Bristol City were left with plenty to ponder as they went into the two-week break for international matches on the back of a defeat at the King Power Stadium.
Although the Robins did not disgrace themselves against high-flying Leicester, the Midlanders ran out comfortable winners to take over at the top of the npower Championship.
David Nugent fired the Foxes in front after 19 minutes and Richard Foster doubled their lead when putting through his own goal 17 minutes from the end.
City refused to give in, but seldom threatened a well-organised Leicester defence and their best chance came in the opening moments when striker Sam Baldock headed straight at Kaspar Schmeichel.
Given that the Foxes had won their last four games and were in a position to take over top-spot in the Championship, albeit for a couple of hours, City were rated rank outsiders at the King Power Stadium.
Yet the visitors, adopting a 4-3-3 system for the first time this season, showed no signs of suffering from an inferiority complex, taking the game to the hosts from the outset.
Starting on the left side of a three-pronged attack, Albert Adomah showed Liam Moore a clean pair of heels in the opening moments, and sent over a telling cross for Baldock, whose stooping header was gathered by Schmeichel.
Leicester boss Nigel Pearson has fashioned a more enterprising team this season and the Foxes were quick to demonstrate their attacking intentions.
Jamie Vardy seized upon Lewin Nyatanga's slip to test Tom Heaton with an angled shot and City's keeper was again called into action to divert Lloyd Dyer's rising drive behind at the expense of a corner.
Full of Gallic flair and invention, France junior international Anthony Knockaert tricked Stephen Pearson into indiscretion on the edge of how own penalty area as the Foxes probed for an opening. Taking responsibility for the free kick himself, the quick-footed winger forced Heaton to make another sharp save, this time down at his near post.
City appeared to be reasonably comfortable in their revised shape and presented a threat on the counter-attack, Adomah skipping clear of the covering defence and letting fly with a long-range effort that flew just wide.
But Leicester were building a head of steam and Nugent was narrowly off-target with a header from Knockaert's chipped centre.
When opportunity next came knocking for the former England striker, he made no mistake, taking Vardy's measured through ball in his stride, easily shrugging off Liam Fontaine's weak challenge and sliding the ball beneath the exposed Heaton from 15 yards out.
Now that they were in front, the Foxes were content to put men behind the ball and bide their time, inviting City to press men into attack in search of an equaliser.
Certainly, the home side looked to be comfortable and they twice threatened to increase their lead, Knockaert and Nugent trying their luck with long-range drives that failed to seriously inconvenience Heaton.
Leicester boss Pearson made two changes after the break, sending on Ritchie De Laet in place of injured left-back Paul Konchesky and then withdrawing Vardy and introducing winger Ben Marshall. The newcomer took up a position on the left flank and Knockaert moved inside to operate on the hole behind Nugent.
Leicester needed a second goal to make the game safe and Knockaert threatened to deliver it 13 minutes into the second half when he burst through the centre and out-stripped a flat-footed back four. Fortunately for City, Foster had the speed of thought and foot to get back and make a superb challenge to deny the Frenchman a clear shooting opportunity.
City were virtually non-existent as an attacking force and manager Derek McInnes sent on Steven Davies to replace Baldock on the hour in a bid to re-invigorate his attack.
Meanwhile, Leicester's injury woes continued and skipper Sean St Ledger limped off after 63 minutes to be replaced by Zak Whitbread, the second enforced change to the home side's back four.
The game was, to all intents and purposes, over as a meaningful contest when the Foxes doubled their lead 17 minutes from time.
Having just replaced Louis Carey at right-back, Mark Wilson was powerless to cut out a cross from Marshall and Foster, under intense pressure from Nugent, inadvertently headed into his own goal at the far post to leave the Robins with a mountain to climb.
Leicester City (4-4-2): Schmeichel; Moore, Morgan, St Ledger (Whitbread 63), Konchesky (De Laet 46); Knockaert, King, Drinkwater, Dyer; Nugent, Vardy (Marshall 51).
Bristol City (4-3-3): Heaton; Carey (M Wilson 70), Fontaine, Nyatanga, Foster; Morris (Anderson 81), Skuse, Pearson; Adomah, Taylor, Baldock (Davies 60).
Referee: Trevor Kettle (Rutland)
Attendance: 22,529
kenai river fish counts hiwassee river trout lodge oklahoma insurance license
No comments:
Post a Comment