THE ELEPHANT IN THE HOTEL ROOM
Foxes’ reboot after Champs League blow
BRENDAN RODGERS reckons Leicester can go the distance this season after revealing how a hotel summit rallied his side following last term’s collapse.
A 2-0 defeat at home on the final day of last season to Manchester United saw the Foxes miss out on Champions League qualification.
United overhauled Leicester, who finished with one win in their last five Premier League games.
Rodgers has opened up on how he whisked his squad off to the Grove hotel to address the “elephant in the room” ahead of the new campaign.
He believes the approach has paid off with Leicester once again sitting second at Christmas ahead of United’s return to the King Power today.
Rodgers said: “We went away to the Grove for a few days team building and a bit of golf.
“It was relaxed but focused. We trained. We did some serious work and some relaxation.
“But the aim really of it all over the course of the couple of days was the elephant in the room about how it finished.
“I am always one to address that straight away and don’t let it linger or become a burden.
“What we achieved last season was very good. Obviously straight after the end of the season you don’t qualify for the Champions League and people may want to tell you that you failed.
“But it was important to reinforce from where we started, to where we finished, was success.”
Meanwhi le, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes Anthony Martial is finally over the acrimonious fallout from his red card against Spurs at Old Trafford.
Martial was dismissed early in the 6-1 defeat at the start of October and has struggled for form and consistency since.
But Solskjaer remains a big believer in Martial. The United gaffer said: “Anthony has made some important contributions lately. Assists, scores a goal and is getting fitter.
“His running stats against Leeds set a new standard I want him to build on.”