memory)

For me, that was your best performance of the season (highlights and a couple of 90s), and we stuck to our task.  We will learn a fair bit from that imho.