Solid Leicester Rearguard Providing Foundation for Success

It was a switch from Claudio Ranieri that swung a game, and could yet come to sum up and also help decide his side’s title challenge. 

Just four days after Leicester City had been breached twice against West Brom to drop two points, they were being outmaneuvered in midfield by Watford at Vicarage Road. It didn't look great. Although results elsewhere involving Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur had gone their way since the 2-2 draw with Tony Pulis’ side, there was a very slight but growing sense of Leicester beginning to give way. 

Ranieri, however, refused to allow it. He proved proactive at half-time, making two changes. Shinji Okazaki and Marc Albrighton went off, Jeff Schlupp and Andy King went on, and Leicester immediately went to another level. Control was restored, Riyad Mahrez scored, and the defence - as has become increasingly common - stayed steady. Other than one Odion Ighalo chance, they never looked like conceding. It has become a theme. That 1-0 win marked the first of three consecutive clean sheets, and one of nine in their last 13 matches. 

It represents a wider switch in Ranieri’s approach. Just look at the numbers. In those last 13 matches, Leicester have conceded six goals. In their first 18, it was 25. They didn’t even keep a clean sheet until 24 October, and didn’t claim their second until 21 November. Now, they’ve kept more clean sheets - with 12 - than everyone except Manchester United (14), Arsenal and Manchester City (13), and the most of any team since the turn of the year, with eight. If things continue as they have, they’ll likely finish top of that list - and, consequently, top of the table. 

That is also because Ranieri has consciously discontinued a style of play. Earlier in the season, it really was all about the revelations of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez. Perhaps mindful that Leicester would have to adjust as opposition sides got better attuned to what they were doing, Ranieri has pre-empted that by changing the emphasis of their play. He has already admitted to different defensive work. 

It has led to a different standard of defending than the Premier League has become accustomed to. There has been a glorious old-fashioned resilience to much of what Leicester do at the back, as illustrated by the physical stature of Wes Morgan and Robert Huth, and how often they either head balls away or doggedly get their bodies to an attempt on goal. 

No matter what angle you try and attack them, their defence is difficult to get at. Morgan is third for shots blocked in the league on 36, while Christian Fuchs has blocked the most crosses in the league at 46, a list Danny Simpson features third on with 30. Further forward, Danny Drinkwater has won possession in midfield third (151) more than any other player in the Premier League, with N’Golo Kante third on 134. 

It all adds up to a side second for tackles per game, at 23, and top for interceptions, at 21.9. With Leicester now, you know you’re going to be in for a fight, which breaking them down will be a battle. Perhaps most tellingly of all, their run of three clean sheets is the current longest run in the Premier League. That in itself displays the rarity of their type of defending, and could mean they have something above another squad. 

Throughout this campaign, it has repeatedly - and justifiably - been said that Leicester should lack the key facets of champions. In the days of mega-wealth and tables almost completely conforming to wage bills, they are inexpensively put together. That has meant they are inexperienced in title races and, earlier on, had no real release other than Vardy and Mahrez. 

Now, though, they have one of the quintessential values of all title winners since time immemorial: a stable defence. The way in which they changed approach and began to lean on their backline even mimics what Sir Alex Ferguson did with Manchester United in the 2008/09 season. If they do win finally win it, that defence - and that switch - is likely to have been as influential as either of their goalscoring stars.

How important has Leicester's defence been in their quest to secure Premier League glory? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below