Extra-Time Talking Points: Improving In The Final Third & Plenty More To Come
- Ex-Leicester City stars Steve Walsh, Matt Elliott and Tony Cottee featured on Monday's LCFC Radio Extra-Time show
- The trio reflected on the Foxes' generally positive start to 2020/21, which sees the Club sitting in fourth position in the Premier League table
- Walsh, Elliott and Cottee also previewed City's opening UEFA Europa League group stage fixture, at home to Zorya Luhansk on Thursday (8pm kick-off)
On the panel on Monday evening were three iconic former City players, Steve Walsh, Matt Elliott and Tony Cottee, who analysed the weekend's narrow defeat to Aston Villa alongside Dan Bates, on the Club's online radio station.
The trio's in-depth discussions during the hour-long show included their thoughts on City's overall start to the campaign and looked ahead to a busy period of games to come, starting with Thursday night's Europa League opening group stage fixture at Leicester City Stadium, against Ukrainian outfit Zorya Luhansk (8pm kick-off).
A game of two halves
Matt Elliott said: "Any home defeat always is bitterly disappointing, the lateness of the goal just compounded it. It looked for all the world that it was going to be a draw, Leicester shaded the first half, Villa shaded the second, came on stronger and you thought that was going to be the case at the interval because Leicester might have given their all and could they maintain that level? It proved to be the case."
Improving in the final third
Steve Walsh said: "I thought the final decision making at certain times in the game for Leicester was disappointing, Brendan [Rodgers] admitted that, but we all know [Jamie] Vardy being out is a massive blow to Leicester. He's just someone you can't replace and it clearly showed. But I do believe Leicester were very unlucky, I thought they deserved a point and it was just a moment which led to the goal."
Taking collective responsibility
Tony Cottee said: "As a team, you have to take responsibility and if someone does get caught out of position, sometimes someone else has to tuck in and cover the space, take the player out or whatever. Everything was all too easy and once he [Ross Barkley] is in that position, it's a fantastic finish and I don't want to take anything away from him, but it's just so disappointing from Leicester's point of view. I don't think anyone deserved to lose the game, but if that's the case, draw the game, get the point, because every point matters in the Premier League."
City deserved more
Steve Walsh said: "We've had two defeats and yet there's still five of the top six behind us, so it tells us that we're doing well. The lads will be disappointed, you could see it in their face after the match and they've got to go again and they will do. I think they're playing pretty well, I really do. They give everything and they just fell to a moment of lax in concentration, that's all it was. And for the effort that they had put into that game, they deserved something out of it."
No time to dwell
Matt Elliott said: "They paid the ultimate price and it's frustrating, it's not nice, two home defeats on the trot, going into what is a flurry of fixtures, both in Europe and domestically. You want to get that run of games off to a good start. It's going to be a tough period coming up now, but I'm sure they're up to it."
Still a good start
Tony Cottee said: "Sometimes you just have to take stock and put things into perspective. It's five games into a Premier League season, Leicester are still in fourth position, it's been a really good start to the season. Yes, it's really disappointing they didn't get that extra point, but I do think you have to keep things in perspective for the Football Club."
All times BST.