Pre-Season Prediction: 16th - Tough start may shell-shock the Foxes but they have enough organisation to survive.
Leicester City absolutely dominated the Premier League last year. This is no point beating around the bush. Santa delivered them a welcome Christmas trip to the top of the Championship and it was there they stayed throughout the remainder of the season, losing just one of their final 26 games. They bossed games possession wise and had a lethal partnership of David Nugent and Jamie Vardy, as well as the third best defense in the League. Confidence is flowing through the Leicester squad and rightly so, after the season they have had. Alas, the Premier League is an entirely different kettle of fish and, unlike last year, Nigel Pearson's men will not be having it all their own way.
This Leicester side may relish promotion to the top flight but for most this is a venture into the unknown. Few of the first team players have seen Premier League football before and Pearson has tried to address this by bringing in Matthew Upson and Marc Albrighton. These lack conviction as Upson is 35 and injured whilst Albrighton can be very hit-and-miss. To bolster an already steady front line the bulk of the transfer kitty was spent on Brighton forward Leonardo Ulloa, meaning Leicester's front three collected 50 Championship goals between them last year. Lethal.
So the front line is unquestionably strong, but questions remain about the depth of the squad behind these three. If Pearson chooses to continue operating his chosen 4-4-2 from last season then just three natural wingers will not be good enough. Another couple should be brought in, with a focus on players who can feed the strikers both in the air, and on the ground. The defense is strong and organised, but paper thin and injuries to the likes of Morgan or De Laet will see the Foxes scrambling desperately through the academy for someone to play. More defensive cover is absolutely vital in the dog-eat-dog world that is the Premier League. Another central midfielder would also be a boost and it looks as though they may seal a real coup with the probably transfer of Esteban Cambiasso.
Confidence will be key this season and a strong pre-season was always a necessity for the East Midlands club. Luckily it has been extremely fruitful with six victories, one draw and not a single loss. Leicester are also blessed with a vacant injury list and will have their first team fully fit for their testing opening fixture against Everton. Pearson will be pleased to have seen his team seemingly firing on all cylinders in their pre-season fixtures, in particular with David Nugent continuing his fine goalscoring form from last season.
It's a brutal start for the new boys, with Everton, Chelsea, Arsenal, Stoke and Manchester United the first five fixtures for the Foxes. Unless they pull of some major scalps early on they could find themselves playing catch-up as we head towards Christmas. Pearson's tactics revolved around total domination last year but that will not be a viable option this season with technically superior sides all around them. It will be interesting to see how he copes with the inevitable tactical tweaks as well as how his team copes without the feeling of relentless victories. It will be a tough season but Leicester have more confidence and organisation than some teams around them and will ultimately survive.
Key Man: Danny Drinkwater - An explosive season from the ex-Manchester United player last year makes him an instrumental part of this thing squad. Part of the powerful spine of the squad, which stretches from Kasper Schmiechel through Wes Morgan to Drinkwater and then onto David Nugent, he will be instrumental in controlling the pace of the game for Leicester. His passing accuracy is excellent and with seven goals in the league last year, is also a potent goal threat. His importance in spreading the play to the channels may prove to be instrumental offensively.
One to Watch: Riyad Mahrez - Whilst you may recognise the names of Danny Drinkwater or David Nugent from past ventures, Riyad Mahrez is something of an unknown quantity among fans of just the Premier League. The winger has had an outstanding first six months at his new club but will be a more potent threat this season with the signing of Ulloa. Ulloa has a dangerous header on him whilst Mahrez can deliver a killer cross. His delivery is second-to-none and expect Leicester to fully exploit this through set-pieces this year with Wes Morgan a notable danger.
Best Summer Signing: Leonardo Ulloa - Ulloa arrives up the M1 with an £8 million price tag around his neck and plenty of fan expectation. The powerful striker arrives from Brighton after scoring 14 goals in the league last year and brings variety to a rather one-dimensional front-line. Nugent is certainly prolific but scores almost entirely with his right foot whilst Ulloa is more versatile, scoring a mixture of goals with both feet as well as his head. He will also thrive off of the deliveries of Mahrez, Knockhaert and Albrighton and should cope fairly well with the step-up to the top flight.
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