The King Power club’s objective is clear: secure promotion back to the Premier League. This is absolutely crucial. Returning to the top flight could prevent several standout players from departing the troubled side, while also delivering vital financial relief for a club grappling with potential PSR issues.
That mission becomes far more challenging when the head coach is denied a full pre-season to properly implement his philosophy and shape the squad, and when players—despite commanding sizeable wages—fail to produce the consistent level of performance needed to overcome opponents in this division. At times, the defence appears resilient, yet on other occasions it looks completely frail.
QPR 4-1 Leicester City: A Brutal Wake-Up Call
In the five matches prior to the embarrassing defeat at QPR, Cifuentes’ side recorded two defeats, followed by two victories and a draw; both wins ended in 3-1 scorelines. There have been signs that the team can score goals and maintain possession, but they regularly fade during one half of matches, forcing themselves into unnecessary battles for points.
This encounter, however, served as a stark illustration of the inconsistency and questionable mentality that continues to plague this group.
Once again, defensive sluggishness was evident, coupled with a failure to effectively break down a well-organised, compact defensive unit that punished Leicester on the counter-attack. The Foxes may have enjoyed more of the ball, but they lacked imagination, resulting in fewer shots and a reduced number of set-piece opportunities.
Three Players Who Must Be Moved On
Marti Cifuentes appears ill-equipped to mould these Premier League-calibre players into a cohesive, competitive unit, or to instil the mentality required to eliminate the lethargy and errors that repeatedly surface during matches. However, the responsibility does not lie with him alone. At least three players delivered performances that were unacceptable and should also be moved on.
Firstly, Luke Thomas. The defender registered just one successful tackle across the entire match, failed to contain attackers down his side, and overall made little positive impact. To make matters worse, he failed to deliver a single successful cross (attempting only one), with almost every pass played backwards to Jannik Vestergaard. It was one of the poorest displays expected from what should be a reliable defensive left-back.
Next, Stephy Mavididi. Three shots—all blocked before troubling the goalkeeper. From just 50 touches, the winger surrendered possession 15 times, completed only two successful dribbles (his primary strength), and managed just 18 accurate passes in total. Quite simply, those numbers do not justify wearing the No.10 shirt, which should belong to a creative focal point.
Finally, despite previous solid performances and goals, Jordan Ayew. Zero shots. Two completed passes in the opposition half. Just 16 touches and seven losses of possession. Add to that only four defensive actions in total.
He was withdrawn in the 63rd minute, but the substitution came far too late. Ayew showed none of the defensive intensity or creative contribution he had displayed in earlier matches. This was arguably the poorest performance he has produced in any team’s colours.
To be clear, the call to dismiss these players is made partly in jest. That said, Leicester City should be actively exploring free-agent options to reinforce these areas.
It is already known that Michail Antonio is being considered, and in my opinion, even with a broken leg, he would offer more than Ayew and Patson Daka combined. Conversely, I firmly believe Cifuentes should be relieved of his duties immediately, with Michael Carrick my preferred choice to take over.