Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers plans to “fight on”, admitting he understands the scrutiny on his job – but can he flip it round?
The scoreline itself was deceptive, with Son Heung-min coming off the bench to attain a hat-trick in what had been an in any other case shut recreation.
But the very fact it made it six defeats in a row for the Foxes is the issue.
Rodgers is only one of 4 managers to guide Leicester to a trophy, their first FA Cup simply 16 months in the past.
So how a lot credit score does he have within the financial institution?
‘I perceive the sport’ – Rodgers acknowledges stress
Rodgers, who changed Claude Puel in February 2019, informed BBC Sport: “I at all times imagine we can overcome it.
“You did not see a crew right this moment that’s wanting confidence, that’s at all times signal.
“I’ll at all times fight on, but I perceive the sport and 6 straight losses is not good for anybody.”
In one other interview, he stated: “I completely perceive the frustration of supporters. I can’t cover from that. It’s my duty.
“Whatever occurs I’ll have an enormous quantity of respect for them [the owners] as a result of they’ve given me nice help. I perceive the sport. Whatever occurs to me at Leicester whether or not I keep and proceed to fight on, I’ll at all times respect them.”
James Maddison, whose objective made it 2-2 going into half-time, stated the gamers have to take their share of the blame.
“People will test the scoreline and see 6-2 and assume ‘wow, Leicester received battered once more’ but I do not assume that was the case,” he informed Sky Sports.
“In the primary half it felt just like the Leicester we all know and the Brendan Rodgers facet we have produced in the previous couple of years, with the excessive press and creating probabilities. It is hard to take.
“The gamers ought to undoubtedly be taking among the brunt [not just Rodgers]. It is a collective, it is not the supervisor, we’re an XI on the market. It hurts while you actually respect the supervisor and in the end we’re the gamers on the market and we have not been delivering just lately.”
How unhealthy have Leicester been?
Leicester are the tenth facet to select up one level (or none) of their opening seven Premier League video games.
Only Southampton in 1998-99, Newcastle in 1999-2000, Sunderland in 2013-14 and Crystal Palace in 2017-18 have stayed up from that begin.
The Saints – underneath Dave Jones – have been the one a kind of 4 groups to not change their supervisor.
Only seven groups have netted greater than Leicester’s 10 targets within the league this season. But their downside has been how leaky they’re on the again.
Their 22 conceded is essentially the most by any prime-flight crew after seven video games since West Ham in 1965-66.
Youri Tielemans gave Leicester an early lead at Spurs, with Harry Kane levelling quickly after and Eric Dier giving Tottenham the lead. Maddison made all of it sq. on the break earlier than Rodrigo Bentancur and Son’s hat-trick despatched Spurs degree on factors on the prime.
Since the beginning of final season, Leicester have conceded 25 targets from set-items within the Premier League, essentially the most of any facet on this interval.
Rodgers stated 4 of the six targets got here from particular person errors.
The Northern Irishman has by no means beforehand misplaced six video games in a row in spells in control of Watford, Reading, Swansea, Liverpool and Celtic – the place he received seven trophies in lower than three years earlier than leaving for Leicester.
They go into the worldwide break having conceded 11 targets of their final two video games, having been overwhelmed 5-2 at Brighton final trip.
‘A bleak image’ – What does the long run maintain for Rodgers?
The Foxes have completed ninth, fifth, fifth and eighth in Rodgers’ 4 years in cost.
Outside of their well-known title win in 2015-16 underneath Claudio Ranieri, the final time they completed larger within the prime flight than fifth was 1962-63.
Only Ranieri, Rodgers, Martin O’Neill (1997 and 2000 League Cups) and Matt Gillies (1964 League Cup) have ever received a trophy with Leicester.
Former England defender Matt Upson performed for the Foxes in direction of the tip of his profession in 2014-2015.
Watching the sport for BBC Radio 5 Live, he stated: “It’s a tricky name for the possession. Some golf equipment it’s apparent when that time comes that there must be a change.
“There are snippets right here, but actual up-factors for Leicester as properly. It shouldn’t be all doom and gloom but while you have a look at the desk and the factors, that’s what paints a bleak image for Brendan Rodgers.”
The Foxes have been the least energetic Premier League facet within the switch market this summer season, one thing which clearly irritated Rodgers.
They solely signed Reims defender Wout Faes, as a substitute for Wesley Fofana who went to Chelsea, and third-alternative keeper Alex Smithies after their primary and captain Kasper Schmeichel joined Nice.
“Just the best way Brendan has been speaking about needing further personnel, does he wish to be put out of his distress?” requested ex-Celtic striker Chris Sutton.
Former Foxes midfielder Robbie Savage requested whether or not Rodgers’ loyalty must be repaid now, having stayed on the membership when he might maybe have regarded for higher jobs.
“In his years at Leicester, he’s been very profitable, and if he’s had affords from different golf equipment in that point but stayed loyal to Leicester, does he deserve a possibility?
“The query for the proprietor is, do they assume with Brendan Rodgers in cost, Leicester will keep within the league?”
