How Leicester City might look when they face Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend, with manager Brendan Rodgers facing difficult decisions all over the field.
Brendan Rodgers must decide if Leicester City matches Tottenham Hotspur like-for-like this weekend as he faces big decisions across his line-up.
With City seeking a first win of the season and yet to settle on a system or line-up they feel is best to get them points, Rodgers may make a handful of changes for the trip to the capital. But the first decision requires the manager to choose between a back three and a back four.
Antonio Conte’s Spurs have mostly played with a back three since the Italian took over and Rodgers opted for the same formation in the two games against them last season, the 3-2 defeat at home in January, and a 3-1 loss away in May. As such, it is possible City will play with a back three again.
Jonny Evans would be a certainty to form part of any back three while new signing Wout Faes would likely make his debut alongside him. The final spot would likely be a battle between Daniel Amartey and Wilfred Ndidi. The latter has started in the back-line over the past two games, but struggled at Brighton, and may be pushed back into midfield.
Odgers would then need to decide on his wing-backs and with Timothy Castagne left out of the starting line-up for the past two games, it is possible he will be omitted again. Rodgers has picked James Justin and Luke Thomas for City’s defeats to Manchester United and Brighton in order to bring a better balance to the defense.
There are five main contenders for the three midfield spots. If Ndidi is not in the defense, Rodgers will have to decide between the Nigerian and Boubakary Soumare. After a surprise appearance against Chelsea, Soumare has now started three league games in a row for the first time since last November and has shown signs of improvement. However, Ndidi’s greater defensive abilities may be desired as the City look to keep an attack of Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, and Richarlison quiet.
The other two midfield spots will then be contested by Youri Tielemans, James Maddison, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Tielemans and Maddison were the two who started last time out at Brighton and they remain favorites to keep their spots this weekend too. Tielemans has been City’s creative force this season, ranking in the division’s top 10 for chances created, while Maddison is seen by Rodgers as City’s most important player, even if getting the most out of him has been a problem of late.
Up front, there would then be two strikers. Rodgers has said he was pleased with how Patson Daka and Kelechi Iheanacho worked together against Brighton, but with Jamie Vardy rested, he could potentially come in for Iheanacho, giving City two speedy options at the top of the pitch. Iheanacho is better at linking play though, and so this may be one of the trickier calls Rodgers faces.
If City were to go for a back four, Amartey and Daka would probably be the players to drop out, with homegrown pair Dewsbury-Hall and Harvey Barnes coming in to form the usual 4-3-3 set-up. Maddison would then be moved to the right-hand flank.
Predicted City line-up (3-5-2): Ward; Amartey, Faes, Evans; Justin, Tielemans, Ndidi, Maddison, Thomas; Daka, Vardy.
Alternative City line-up (4-3-3): Ward; Justin, Faes, Evans, Thomas; Ndidi, Tielemans, Dewsbury-Hall; Maddison, Vardy, Barnes.
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