It’s international break currently, and most clubs will use this time to reflect on the first three gameweeks of the 2024/25 Premier League season. Leicester City are no different. The Foxes currently find themselves 15th in the league table, hovering above the relegation zone only on goal difference.
In Leicester’s three Premier League games, they have lost twice and drawn once. While there have been some positive moments, the overall performances have been largely dull and ineffective. The attack has especially been disappointing, with the players unable to create chances. Let’s look at some statistics showcasing the Foxes’ struggles in attack.
Expected Goals (xG)
Nineteen. Unfortunately, that’s not Leicester’s xG but where they rank amongst 20 Premier League teams. Only Ipswich Town have a lower xG than the Foxes’s 2.1, emphasising Leicester’s lack of threat in attack. They have only managed to create four big chances in three games, which is the third lowest in the league. In comparison, Liverpool has 16.
Shots
Leicester City have the second-lowest number of shots in the league, with 26. Less than 60% of them are inside the penalty box. The Foxes also have the highest average shot distance in the league. Shooting from outside the box was a good strategy when we had the likes of Youri Tielemans, James Maddison, and Harvey Barnes — but not anymore. Leicester have to work to take more shots and from a closer distance to boost their chances of scoring.
Penetration into the opposition box
The players barely get into the opposition box. Leicester City have only mustered 13 passes into the box so far, the second-lowest in the league. Additionally, Leicester have recorded 34 touches in the opposition area, also second-lowest in the league. Despite having a fair share of the ball each match, they seem to be doing very little with it.
Overall, Leicester City seem to be doing dismal in practically every important metric measuring a team’s attacking quality. Cooper has a lot of work to do but will be looking to turn things around, especially with the exciting summer signings of Facundo Bounannotte, Bilal El Khannouss, and Odsonne Edouard.
