The Best Is Yet To Come For Leicester City This Season

Even the most optimistic fan would struggle to state that Leicester City have hit the ground running this season as they did under Nigel Pearson.

But there is reason to believe that it is just a matter of time before the results start going the right way for Paulo Sousa’s men.

One point from six is hardly a dream start for any club, regardless of their expectations at the beginning of the season. But it is important to remember that there are some huge differences this time around in the Championship for Leicester City.

First of all, nobody really expected the club to achieve what they did last season. A mid-table finish would have been acceptable, and other teams did take note of that. It allowed opposing sides to travel to Leicester looking to pick up points – unlike the club’s League One campaign when sides saw the Walkers Stadium as a fortress.

Finishing fifth last season means that teams have to respect Leicester City as a well-established Championship team. Fewer travelling sides will turn up believing that a win is a probability. It could mean that the Foxes will have a much tougher time breaking sides down and regularly picking up wins at home this year.

This is exactly why Paulo Sousa’s attacking and elegant style of football is the correct and necessary response to a potentially more conservative approach by visiting sides.

With Nigel Pearson at the helm, every player in the team had a position, and each player knew that position. But the new strategy adopted by the former Portuguese international seems to have the entire team in attack together, and all getting back to defend together.

And the players seem to love it.

It is without a doubt a livelier game plan. And after just one home game, it is clear to see that some players in particular are thriving under this new scheme. Andy King was in scintillating form against Middlesborough, playing much higher up the pitch in a notably attacking midfield role. The Welsh international was unfortunate to have a goal disallowed, as replays indicated him to be in an onside position when he picked up the through ball.

Robbie Neilson, whose Leicester career seemed all but over last season, seems to be somewhat of a revelation. Adopting the characteristics of a wing back, Neilson has already notched a goal this season (his first for Leicester and also his first in five years) as well as a fine assist against Crystal Palace on the opening day.

Steve Howard has proven he is more than just a target man. After a fantastic preseason, Howard has won the praise of his new manager - who has publicly stated he sees the veteran as his number one striker - and is as much a goal scoring threat as anyone in the side.

And last but not least, DJ Campbell. Like Neilson, Campbell’s time at Leicester seemed to be drawing to an end under Nigel Pearson, having spent two loan periods at play-off winners Blackpool. Now back at with the Foxes and in the starting eleven, Campbell seems like a man reborn. On Saturday he looked twice as fast as anyone on the pitch, and could have scored a hat-trick that afternoon.

There is an air of self-assurance throughout the entire side. The defence appears to be back to its old ways, keeping their first clean sheet of the season. The style of play is very easy on the eye. The hangover from last year’s play-off semi-final seems to have disappeared. And although the man who took Leicester there has moved on, Saturday’s match proved that the players have faith in Paulo Sousa, and the fans are genuinely excited about what they are seeing. The general impression is that when the players get it right on the pitch, they will be able to devastate other sides. And with the guarantee of further transfer funds being made available by new owner Aiyawatt Raksriaksorn, leader of Thai consortium King Power, Sousa has the opportunity to bolster his already impressive squad.

Of course, there is a long way to go this season, and there are potential potholes that could still develop – and the same can be said for any side in this competitive and challenging division. But there is a belief in this side that they can achieve something great under Paulo Sousa.