Stats say City need to be more creative to keep up challenge
GOALS FROM RED-HOT VARDY PAPER OVER LACK OF CHANCES
compared to Barkley’s eight. Meanwhile, Mount has played just four top-flight matches.
In the build-up to the Euro 2020 qualifiers, Southgate questioned where Maddison fit into his line-up.
“I think (Maddison) is improving as a player,” said the Three Lions boss. “He’s a talent for sure. I think we have to work out where that fits into the way that we play.
“His numbers are impressive: goals and assists, outstanding set-play delivery. So, it’s an interesting one for us to work more closely with.”
Maddison was one of five outfield players in the England squad who did not feature in either of the two Euro 2020 qualifying fixtures – along with Joe Gomez, Tyrone Mings, Harry Winks and Callum Wilson – and Southgate is keen for the players not to be downcast as they return to club football.
“It’s very early in the season with their clubs, some of them haven’t had a huge amount of club football,” said Southgate.
“I’m expecting all of them to progress as the season goes on.
“I wouldn’t want anybody to be leaving disillusioned that they haven’t got on the pitch or that they haven’t been able to play their part. To get in the squad at the moment is a challenge.
“It’s a high level to get in the squad, especially for the young players. There are others out there that we think can come in and have a similar sort of impact.” LEICESTER City are sitting pretty in third place in the Premier League table as one of just three unbeaten sides.
The only clubs above Brendan Rodgers’ men are title favourites and last season’s runaway duo, Manchester City and Liverpool.
So surely Leicester can’t do any better, right? Wrong.
Despite their lofty position, City are yet to get out of third gear and there areas they need to improve if they are to maintain their top-six, or even top-four, challenge.
Most of those improvements need to take place in attack.
City have six goals from their opening four games, which is not too bad, ranking fifth in the division behind the top two plus Spurs and Manchester United.
However, those six have come from just 12 shots on target. Only Watford, Wolves and Sheffield United have had fewer.
City’s 50 per cent conversion rate of shots on target is the joint-highest in the league, level with the Blades. The league average is 33 per cent while City’s rate last season was 28 per cent.
It is not simply a case of City needing to be more accurate with their shooting, either.
When ranked by total shots, City’s 53 puts them in a respectable, if not fantastic, eighth, but their per game average of 13.3 is actually lower than last season (13.6).
City’s efficiency in front of goal so far cannot be attributed to good shot selection, either.
Only Sheffield United (20) have had fewer efforts than City (21) from inside the box, while Rodgers’ men have their tried their luck from distance more often than nearly every other side, their 32 strikes from outside the area the joint-most in the division, level with Spurs.
The “expected goals” metric – which measures shot quality based on assist type, shot angle and distance from goal – ranks City 16th so far.
City have Jamie Vardy to thank for their tally so far, the striker showing off his supreme finishing ability during the first few weeks of the season to net three times. However, the number nine has had just six shots, with his conversation rate of 50 per cent well above his Premier League average of 22 per cent.
In short, City’s current goalscoring exploits are unsustainable unless they significantly improve the number of chances they are creating.
What Rodgers can take great confidence from is his side’s defensive displays.
To the naked eye, City have looked solid at the back and that is not misleading – the defensive performances are built on good foundations.
Despite disruption to their backline over the summer with Harry Maguire departing and Caglar Soyuncu coming in, City have conceded just three goals – only Crystal Palace have let in fewer.
And it is not a case of Kasper Schmeichel keeping the opposition at bay. The Dane has made eight saves, the joint-fewest in the division, with the 11 shots on target given up by City only bettered by Palace (10).
The “expected goals” metric ranks City’s defence as the second best of the season so far, behind this weekend’s opponents Manchester United.
So while it is clear Rodgers has work to do, he will be pleased it is abundantly evident where his side are prospering and where they are struggling as they aim to consolidate their place in the upper reaches of the table.