Leicester City Premier League season preview 2015/16
Saturday 8 August 2015 10:20, UK
All the transfer news, statistics, pundit views and odds ahead of Leicester City's 2015/16 season.
Position last season: 14th
Sky Bet title odds: 5000/1
Ins: Christian Fuchs (Schalke), Robert Huth (Stoke), Shinji Okazaki (Mainz), N'Golo Kante (Caen), Yohan Benalouane (Atlanta)
Outs: Chris Wood (Leeds), Esteban Cambiasso (free)
Overview
It has been a chaotic summer at Leicester following their miraculous escape from relegation. The club were rewarded for sticking by Nigel Pearson last season as a stunning run of form secured survival, but he was surprisingly sacked just weeks after the end of the campaign.
Pearson’s departure was followed by that of last season’s talisman Esteban Cambiasso, leaving a gaping hole in midfield and a daunting job for new manager Claudio Ranieri. The Italian has an impressive managerial CV which includes his four-year stint at Chelsea between 2000 and 2004, but keeping the Foxes out of trouble won’t be easy.
Japan international Shinji Okazaki had a good record with Mainz in the Bundesliga, but Leicester are in need of further strengthening – especially in midfield. Ranieri has also called on his side to show the same resolve as in the final weeks of last season. “We have to fight every match with our character and strength,” he said.
Ray Parlour's view: "What a great end to the season. Ranieri was a strange appointment, for me, but he’s very experienced and he’ll have a good coaching set-up around him. They’ve lost Cambiasso, though, who was very influential. All eyes will be on Leicester in the first 10 games or so to see what they have learned from last season."
Ray Parlour's one to watch: "Riyad Mahrez was excellent last year. He can play either side in the wide areas and he scored some important goals. You want your creative players to be on the ball as much as possible and I think he was a real influence last year."
Opta stats
- In 2014/15, Leicester City spent longer at the bottom of the table without being relegated than any side in Premier League history (140 days).
- Jamie Vardy provided more assists from open play last season than any other Premier League forward (8).
- The Foxes have scored exactly two goals in six of their last seven matches on the opening day, including in the PL last term vs Everton.
