Leicester City is the only club, in all of Europe’s big five leagues, who have failed to make a single new addition this summer transfer window. Yes, they have no signings at all this summer, and we only have 22 days left until deadline day. On top of that, a lot of their influential players will soon see their contract expiring. Youri Tielemans could leave this summer, while James Maddison and Jamie Vardy look like the0y simply do not have a long term future at the King Power.
On top of that, the Foxes blew a two goal lead against Brentford, who were only promoted just last season. Brendan Rodgers saw his side drop two points in the season opener, and it looks like they could be in for a very long campaign. It doesn’t get any easier this weekend, when they travel to Arsenal, a side that very much impressed in week one.
Leicester City at Arsenal FC FYIs
Kick-off: Saturday, Aug 13, 3pm local, Emirates Stadium
Arsenal Preview Material: Starting XI Prediction Team News
After Extra Time Podcast: Spotify Apple
Google Result Probability: Arsenal victory 66% Draw 20% Leicester City victory 14%
Watch: This is not on TV in the United States, only on a fee required streaming service, and it’s the additional cost, premium version of that service too.
Leicester City Team News
Ricardo Pereira (calf), Ryan Bertrand (knee), Harvey Barnes (knee) are all out of commission for this one. This week, Leicester City are taking on a London side that is much more talented and deep than the Bees are. If Leicester doesn’t make a serious course correction, they could really fall down the table, and fast. And that’s sad considering how far they have come and how fast they got there. The Midlands club truly climbed the English football pyramid gloriously over the past decade.
They can easily fall back down, and just as rapidly. And that’s a shame, given their famous 5,000-1 Premier League title in 2015-16.
Not to mention the other two seasons in which they took a top four position into Championship Sunday. It had appeared they had really built something there. I guess, not so much anymore.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and he co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast, part of Edge of the Crowd Network. Follow him and the website on Twitter and Instagram.