Matchday Minus Two Talking Points: Chance Creation, Söyüncü Steps Up & Blades Aggression
The Foxes fell behind early on at Stamford Bridge, courtesy of Mason Mount's opener, but Wilfred Ndidi made amends for an uncharacteristic mistake to seal a point in the second half.
Speaking on Thursday, Elliott and Taggart highlights a series of talking points - including City's resurgence, Christian Fuchs and Çağlar Söyüncü - which struck them in west London.
City didn't want the game to end
Matt Elliott said: “It’s seems a bit odd to say it was frustrating because in the first half, they were lucky to be in it. Chelsea came out the blocks absolutely flying and Leicester were the opposite. They took some time to get into their stride, but they slowly crept into the game and, in the second half they were the better side. They had better opportunities and looked more likely to win it. Ultimately, Brendan Rodgers and his team wanted the game to go on for another five minutes or so.”
Do more with your chances
Gerry Taggart said: “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. That was a very good example of the team not starting too brightly, which you can understand. There’s an expectation there now. We’re expecting this Leicester City team to go away from home and not just compete, but to content to pick points up away from home, so they should be disappointed. The clear-cut chances which they created in that second half, you would expect them to score more than one goal.”
Ndidi nets simple equaliser
Matt Elliott: “He didn’t have to do a lot. It’s fizzed in, a lovely ball, without trying to do too much... he just sauntered in. That was the first time, other than a free-kick in the first half, that Leicester actually put the ball in the box. They put it right in the danger zone and tested Chelsea out. Look what happened, they got a lot of joy from it. They’re not the biggest side in the world, but sometimes you can surprise your opposition.”
Fuchs saves the day early on
Gerry Taggart said: “They had been under a lot of pressure for the 20 minutes beforehand, but if you watch it (a last-ditch tackle on N'Golo Kanté) on the replay… it’s a goal. That’s going in the bottom corner all day long. That is a top-drawer challenge from Christian Fuchs. That would make it 2-0 to Chelsea and do Leicester turn that around? That was the challenge which turned the game on its head and maybe it took a challenge like that because that’s a match-saving challenge.”
A total reversal of fortunes
Matt Elliott: “It was a total reversal of fortunes in the second half. That in itself is encouraging, the way they reacted, they way they responded to being under the cosh, and it shows they’ve got that character and ability, but they can't start like that on the weekend at Sheffield United.”
Söyüncü steps into the forefront
Gerry Taggart said: “For me, there’s a raw hunger about him. There’s desire, but in the last two games, he’s showed a real old head on young shoulders – a real calmness under pressure. We’ve seen in the past that he’s been occasionally rash, but in the last two games, he’s stepped up and come into the forefront and decided this is his time to shine.”
No fear from Praet
Matt Elliott said: “I think [Dennis] Praet gave the team more balance and his introduction in the first place was a positive change from Brendan Rodgers. It’s difficult to come in on your debut in the hurly burly of a game at the stage it was, at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea, and you left the match thinking about the confidence Rodgers must have him in. He took it completely in his stride and he looked to venture forward. He certainly added to what Leicester were trying to do and he took to it really well. He looks like the kind of player who makes the right decisions more often than not.”
Aggressive Blades
Gerry Taggart said: “It'll be a completely different type of game. Chris Wilder will get his team running for 90 minutes, they will compete, be aggressive and then, in that midfield, they've got players like Oliver Norwood, who can play and hurt teams. The basis and framework of their team will be hard work, simple as that. Chris Wilder will tell his players how to beat a team like Leicester. He'll know how to hurt Leicester. Whether or not they do is a different matter, but Leicester have to give them the respect that they deserve, and I'm sure they will.”
The full episode of Matchday Minus Two is available to view now on LCFC TV, while live coverage of Saturday's match is available for free on LCFC Radio from 12pm BST.