Leicester Vs Reading
0 - 2
The foxes are defeated by the Hunt
So the first home game of the season has been and gone. It certainly did not follow the script that had been written by so many supporters, I for one had envisaged a comfortable win in front of a fantastic attendance. Unfortunately I was wrong on both accounts.
On route to the stadium the news came through that at a certain Mr Jeff Schlupp was in the starting eleven, I should of realised things were not going to go to plan when a fan outside was asked by Radio Leicester “What do you think to Jeff Schlupp starting” when the reply “Who is Jeff Schlupp” was given I thought ‘Fantastic, great start to the season’
Following the pre show entertainment the teams emerged. What was the starting formation? 4-3-3, 4-5-1 or an obscure diamond, I could hear fans questioning each other. I don’t think the team quite knew themselves as we had to change the formation after 25 minutes or so. We are the home team and we have to change to how Reading is playing!
The players themselves looked new and unfamiliar with each other’s playing style; passes were being over hit or being played too hard to their mate’s feet causing a first touch to be off balance.
As the game progressed the old familiarities of watching Leicester last season started to re emerge, a few long balls started to appear and more often than not failing to find the lone target of David Nugent. Schlupp started to play upfront with Nugent, this made Richie Wellens occupy the wing position, although more often than not he we find himself drifting back to centre. The void he was leaving was allowing Konchesky to run down the wing from his left back position and cross a few balls in.
Reading certainly had the run of the first half, was a Sven wonder talk to change the fortunes of the Foxes?
Whatever was said certainly had an impact and with the arrival of Andy King the team certainly started the second half well. But still to no avail would a goal appear.
On the 64th minute, disaster struck. An Ian Harte corner was delivered into the box, as though from nowhere an unmarked Owen Hunt waltzed into the box and delivered a superb glancing header at the near post.
From that point you could see the life drain from the team, this was not supposed to happen, we are Leicester City we are invincible this season. Well as history has shown we have not beaten Reading since 2002 when we host the first meeting between the two teams.
One man still held the belief of the fans, the expectation of the team and the desire to do better. That man was Kasper Schmeichel. He tore from his box issuing his war cry to the slumped men who appeared to have given up already. This was from a man who was not even the captain of the team. The gratitude of the fans was made evident by the rapturous applause he was receiving.
The old Faithfull’s also arrived in the second in the form of Gallagher and Waghorn, but still the elusive goal failed to appear.
Reading sealed their win when Hal Robson-Kanu emphatically glanced the ball past Schmeichel.
As the final whistle blew the most sickening noise emanated from the stadium. The boos, what kind of fan can stand there and boo when next week they will be cheering the same eleven men. I personally don’t see the point in this act. The team will themselves know they did not perform and they did not fill the crowds want and desire. Why make them feel as though the fans also hate them. We don’t hate them, they are our hero’s. We place our hopes and desires in them to achieve the dreams we all aspire to. We cannot win every game, we are not invincible, but we are a team with a dream and a vision to reach the Premiership.
For me the day was summed up with the announcement of the attendance, 23,399. How can the first home game of the new season, with a new team, a newly named stadium and a new dream only draw a crowd of 23,399? Friends I spoke to had visions of 26,000 to 27,900 fans being in attendance. Where were the fellow foxes?
Wednesday sees the arrival of Bristol City, will this be the home win we desire. Or will the hunted striker Maynard snare the Foxes.
Sven-Göran Eriksson summed up our missing link when he said “We needed a new striker at 15:00”. Will he arrive this week, or will we still be hunting for the one with the killer instinct.
Man of the match for me was Kasper Schmeichel.
Richard Tullis
@Rich_Tullis
No comments:
Post a Comment