Late Keane Goal Rescues a Point Against Leeds

Leicester City 1:1 Leeds United

City rescued a point from a poor performance against Leeds at the KPS on Tuesday night when Michael Keane nodded home an equaliser deep into time added on.

Nigel Pearson made one change to his side with Nugent returning in place of Marshall giving City’s line-up an attacking look.
It was a tight first half that eventually turned into a stalemate with few chances at either end.
City’s best chance came when Kenny failed to hold a 25 yarder from Kane, but the ball just eluded the onrushing Nugent.
Kenny then made amends tipping Wood’s shot over and then clawing away a curling Knockaert effort that was heading for the top right hand corner.
The second half saw an enforced change with Dyer replacing Konchesky at left back, and a disjointed and frustrating performance from City.
Leeds went ahead in the 52nd minute when McCormack’s corner from the left fell nicely for Byram at the far post.
And the visitors almost doubled their lead soon after when Lees headed a corner narrowly over; and McCormack forced a flying save from Schmeichel with a well-struck 25 yarder.
Marshall then came on for Knockaert as City attempted to fight their way back.
But nothing was going right for them, passes were going astray and then Wood watched his on-target shot deflected wide by a grounded Nugent, which just about summed up the frustration.
City managed to build up a spell of pressure in the four minutes of time added on, with Schmeichel coming up for the corners and throwing himself around the Leeds penalty area like a man possessed, he set up King for an overhead kick saved by Kenny.
Kane then went down in th ebox but loud penalty claims were ignored, before King had a header saved.
With the atmosphere turning manic Waghorn’s corner from the right was met by Keane at the far post for a late, late equaliser.

A late goal couldn’t mask another poor performance and Nigel Pearson was involved in a brief altercation with a couple of supporters as the teams made their way off the field. His post-match comments revealed that he might be feeling the pressure of City’s haul of 5 points from the last 18, suggesting that if some fans didn’t like it, they shouldn’t come..

Next Saturday brings an afternoon game at last,  and it needs to see a return to winning ways.

Leicester: Schmeichel, De Laet, Keane, Morgan, Konchesky (Dyer 46), Drinkwater, King, Knockaert (Marshall 60), Nugent (Waghorn 81), Kane, Wood. Subs Not Used: Logan, Whitbread, Gallagher, Wellens. 
Leeds: Kenny, Byram, Peltier, Lees, Warnock, Green, Tonge, Norris, Varney, Morison, McCormack (Pearce 90). Subs Not Used: Ashdown, White, Brown, Diouf, Habibou, Hall

Referee: Paul Tierney. Attendance: 22,660. 

Leicester City Exodus…

Several of Leicester’s bigger names appear to be heading for the exit door as Nigel Pearson rebuilds his squad…

According to Nevzat Sakar, the vice-president of Trabzonspor, an agreement on an £800,000 move for City’s Sol Bamba is nearing completion. The popular Ivory Coast international signed from Hibs just 18 months ago.

Last year’s big money signing Matt Mills is also on his way out of the club, but a move to Celtic has been held up with City wanting to recoup at least £3M of the £5M they paid Reading for him last summer.

Another defender, Lee Peltier, appears to have Leeds and Huddersfield vying for his signature just a year after he left the Terriers to come to the King Power Stadium…

—————————————————————

To subscribe to The FOX for the 20012-13 season you can either print off the subs form below and send it to us with a cheque for £15.00 – or click on the big blue button on the right where you can pay online using Paypal or debit card…

Managerless City Dip to Mid-Table After Leeds Defeat

Leicester City 0:1 Leeds United

City’s search for a new manager became more urgent after a home defeat to Leeds on Sunday afternoon…
Mike Stowell and his team selected the same side that won at Burnley, with Yuki Abe having failed a late fitness test.
From a Leicester point of view this Remembrance Fixture was memorable only for the helicopter visit, the minutes’ silence in honour of the fallen, and the continuing adventures of our peregrine falcon.
Leeds, having conceded five at home to Blackpool in their previous outing, were in a defensive mood and City struggled to create any kind of threat on goal.
Nugent looked to have made space down the right at one stage, but was closed down by a determined Leeds rearguard.
Their best chance arrived in first half time added on when Danns charged down a White clearance and looked to have a clear path to goal, but failed to take advantage.
The game failed to open up in the second half and it was a defensive error that led to the only goal of the game in the 68th minute. A Pugh cross was not cleared decisively enough by Mills who suceeded only in teeing up Clayton for a superb effort that flew into the top right hand corner.
If Leeds had been solid at the back before, they now looked impregnable, and so it proved.
Beckford, on as sub, couldn’t find the touch required for the couple of half chances that fell his way and a huge Leeds following celebrated a rare victory in this fixture.
City now have a weekend off and need to ensure that a new regime is in place for when hostilities recommence.
Leicester: Schmeichel, Peltier, Mills, Bamba, Konchesky, Gallagher (Schlupp 85), King, Wellens, Danns (Johnson 74), Howard (Beckford 74), Nugent. Subs: St Ledger, Weale.
Leeds: McCarthy, Connolly, O’Brien (Bromby 75), Kisnorbo, White, Snodgrass, Clayton, Howson, Pugh, Keogh (Becchio 76), McCormack (Brown 86). Subs: Sam, Cairns.

Referee: Oliver Langford (West Midlands). Attendance: 26,720.

What you are saying about: GOT, NOT GOT…

What people are saying about ‘GOT, NOT GOT – The A to Z of Lost Football Culture, Treasures & Pleasures…

* Well, what can I say – your book is a FINE piece of work! Honestly, I think its brilliant and I have seldom put it down since I picked it up…

* The best book about football written in the last 20 years.

* I found myself engrossed again in the trivia that so preoccupied my life between the age of 5 and 15 and laughing until my ribs hurt.

* Wonderful book, great illustrations and is a throw back to days when football was more important than anything else, Superbly written and put together.

* If there’s anyone in your life who attended football when it was still good (60s- 80s) buy them this book and they’ll love you forever.

* I don’t even follow football anymore but I love this book. It’s packed with memories of the game when it was a simpler more enjoyable (to me anyway) sport.

* Superb stuff. Anyone who grew up in the seventies with even a passing interest in football, let alone City, will love this book.

* I utterly and completely love it… so much stuff in there that I’d pretty much forgotten about, but which is a joy to rediscover.

Featuring: Aberdeen, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Blackpool, Bolton Wanderers, Bristol City, Bristol Rovers, Brighton & Hove Albion, Burnley, Cardiff City, Carlisle United, Celtic, Charlton Athletic, Chelsea, Coventry City, Crystal Palace, Derby County, England, Everton, Fulham, Hearts, Hibs, Hull City, Ipswich Town, Leeds United, Leicester City, Liverpool, Luton Town, Manchester City, Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Millwall, Newcastle United, Northern Ireland, Norwich City, Nottingham Forest, Notts County, Plymouth Argyle, Portsmouth, QPR, Rangers, Reading, Scotland, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton, Stoke City, Sunderland, Swansea City, Swindon Town, Tottenham Hotspur, Wales, Watford, West Bromwich Albion, West Ham United, Wigan Athletic, Wimbledon & Wolves…

Bobby v Jackie…

Listen to an extract from the forthcoming retro-football book ‘Got, Not Got’ and enjoy some Casdon Soccer action highlights…

Visit the ‘GOT, NOT GOT’ Youtube channel… http://www.youtube.com/user/gotnotgot

You can pre-order ‘GOT, NOT GOT’ at Amazon (25% off retail price): http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1908051140/ref=as_li_tf_il?ie=UTF8&tag=thefoxfanzine-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1908051140

Beckford Signs… Waghorn and Kermorgant Depart

City’s transfer deadline day business could be summed up as one in two out…

Jermaine Beckford completed his signing of a four year contract, after some late night negotiations, with City thought to be spending up to £4M including future add-ons.
The 27 year old scored 10 goals for Everton last season after a prolific spell at Leeds which saw him net 85 goals in just 152 appearances.
Beckford is Sven Goran Eriksson’s 12th signing of the summer.  

Martyn Waghorn, last summer’s big signing, has joined the ex-Leicester City enclave at Hull in a loan spell keeping him at the KC Stadium until January.
Yann Kermorgant, who will forever be remember for his play-off semi final penalty howler, has reached a mutual agreement with the club to terminate his contract and is now a free agent.

————————————————————

Subscribe to The Fox fanzine for the 2011-12 season and you will receive a free set of four Leicester City postcards…

You can either post this form to the address below, or pay online via Paypal using the blue ‘Fox Subs’ button on the right…

Leeds Accept Offer For Schmeichel

City may have made a top priority signing with Leeds United accepting an undisclosed offer for their goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel believed to be in th eregion of £1.5M…

Leeds boss Simon Grayson told the BBC: “We feel this is the right deal for the club. We spoke to Kasper’s agent at the end of the season about a contract extension and it was apparent that it was going to be difficult.”
Schmeichel, son of Manchester United and Denmark legend Peter, spent five years at Manchester City and a season at Notts County before his move to Elland Road.
This is Sven’s first signing of the summer, with hopefully plenty more to follow.

——————————————————————–

Subscribe to The Fox fanzine for the 2011-12 season and you will receive a free set of four Leicester City postcards…

You can either post this form to the address below, or pay online via Paypal using the blue ‘Fox Subs’ button on the right…

City’s Boxing Day Fightback

Leicester City 2:2 Leeds United

After a dull start City and Leeds served up a second half feast of football for a large Boxing Day crowd at Filbert Way…

Sven Goran Eriksson made two changes to his side with Hobbs and Howard in for Vitor and Dyer.
City were on top in the opening stages with some early probing that almost set up King and Howard with chances.  A series of City free-kicks and corners were dealt with by the Leeds defence before the visitors took a 19th minute lead with their first attack.
Kilkenny’s cross from the right found Gradel in the goalmouth and, as Naughton slipped at the vital moment, the former-City man was left with a free header past Kirkland fron close range.
City were knocked back by this and the rest of the half was almost without incident. The two exceptions being a great run downt eh left by Cunningham and a good move involving Vassell and Howard which saw the latter blazing an effort well over.
Things got worse before they got better for City, with Simon Grayson’s side going 2-0 up ten minutes into the second half. A corner was cleared as far as Snodgrass out on the left and he blasted a half volley past Kirkland from an acute angle to get the 3,000 + in the away corner bouncing.
Things looked bleak for City at this stage, but a double substitution – Bednar and Dyer on for Abe and Howard – brought an improvement and they battled their way back into the game.
In the 71st minute Vassell was sent clear by Gallagher and looked set to score when he was upended by Schmeichel. It was an obvious red card, the Leeds’ keeper being the last man and denying Vassell a goal, but Referee Bates played Father Christmas and only produced a yellow.
Schmeichel, who was laughing to himself as he turned to the Kop to take his place, then had to pick the ball out of the net after another successful Gallagher spot-kick. 
Five minutes later he was beaten again. King, 25 yards out, delivered a perfect dipping shot over the keeper and under the bar for a fantastic equaliser.
In a stormy closing spell Kirkland saved from a scramble in the area, while at the other end Bednar was mugged in the penalty area for an obvious penalty that wasn’t given. A brawl then broke out as both sides literally fought for a late winner. Honours were even at the final whistle, with a large crowd being treated to an entertaining and hard fought encounter.

Sven was happy with the point: “We didn’t start very well and, when we cannot pass the ball well, we are not that good. Leeds were aggressive and did not allow us to play our normal game. The pitch was difficult but that is my fault because we have been training on it every day because the training ground is frozen. But we showed that, even if pitches are not perfect, we can work and get back into games.”

Leicester: Kirkland, Davies, Hobbs, Naughton, King, Abe (Dyer 64), Wellens, Cunningham, Gallagher, Vassell, Howard (Bednar 65). Subs Not Used: Oakley, Weale, Moussa, Morrison, Waghorn.
Leeds: Schmeichel, Connolly, O’Brien, Collins, McCartney, Kilkenny (Faye 89), Johnson, Howson (Paynter 85), Gradel, Snodgrass, Becchio (McCormack 85). Subs Not Used: Sam, Bruce, Higgs, Bromby.

Referee: A Bates (Staffs). Attendance: 30,919.

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.

Max Moves On

Leicester and Leeds agreed a fee for Max Gradel over the weekend and he has now moved to Elland Road on a two and a half year contract.

Max went to Leeds on loan in October, making a big impact and scoring three goals, and when he returned to Leicester last week he put in a transfer request, unhappy at the prospect of no longer being involved in first team football.
Max, who joined the Academy in 2006, was a popular figture at Leicester who will forever be remembered for one golden moment in a City shirt last season. City were losing a vital promotion game at MK Dons when, in the sixth minute of injury time Max fired home a long range equaliser from a free-kick, It was a season-turning moment on the way to the League One title. 

We’re sorry to see him go and wish Max all the best in the future…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUh8XQZelcw