Season Review: August

Gameday 1: 

Middlesbrough 1-2 City 

Saturday 3 August, 2013 

Goals: St. Ledger og 35; Drinkwater 60, Vardy 67 

Attendance: 17,223 

Match Report: 

Nigel Pearson’s Leicester City got their Sky Bet Championship season off to the perfect start as they came from behind to secure a stunning 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium. 

The home side had stolen the lead courtesy of an unfortunate Sean St. Ledger own goal in the 35th minute in a disjointed first half that saw City defender Zak Whitbread leave the field on a stretcher. 

After the break though a rejuvenated City roared back into the match and regained the lead through two sumptuous strikes. 

First Danny Drinkwater found the top corner from 20 yards, before Jamie Vardy latched onto a David Nugent pass to deliver a quality finish that sealed a welcome 2-1 victory for The Foxes. 

Manager Reaction: 

“I think we played to Jamie Vardy’s strengths in the second half. In the first half we played too much in front of them and Vards is at his best when he’s able to utilise his pace and work the opponents. 

“Our pass selection was more positive in the second half. We had possession in the first half, but it was laboured and that can be frustrating as a striker. 

“It’s nice to get off to a winning start, but that’s what it is, it’s a start. The points that you drop in August are just as costly and the ones you drop in April and May. 

“We’ve got to give ourselves a good chance this year.” 

League Position: 5 

Capital One Cup Round 2: 

Wycombe Wanderers 1-2 City 

Tuesday 6 August, 2013 

Goals: Kuffour 21; Nugent pen 14, St. Ledger 90 

Attendance: 3,158 

Match Report: 

A stoppage time goal from Sean St. Ledger booked Leicester City’s place in the Capital One Cup Second Round after a dramatic finish against Wycombe Wanderers at Adams Park. 

David Nugent had earlier given City a 14th minute lead from the penalty spot, before Jo Kuffour rifled a stunning effort into the top corner to level not long after. 

The Foxes were the better side in the second half though, but despite a host of chances it took until almost the last kick of the game for St. Ledger to pop up at the far post and bundle the ball home, handing City a deserved 2-1 win. 

Manager Reaction: 

“It’s great for our fans. I thought our support was fantastic tonight and I’d like to thank our supporters for travelling down and getting behind the players for the whole of the game. 

“Their contribution this season is going to be vitally important. We’ve started the season in a positive manner but we still know there’s plenty to be done. We’re far from being the finished article. 

“It’s good to negotiate it and get through to the next round, in 90 minutes too which is a bonus, but there we are, we’re through to the next round and that’s all that matters. 

“We’re two games into a season where we’re trying a different system (3-5-2). I don’t think we started the game well enough and we caused ourselves problems in terms of our pass selection and how we went about it but there were some pleasing aspects as well.” 

Gameday 2:

City 0-0 Leeds United 

Sunday 11 August, 2013 

Attendance: 22,725 

Match Report: 

Leicester City maintained their unbeaten start to the 2013/14 Sky Bet Championship season with a hard-fought goalless draw against Leeds United at King Power Stadium. 

In a cagey match of few clear-cut openings, City worked hard for their chances, but were ultimately unable to make the breakthrough despite substitute Chris Wood having the Foxes’ best effort when he hit the upright with a venomous left footed shot late on. 

Anthony Knockaert, David Nugent and Jamie Vardy all had opportunities in the second half, but some resolute defending from a determined and stubborn Leeds United side meant Nigel Pearson’s men had to settle for a point as they switch their focus to next week's trip to Derby County. 

Manager Reaction: 

“I think it was always going to be a tight game. They came with a decent game plan to limit the number of chances and that was pretty effective. 

“There weren’t too many chances during the game, although we had the best ones. Unfortunately we were unable to take one of those to win the match. 

“It was an interesting game. Two decent sides that cancelled each other out to a certain extent but it was still a decent game. 

“I felt pretty comfortable in that we kept a good discipline ourselves. It was going to be a game that a mistake was going to seal three points for one team or the other, and it was pretty indicative of this league in that is tough to win these tight games.” 

League Position: 9 

Gameday 3:

Derby County 0-1 City 

Saturday 17 August, 2013 

Goal: Grant og 35 

Attendance: 23,437 

Match Report: 

Leicester City made it two Sky Bet Championship victories out of three an impressive 1-0 triumph away to East Midlands rivals Derby County at Pride Park. 

An own goal by Rams ‘keeper Lee Grant in the first half was enough to give Nigel Pearson’s Foxes all three points and maintain their 100% away record – the first time the Club has won the first two away games of a league season in its history. 

It was a hard fought victory for the Foxes, who were only slightly edging what was a tight game until the 35th minute, when Matty James’ corner was flicked goalwards by Jamie Vardy, ending in a Paul Coutts clearance rebounding back into the net off his goalkeeper. 

Both sides had further chances to score as the game went on – Vardy looking particularly dangerous for City, but in the end the visitors were able to see out the victory. 

Manager Reaction: 

“It’s a good three points and I’m very pleased to have them. I suppose it’s slightly different to this time last year when we weren’t getting the results that our performances warranted. 

“We defended well, but we’ve got to be better than that. We were a bit wasteful and I didn’t think we worked hard enough at times either. 

“Consequently we made it difficult for ourselves but having said all that, we’ve come away with the three points so I’m not going to put too negative an angle on it. 

“It’s important that we win games but we’ve also got to be honest with how we evaluate our performances.” 

League Position: 6 

Gameday 4:

City 3-2 Birmingham City 

Saturday 24 August, 2013 

Goals: Vardy 78, King 82, Nugent pen 90; Green 12, Burke 90 

Attendance: 21,229 

Match Report: 

Three goals in 12 second half minutes helped the Foxes to a thrilling 3-2 victory over Birmingham City in the Sky Bet Championship at King Power Stadium. 

Nigel Pearson’s resilient side had to come from behind to secure the win in front of a delighted home faithful and send them joint top of the table with 10 points after four matches. 

Matt Green had turned in Shane Ferguson’s cross in the 12th minute to give Birmingham a lead that lasted until 13 minutes from time, when Jamie Vardy thundered a 20-yard shot into the bottom corner. 

But the day was to belong to City, as in the 82nd minute they got their noses in front for the first time thanks to King’s beautiful curling strike into the very same corner.

David Nugent then made it 3-1 form the penalty spot after Lloyd Dyer was hauled down by Kyle Bartley, but by the time Chris Burke pulled it back to 3-2 in stoppage time, it was too late for the visitors.

Manager Reaction: 

“We created a few more chances [than we have recently] and I think the players that didn’t start and came on gave us a better response than they did at Derby. 

“Over the course of the season we’ll need all the players to contribute when they get the chance. It was a good effort by all the players. 

“It’s pleasing to get the three points but we could have made life a bit easier for ourselves. I think we clearly didn’t take the chances we created in the first half, which was a bit frustrating, and we allowed them to get something to defend with really their only opportunity. 

“It’s good to get the three points but we could have made things easier for ourselves.” 

League Position: 2 

Capital One Cup Round 3:

Carlisle United 2-5 City 

Tuesday 27 August, 2013 

Goals: Amoo 16, Berrett 71; Wood 38, pen 59, 63, Dyer 47, Knockaert 51 

Attendance: 3,308 

Match Report: 

Chris Wood hit a devastating hat-trick as a much-changed City produced a ruthless display of finishing to see off Carlisle United in a Capital One Cup goal fest. 

The big Kiwi striker got off the mark for the season when he cancelled out David Amoo’s opener prior to half-time, before four goals in 18 second-half minutes took the Foxes out of reach against their League 1 hosts. 

Captain for the night Lloyd Dyer delivered the first two minutes after the break, then laid on another for Anthony Knockaert before Wood seized the spotlight. 

Jamie Vardy was brought down in the box by Brad Potts to allow Wood to ram home from 12 yards, before the former West Bromwich Albion hitman completed his treble with an angled finish from substitute Martyn Waghorn’s pass. 

Lively Carlisle midfielder James Berrett curled in a lovely consolation for Greg Abbott’s men 19 minutes from time, but the Cumbrians ultimately could not cope with City’s attacking threat. 

Manager Reaction: 

“We went a goal behind and that got the crowd going, but after that we managed the ball well and opened them up on many occasions. We probably should have scored more goals. 

“We’re at our best when we pass with precision and we were very pleased with the end result. 

“Tonight was pleasing for Chris, he deserved his goals. He’s a team player who is very appreciative of the players around him and his finishing tonight was clinical. 

“Lloyd Dyer scored a great goal on the counter-attack too and his pace will always cause problems for defenders.” 

Gameday 5:

Charlton Athletic 2-1 City 

Saturday 31 August, 2013 

Goals: Morrison 27, Kermorgant 58; Drinkwater 61 

Attendance: 15,542 

Match Report: 

Ten-man Leicester City were beaten 2-1 by Charlton Athletic at The Valley in the Sky Bet Championship thanks to two goals from former Foxes. 

Defender Michael Morrison had headed Charlton into a half-time lead from a corner, before Matty James was controversially sent off for a second yellow card just after the break following a penalty appeal. 

Yann Kermorgant then capitalised on the Addicks’ man advantage with another header at a corner before an excellent strike from Danny Drinkwater just after the hour mark set up a grandstand finish.

It wasn’t to be for City, though, as some determined defending from the hosts and some spectacular goalkeeping from Kasper Schmeichel kept the score at 2-1 and handed the Foxes their first defeat of the season. 

Manager Reaction: 

“It’s our first disappointment of the season. That’s the way we have to approach it. We were a little bit slow in terms of how we moved the ball in the first half and they were a very direct side - set plays were always going to be a threat for them. 

“They are a big team and their delivery is good. Sometimes you play against sides that use that as their main threat and I think Charlton did. They played direct football from the back and tried to win set plays. 

“We weren’t as comfortable as we had been at set plays but we were still in the game for the vast majority of the time. We threatened to get back into the game but it didn’t quite fall for us. 

“I didn’t think in the first half we were under any great threat, certainly not in open play. But for all my observations about us not moving the ball quickly enough, as an away side we were very much in the game. It’s a frustrating day for us.” 

League Position: 5 

Top Scorer: Chris Wood (3 goals) 

High Point: Three goals in just 12 second half minutes to give City a first home win of the season against Birmingham and move them into the automatic promotion places for the first time. 

Low Point: A frustrating first defeat of the season in a tough match away to Charlton Athletic that saw Matty James red carded in the second half. It was a defeat that extended a winless league run against the Addicks that stretched back to 2000. 

Goal Of The Month: Jamie Vardy vs. Middlesbrough