Analysis of the tactics behind Leicester’s Premier League success

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No one called it, and if you did you were joking. Leicester City’s rise to the top of the Premier League has been as meteoric as it was unexpected. Just the thought of the team that made the great escape from relegation last year are now favourites to win the title is mind blowing. Some have suggested that The Foxes are not fit to be champions due to their style of ‘negative football’, but one could not think of a more fitting league winners once their team is more deeply analysed.

Part of what makes Leicester so successful is the fact that their play focuses on the strengths of the team and downplays the weaknesses. Leicester do a fantastic job at keeping their shape; the key to all their success. The rigid 4-4-2 employed by Ranieri, coupled with the instilled discipline to carry out the intended purpose of the formation, is what has seen the Foxes enjoy so much success.

The formation, when executed properly, provides immense pressure to any play that may occur in the middle of the field, corralling the creation to the sides. This does either one of two things; it will force the opposition to send in a cross, which plays into the hands of Leicester’s aerially dominant and defensively organized back line, or it allows Leicester to overload that side of the field. Overloading one side gives the foxes the best opportunity to win back the ball, or at the very least force the opposition to recycle possession, subsequently allowing them to fall back into shape.

This defensive minded approach also contributes to their success going forward. One of the advantages of the 4-4-2 is that the front two can use each other as support when breaking, as opposed to holding up play and waiting for support from the midfield. The no-nonsense Leicester defense often launches a ball far up the pitch, giving an eager Jamie Vardy a chance to do what he excels at; one time over the top finishing. Vardy’s ability to convert the chances on the counter has helped his team massively this year, but more than one man in royal blue has been in the headlines.

Riyad Mahrez’ involvement has been of a similar effect at times, but he has shown to be capable of an entirely different skill. The Algerian’s ability to go past an opponent is what makes him special, but the way in which his Italian manager utilizes him is what makes them win. Going past one or multiple opponents is something that no matter what tactics a manager chooses to use will cause problems, but it is within this talent where issues lie.

Even the best player in the world, Lionel Messi, gets past his man 63.22% of the time, meaning creation is a risk. Ranieri doesn’t have a team full of players that are seeking to try and take on multiple opponents, losing the ball a solid 50% of the time. He structures his team so that it can cover for Mahrez’ risky form of creation via their defensive organization as well as having his star scorers contribute as much to the defending as they do going forward. Mahrez and Vardy don’t subscribe to the Cristiano Ronaldo school of play where the attacker slams the floor after failing to complete his take on, leaving his team in the lurch. This hard-work mentality is another key to why they’ve have only three losses this year.

Another key part of Leicester’s play is where the lose and win the ball back. Objectively speaking, The Foxes are not a great team on the ball. The games in which they have struggled most are those against lower league opposition, where the onus was on them to create. What separates them from other teams at the top however, besides a current six point gap, is their concentration.

Leicester absolutely refuse to lose the ball in the middle of the field. Everything they do on and off the ball is to ensure that they’re not exposed defensively, hence why you often see their players sending the ball long or out of play. Whether it’s to set the front two off on a counter, or to stop a piece of attacking play from developing into a palpable chance, the midfield of Kanté and Drinkwater have made all the difference this season.

The midfield duo are the orchestrators in all of the aforementioned traits that make this team worthy champions. Keeping the organization and harboring intelligent, deep possession in order to give the forwards space are just a few of the jobs they perform so well, and no amount of adjectives or literary mechanism can encapsulate their importance to the team.

All of these attributes that makeup Leicester have utilized the best aspects of each player in their respective positions. Huth and Morgan’s strength and aerial ability, Drinkwater and Kanté’s interception and intelligent possession, and Mahrez and Vardy’s attacking brilliance. This is the true definition of a team.

Leicester have gone above and beyond their expected goals this season not because of any fairy-tale narrative or existential stroke of luck, but because of the true brilliance of hard work and extreme tactical execution; a phrase that should describe any premier league champion.

Featured image: All rights reserved by Alex Hannam