Foxes in freefall
Swansea pile more misery on Ranieri
CLAUDIO RANIERI last night made the damning promise to axe the players who won the Premier League for Leicester after accusing his team of blowing their last chance as they fell within a point of the relegation zone at Swansea.
The humiliation at the Liberty Stadium meant they became the first champions to lose five straight games in the top flight since Chelsea in March 1956 — despite having largely the same squad as last season, minus N’Golo Kante.
Ranieri has always hit back at suggestions he has been too loyal, but when asked again last night he said: ‘I could be, could be. It is difficult when you achieve something so good you want to give them one chance, two chances, three chances. Maybe now it is too much.
‘Of course there is something I can change because in this way it’s not possible to continue.’
The heat on Ranieri intensified at the end of a week in which he received public backing for his position from the club. It is known that elements of the dressing room are questioning his methods and it will surely not have helped that this game was attended by their owner, Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who was seen shaking his head at an awful performance.
Ranieri’s side now face an FA Cup fixture at Millwall and a Champions League tie at Sevilla. The Champions League has been the one perk of a woeful campaign but Ranieri made the grave admission that Europe will now be given less priority than the league.
He said: ‘Every time I speak to the players and the players speak to me we are always confident we can change the situation. But now there are a few matches in front of us so we have to find a solution very, very soon.
‘There are two matches in front of us — one in the FA Cup and one in the Champions League. But our mind is on the Premier League.’
The Italian (right) added a stinging criticism of his side’s current troubles by questioning their determination as well as their ability to defend and attack. Speaking after falling to goals from Alfie Mawson and Martin Olsson, he said: ‘I wanted the start of a new season today, but it is the same, it is unbelievable. ‘We started well but their first two shots on goal are goals. It is very difficult to come back from that. It is unbelievable this season. ‘We have two problems — conceding goals, and not scoring. We have to speak together to find the solutions, it is not possible to continue like this. ‘The machine is not broken but when you don’t play at a maximum level it is a difficult battle. They were more determined than us, that’s the truth.’ This was another appalling performance, another game that supports the suspicion that the wonder of last season was just the first part of some kind of Faustian pact. Leicester are falling at a dizzying speed. But take nothing away from Swansea. They are a side transformed by Paul Clement, whose haul of 12 points from the past six Premier League games is bettered only by Everton. He is coaching his way out of an awful mess and doing it marvellously.
This was a victory built on an excellent defence and midfield, and on players passing like they used to in these parts. They are now up to 15th, their highest place since September.
The first goal came on 36 minutes. Gylfi Sigurdsson floated a free-kick into the area which Federico Fernandez headed back across and Mawson, a centre-half, finished like a striker. The technique of his volley was flawless, making it five league goals for the season; two for Barnsley, three for Swansea. Tellingly, Jamie Vardy has the same tally.
The second Swansea goal, which came in first-half stoppage time, was just as attractive, a one-touch blitz past the opposition. Tom Carroll passed to Fernando Llorente who helped it on to Sigurdsson. His first-time through ball was perfectly timed to Olsson’s run and after two touches he easily beat Kasper Schmeichel at his near post. The goalkeeper could have done much, much better.
Ranieri reacted by bringing on Islam Slimani and Ben Chilwell at the break and he also switched his system for a third time. No response. Zilch. Nothing.
Asked if the team are behind Ranieri, Danny Drinkwater said: ‘Of course. It’s down to us out there. The manager has our support.’