Leicester’s Cup Hopes Go for a Burton…

Leicester City 2:4 Burton Albion

Leicester were humiliated by League Two side Burton Albion in the League Cup 2nd round game at the KPS on Tuesday night, the Brewers winning 4-2…

Nigel Pearson made eight changes to his previously unchanged side but the theme of this season to date – missed chances – continued to haunt them.
Burton, on the other hand, showed great economy of chances to goals.
Gary Rowett’s side went 1-0 up when a Palmer free-kick was defelcted past Schmeichel.
Up until the break City created plenty of chances: De Laet, Schlupp, Gallagher, Waghorn and Knockaert all either missed the target or found Albion keeper Atkins in a defiant mood.
The second half was a different story with Burton moving up a gear and stunning a small KPS crowd.
In the 53rd minute a glaring error from debutant Whitbread allowed Taylor in for a neat finish past the exposed Schmeichel to put Burton two up.
That lead was reduced on the hour when Knockaert, probably City’s best player on a bad night,  fired home a spectacular long-range free-kick.
But the visitors were back in the driving seat just four minutes later when the ref harshly judged St Ledger to have handled when it looked like a yellow shirt had been the offender. Weir fired home from 12 yards to increase Nigel Pearson’s misery.
In the 68th minute Maghoma completely deceived Schmeichel with a fierce shot to make it 4-1 and City fans began to head for the exits.
Futacs, on for Gallagher, pulled a goal back with a looping volley, but City were well beaten by their lower league opposition who gave them a lesson in taking your chances…

League leaders Blackpool are the next visitors to the KPS on Saturday and a vast improvement will be required…

Leicester: Schmeichel, De Laet, St Ledger, Whitbread, Konchesky, Gallagher (Futacs 56), Danns, James, Knockaert (King 73), Waghorn, Schlupp (Nugent 65). Unused Subs: Morgan, Logan, Beckford, Moore.

Burton: Atkins; O’Connor, Diamond, Holness, McCrory, Weir, Bell, Maghoma; Taylor (Dyer 62), Zola (Yussuf 81), Palmer (Kee 86). Unused Subs: Lyness, Corbett, Webster, Richards.

Referee: Darren Drysdale (Lincolnshire). Attendance: 8,560 (662 away).

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Foxes see off Gulls in season opener

Torquay United 0:4 Leicester City

City got the season off to a perfect start down in Devon on Tuesday night with a comfortable 4-0 League Cup first round win against Torquay United…

Fielding the same side that beat Sunderland in the final pre-season game Nigel Pearson gave competitive debuts to Vardy, De Laet and James and two of them were to end up on the scoresheet.
City’s makeshift defence looked a little shaky at first but Morris was denied the Gulls best chance of the night by Morgan and things settled down.
City always looked to have too much quality for the League Two side after that and took a 21st minute lead. New skipper Morgan’s long pass found Dyer on the left and a clever piece of work took him round the defender before beating Poke in the Torquay goal.
Off target efforts from Beckford and Drinkwater followed before Marshall fired home a free-kick from the edge of the area, taking up where he left off last season.
The outcome was beyond doubt with City putting in a display of great energy and pace and they added to their lead five minutes into the second half when James poached an effort from close in after being teed up by Beckford.
Beckford himself should have added a fourth but was brilliantly denied by Poke; instead it was Vardy who made it 4-0 – applying a headed finishing touch to a long diagonal ball from Marshall – reward for the former-Fleetwood man’s tireless running all night.
It was as good a start as City and their 1,166 followers could have hoped for and Saturday’s league opener against Peterborough is now eagerly anticipated…

Torquay: Poke, Oastler, Saah, Downes, Nicholson, Easton (Thompson 64), Lathrope, Mansell, Jarvis (Yeoman 77), Howe, Morris. Unused Subs: Leadbitter, Rice, Craig, Cruise, Yeoman, MacKenzie.

Leicester: Schmeichel, De Laet, Morgan, Moore, Konchesky, Marshall, James (King 73), Drinkwater (Danns 78), Dyer (Nugent 66), Beckford, Vardy. Unused Subs: Logan, Waghorn, Gallagher, Schlupp.

 

Referee: Oliver Langford (West Midlands)

Attendance: 3,367 (1,166 away).

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Leicester’s trip to Torquay carries good omen…

City’s 2012-13 season gets off to something of a false start with a League Cup trip to Torquay United tonight…

The last time City were involved in a League Cup game before the League kicked off was over three decades ago…

In 1979-80 Jock Wallace’s side got off to a stuttering start with defeats in both legs of a first round tie with Rotherham United.
Although Alan Young scored on his full debut for City we lost the first leg at Filbert Street 2-1, and were then well beaten at Millmoor with Rodney Fern coming back to haunt us with a couple of goals in a 3-0 win for the Millers.

However, by the time the league programme began City were more prepared, beating Watford 2-0 at home, with two more goals for Young.
And Jock’s team went on to win the Second Division title that season…

  

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Leicester City kick off 2012-13 by the seaside…

This morning’s League Cup draw has given City an away tie in Devon…

Torquay United will host City’s first game of the season, with the game taking place in the week commencing 13th August.
No doubt many City fans will enjoy a stop over in Torbay, though Plainmoor only has a capacity of 5,000 so tickets may be in short supply.

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City Pay the Penalty at Cardiff Again

Cardiff City 2:2 Leicester City (Cardiff win 7-6 on pens)

 

City are out of the League Cup having suffered the recurring nightmare of a penalty shoot-out at Cardiff on Wednesday night…

The competition’s low standing was underlined by an 8,000 crowd and both sides making ten changes, Matt Mills being the only City player remaining from the side that beat Brighton. 
And it was a low key start with little of note hapening in the first half hour beyond a couple of half chances carved out by Schlupp and an off-target shot from Moussa.
Cardiff made the breakthrough in the 33rd minute when a lofted ball into the area was only half cleared and fell nicely for Cowie to nod into the top right hand corner.
This stung City into action and they were level six minutes later after great work from Schlupp down the right ended with him delivering a hard and low cross for Howard to stick out a toe and find the net via the left hand upright.
The second half again drifted into practice game mode until City took a 66th minute lead. A poor ball out of Cardiff’s back line went straight to Danns who hared into the area. A last ditch tackle halted him but the loose ball landed at the feet of Dyer who instantly lashed it home.
City’s lead lasted fifteen minutes before a hopefully punted free-kick saw Gestede given room to control and fire a shot past Weale from 25 yards.
Late efforts from Danns and Schlupp failed to find the target and half an hour’s virtually incident-free extra-time dragged on into the night. 
The almost inevitable penalty shoot-out duly arrived, with the ghost of Yann Kermorgant hanging over proceedings (although we know he’s not dead, obviously).
That rarest of occurences followed – with all 10 of the scheduled penalties being fired past Weale and Marshall with relatively little drama. Dyer, Howard, Abe , Danns and St Ledger for City and Naylor, Earnshaw, Cowie, Conway and Kiss for Cardiff.
Paintsil and Gestede then both converted before Fernandes took a huge run up and hoisted his effort over the bar and into the already celebrating Cardiff fans. Quinn sealed the Bluebirds victory with a confident blast into the top right hand corner and City were out of the League Cup.

Cardiff: Marshall, Quinn, Keinan, Taylor (Naylor 60), Blake, Cowie, Kiss, McPhail (Gunnarsson 29), Earnshaw, Gestede, Mason (Conway74). Subs:Santiago, Whittingham, Gerrard, Evans.  
Leicester: Weale, Mills (Peltier 46), St Ledger, Ball, Paintsil, Dyer, Danns, Moussa (Fernandes 81), Johnson (Abe 91), Schlupp, Howard. Subs: King, Kennedy, Beckford, Schmeichel.
Referee: R East (Wiltshire). Attendance: 8,697.  

The Last Time City Drew Rotherham in the League Cup…

City have drawn Rotherham United at the Don Valley Stadium in the first round of the League Cup, the game to be played week commencing 8th August.
The Last Time City Drew Rotherham in the League Cup it was also in the first round…

at the beginning of the 1979-80 season.  
The Millers won both legs of the tie… 2-1 at Filbert Street despite a debut goal from Alan Young; and 3-0 at Millmoor with former City favourite Rodney Fern scoring twice.
Things were to get better for Jock Wallace’s side as they went on to win the Second Division Championship…
just saying like.

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City Crash Out of League Cup

Leicester City 1:4 West Bromwich Albion

An unfamiliar City line-up lost to a second string West Brom side in a League Cup fourth round tie at Filbert Way on Tuesday night…

Sven Goran Eriksson made eight changes to the side that lost at Swansea though most of these were forced by injuries and players being cup-tied. West Brom, managed to field an entirely different side from their last Premier League game, giving their 4,000 fans a chance to see some squad players.
The stadium had an odd feel to it with the West Stand and Kop stands almost full, the East Stand closed and the visitors housed in the Family Stand. 
City had the best of the opening 20 minutes, with Gallagher shooting narrowly wide and the lively Dyer forcing Myhill into a save.
But a stroke of luck handed Albion a 21st minute lead. A Bednar shot was deflected to the feet of Cox, who lifted the ball neatly over the advancing Logan and into the net.
City had the most possession for the remainder of the half but rarely threatened the Baggies goal, whilst the visitors looked dangerous on the break with the impressive Barnes a constant threat.
Moussa went on a threatening run on the half hour but was brought down by Meite, who was yellow carded.
Albion ended the half the stronger with Logan stretching to tip a header from Bednar over the bar.  
City levelled the tie eight minutes into the second half, Moussa sending Gallagher in on the right for a cross which deflected off Shorey and deflected beyond the reach of Myhill.  
Sadly this was as good as it got for City on the night. Wellens replaced Dyer and Abe screwed a shot wide when well placed before Albion regained the lead in the 62nd minute. It was a disaster for Logan who looked set to field a fairly aimless Zuiverloon hoof at head hight but got it horribly wrong and dropped it, setting up a gift goal for Tchoyi, who received a similar present from Manchester United’s Edwin Van Der Sar recently.
Fryatt came on for King but City had the stuffing knocked out of them and rarely threatened again.
In the 79th minute an unmarked Reid nodded home from a corner to seal a place in the quarter finals and the Cox fired home a 25 yarder to make it 4-1 and send the large Baggies contingent home very happy.  
It wasn’t much of a spectacle for the decent number of City fans who turned out, or new owners Aiyawatt and Vichai Raksriaksorn, who came all the way from Thailand for the game.

Leicester: Logan, Berner, Neilson (Lamey 70), Vitor, Morrison, King (Fryatt 67), Dyer (Wellens 54), Moussa, Abe, Gallagher, Howard. Subs Not Used: Kennedy, Weale, Hobbs, Moreno.
Albion: Myhill, Ibanez, Cech (Shorey 46), Zuiverloon, Meite (Mantom 80), Dorrans, Barnes, Reid, Tchoyi, Bednar (Miller 85), Cox. Subs Not Used: Carson, Tamas, Jara, Mattock. 

Referee: A Taylor (Manchester). Attendance: 16,957.

King Turns the Tide at Elland Road

Leeds United 1:2 Leicester City

It was a game of two halves at Elland Road on Tuesday night as City fought back from a goal deficit to hurdle Leeds and make it into the League Cup 3rd round draw…

Paulo Sousa made five changes to the side that lost at Burnley on Saturday, bringing in Logan, Lamey, Moussa, Morrison and Gallagher, while former-fox Max Gradel made the Leeds starting line-up.
Gradel proved to be a thorn in the side, delivering a good cross for Becchio in the first chance of the game.
Another recent City-player Alex Bruce then nodded wide from a Kilkenny corner when he should have put Leeds ahead. The home fans didn’t have long ot wait howver. After 32 minutes a determined looking Gradel delivered a fine cross and Somma, unhindered by markers, glanced his header home.
Johnson then went close to extending the lead, but Logan saved. Just before the break City could have snatched an equaliser with a rare chance but Howard headed wide from an excellent Berner cross.

Paulo Sousa shuffled his pack for the second half, bringing King on for Moreno and reverting to a 442 – and it worked. King repaid his manager as soon as the action resumed. Gradel went on a dangerous run into the penalty area, but his shot was blocked by Logan. The rebound fell to Becchio but his shot was cleared off the line by King.
Inspired by the young Welsh international City gradually fought their way back into the game and levelled in the 66th minute. King and Moussa combined well to set up Wellens who beat Higgs from the edge of the area.
The Leeds keeper then did well to deny Howard who almost converted a low Gallagher cross from close in.
Hobbs and Somma both wasted late chances and it looked as though the game was drifting towards extra time when City enjoyed a slice of luck. Collins needlessly handled what was at best a hopeful ball forward, Howard stepped up to the ochie and sent Higgs the wrong way and City into the third round.

It was a great result for a spirited City side and for manager Paulo Sousa who was already experiencing a little pressure…  “We started off very well in the first half with a lot of personality but a small mistake led to the goal and after that we became a little bit disturbed. We were in trouble until the end of the half but we made changes, both tactically and mentally, at half-time and we were able to win the game. This is something we have deserved since the start of the season.”
Leeds: Higgs, Connolly, Collins, Bruce, Bessone, Kilkenny, Johnson, Howson (Hughes 72), Gradel, Becchio (Watt 72), Somma. Subs Not Used: Naylor, Schmeichel, White, Bromby, Grella.
Leicester: Logan, Berner, Hobbs, Lamey (Neilson 89), Morrison, Moreno (King 46), Moussa (Kennedy 68), Wellens, Gallagher, N’Guessan, Howard. Subs Not Used: Oakley, Crncic, Parkes, Ambrusics.

Referee: E Ilderton (Tyne & Wear). Attendance: 16,509.

City Outscore Macclesfield

Leicester City 4:3 Macclesfield Town

City hurdled Macclesfield to reach round two of the League Cup at Filbert Way last night, but erratic defending made this a closer contest than it should have been.
Paulo Sousa made six changes tot he side that lost at Palace with debuts for Tom Kennedy and Joao Moreno and starting places for Logan, Howard, Wellens and Gallagher, with Weale, Morrison, Dyer, Berner, Campbell and King making way.
Macclesfield, urged on by 100 fans, had decent start with Butcher forcing Logan into a decent save, but it was City who took charge and began to create chances. Fryatt should have put City ahead when one on one with keeper Veiga and N’Guessan fired a shot straight at th ekeeper when well placed.
It was the Silkmen who took the lead after quarter of an hour. Hestitant defending cost City a corner and Brown sent a looping header over Logan and into the net from the resulting flag-kick.
City had to wait twenty minutes for an equaliser, with Fryatt sending a shot on the turn wide and N’Guessan seeing his thumping header blocked on the line by Tremarco before a shot from Howard was parried out to Neilson who cooly chipped the keeper from close range.
Fryatt squandered another one-on-one chance just before the break, but he hit the goal trail in the second half.

City took the lead immediately after the restart after Macclesfield failed to clear a Kennedy corner, Fryatt producing a superb turn and shot to beat Veiga from the edge of the area.
Four minutes later City went 3-1 up when Wellens sent a precise ball through to Fryatt who beat the onrushing keeper with a smart finish and the game appeared to be beyond the League Two side. But more defensive frailty saw Town reduce the deficit as Mukendi was left unmarked to nod in Brisley’s cross.
Sousa immediately brought Campbell and Morrison on for Oakley and Gallagher and City soon restored their two goal lead when a neat move ended with Howard teeing up Wellens who crashed the ball into the roof of the net from just inside the area.
At this point, Moreno, who’d had an impressive debut pulled up and immediately made for the bench, replaced by Verma.
Macclesfield, like a terrier at a postman’s ankle, still refused to be shaken off and they got a third to ensure a nervy last few minutes. Hobbs completed a poor night allowing barnett to fire a shot at Logan. Although this was well saved Daniel was on hand to net the rebound.

Although City appeared to have plenty of goals in them, six goals conceded in two games is a cause for concern. Until Sousa sorts out his defence we will just have to keep on outscoring the oppostion…

Leicester: Logan, Kennedy, Hobbs, Neilson, Oakley (Campbell 65), Moreno (Verma 78), Wellens, Gallagher (Morrison 65), Fryatt, N’Guessan, Howard. Subs Not Used: Berner, Dyer, Weale, Parkes.
Macclesfield: Veiga, Brown, Tremarco, Brisley, Bolland (Chalmers 54), Bencherif, Daniel, Hamshaw (Wedgbury 71), Butcher, Sinclair (Mukendi 54), Barnett. Subs Not Used: Reid, Beardsley, Draper, Cudworth.

Referee: J Waugh (Sheffield). Attendance: 6,142.