Saturday 23 July 2016 21:04, UK
Leicester kicked off their pre-season plans in earnest with a 1-1 draw against Celtic in the International Champions Cup, before winning in a penalty shoot-out.
Riyad Mahrez scored first with a wonderful shot from the right edge of the box before Eoghan O'Connell levelled things up with a measured finish of his own.
With the teams tied after 90 minutes, the game went to penalties with 10 converted before James Forrest saw his shot saved to allow Daniel Amartey to win it 6-5 for Leicester.
Of course, the big question is whether or not Leicester can follow up their title-winning efforts in 2016/17. Here, we take a look at how they're shaping up…
Same old Leicester?
Celtic knew what was coming but they couldn't stop it. There were two men surrounding Mahrez on the right flank but he cut inside nevertheless and curled a shot into the far corner to open the scoring. If that was predictable, it was merely part of a familiar tale that was written over the course of an extraordinary 2015/16 season.
There was Wes Morgan heading away cross after cross, Danny Drinkwater marshalling midfield and Shinji Okazaki winning the ball back to spark the breaks. Celtic are further ahead in their pre-season preparations as a result of their Champions League campaign and equalised with a fine strike but it's clear Leicester haven't forgotten what's made them so strong.
Long throw weapon?
Christian Fuchs' long throw was a feature of Leicester's play last term but Claudio Ranieri appears to have identified an additional threat with the ball in hand. Luis Hernandez slotted in nicely alongside Morgan in the heart of the defence, organising and gesturing to his new team-mates, but it's his long throw that really offers something a bit out of the ordinary.
The mere sight of the centre-back wandering to the flank to hurl bombs into the box is an indication that this is no accidental tactic. Hernandez is under instructions to use this weapon and nearly created an opening with it early on. It seems success won't stop Leicester from looking for an edge on their opponents and they might just have found another one.
Will they miss Kante?
There's no suggestion that Leicester are a one-man team. Such was the strength of their side that the praise had been shared around long before the title was lifted. However, it was a special blend that brought success and N'Golo Kante's drive in midfield was a big part of that. Interestingly, in Nampalys Mendy, Leicester have not opted for a direct replacement.
The summer signing is composed in that holding role but lacks Kante's dynamism and the sight of him toiling when chasing back might alarm Leicester fans expecting to see similar levels of pace in midfield this coming season. Ranieri will need to find another way to shut down opponents quickly if Leicester are to make their midfield as effective in 2016/17.
How do you replace Mahrez?
If coming up with a way of making light of Kante's absence is a conundrum, the prospect of being anything like as effective without Mahrez would seem a forlorn hope. The Leicester winger has been linked with a move to Arsenal over the weekend and he provided plenty more evidence why he's in such demand at Celtic Park on Saturday.
There was the usual array of tricks before Mahrez got his goal so brilliantly and he almost created a second when his pace got him free to flash a ball across goal. By the time he was withdrawn to applause from both sets of fans, it was obvious Mahrez was the game's star man. Whether Leicester could cope comfortably without him is rather less obvious.
Still in the mood?
Mahrez himself was laughing and joking on the pitch, in the dugout and after the win. The team spirit among this Leicester squad seems as strong as ever. Indeed, Ranieri could barely keep the smile from his face as Marcin Wasilewski stepped up to take his penalty. There's a sense in which they are still enjoying this ride even amid all the speculation.
Maintaining that mood could be crucial. Even before the Premier League actions begins again, there are further International Champions Cup games against Paris St Germain and Barcelona followed by the Community Shield clash with Manchester United. There's lots more to look forward to and lots of reasons to do so with optimism - with or without Riyad Mahrez.
