Monday 23 January 2012

Conclusions from St Mary's


Southampton0-2Leicester City
(HT 0-2)

Nugent 15
Mills 26

St Mary's, attendance: 21,014
BBC Match Report


Home Team: Davis, Harding, Fox, Martin, Hooiveld (Richardson 65), Schneiderlin, Cork, Guily, Hammond (De Ridder 56), Falque (Holmes 56), Connelly

Away Team: Schmeichel, Peltier, Mills, St Ledger, Konchesky , Wellens, Danns, Dyer, Gallagher (Drinkwater 42), Beckford (Delfouneso 75), Nugent  (Howard 87)



  • It's a wonder what a win does for you. It's been seen before and it will be seen again: a win gives a team a massive boost and spurs them on to greater things. Tonight, the Foxes were awesome - against a good team, too, save for the Saints' finishing - and put up a fight they did not need to against Forest in midweek. This could be the win that makes Leicester's season - and breaks 
  • The Pearson buzz is back. That was more like what's expected of a Nigel Pearson Leicester side. Passion, enthusiasm and a dedicated, committed performance that yielded a result. It was almost like going back in time to when Our Nige was last in charge and the Foxes beat good sides comfortably week-in, week-out. Work rate was, as Pearson attested after the game, the key to Leicester's success this evening and that will not go unnoticed by the rest of the league who are rightly fearing their upcoming fixtures against the Foxes.



Winners
Matt Mills
Matt Mills did far more tonight than score his first goal in Leicester colours. He put in by far his best performance for the Foxes and crucial to that was his aggressive forays into the opposition half. He created the Foxes' first half before scoring their second, his elegantly-weighted diagonal ball finding David Nugent on the opposite wing before he set St Mary's alight with a stunning strike. A great performance from a man who may, finally, have arrived.

David Nugent
His goal was unstoppable. The delivery from Mills was superb but still David Nugent had plenty to do: he made it look simple. A quick run forward, a cut inside and a shift in weight to curl the ball far beyond Kelvin Davies in the Saints' goal was still needed for Nugent to score what was a stunning goal. Mills may have given him the chance, but it was the striker that took it with both hands.

Sean St Ledger
Who says that Leicester need a winger? Sean St Ledger looked confident and assured in his partnership with Mills and, moreso, when he was found on the left wing to cross for his centre-half partner's headed goal.

Richie Wellens
The heart of the grinding Leicester City machine, Richie Wellens may be one of the Old Guard but he was the most essential part of this virtually complete performance from Nigel Pearson's revitalised Foxes.



Losers
Neil Danns
A shadowy performance in the Foxes' midfield, Neil Danns' mistakes would have been costly if not for the attentiveness of his team mates and those around him.

Paul Gallagher
His injury was a pity as, until that point, Gallagher had been bright and lively (for him) on the Foxes' right wing. He showed his skill and ability with a number of decent balls and his passing always seemed to find the right man. Without him Leicester seemed to have less control and, as the game wore on, that only became more evident.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

we were awful against top teams when pearson was here last. very consistent against lower teams though where his percentage football pays dividends.

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