Leicester City - Opposition Views

[James 5,331]

This weekend we welcome Leicester City to Stamford Bridge in the Premier League for the first time in nearly 10 years. Ahead of the game we caught up with Ivar Tisthammer from filbertway.com to ask him some questions.

1. When you did start supporting Leicester City and why them?

In 1972 after watching them on telly v. West Ham. I war originally following Liverpool, as most kid were back then, or Leeds, but fancied Leicester more and more with entertaining football and some great players in Worthington and Weller especially.

2. What are your thoughts on Nigel Pearson and the work he has done since taking over in 2011?

Nigel is back at Leicester in his 2nd period, and I am delighted to see him back. He is a good manager for Leicester City, and the right man for the club at the moment. I wish him all the best and hopefully he can be spot on with his new men coming in as he has in the past, great transfer deals done so far. He has taken City up two divisions, and guided them to two play-off's and hopefully he will secure City in the PL this season. He is 51 years of age and has climbed the ladder both as a player and a manager, doing it in a proper way, and he must now the English game inside out. He also surprises a bit, sitting in the stands, something I don't favour, and also signing a number of odd players, one is Gary Taylor-Fletcher, but they are out there doing the job for him, so no worries.

3. Who is your best player and why?

I believe Danny Drinkwater Is our best player, followed by Kasper Schmeichel and Liam Moore. All three of them doing great for City. Moore is so fantastic, coming from Leicestershire and hopefully he will go to win more caps not only for the England U.21 team. I just hope that we will keep him for another two or three seasons before clubs higher in the league comes looking for him. Man Utd have allready been linked with him.

4. What did you make of your first game back in the Premier League last weekend against Everton?

It was just great to be back, playing maybe one of the better teams and getting a result. The fact that new forward Leo Ulloa also scored a goal and that the team managed to come back twice v. Everton were the great positives. The negatives was there to see, and they can be fatal if something isn't done, hopefully against Chelsea a few of the errors will be fixed. City have a full back problem on both sides against the best teams, and it could have turned out badly, but we were lucky. Another fact is that Drinkwater had to leave the field and we are not playing our best 11 against Chelsea.

5. What are your expectations for this season?

Hopefully to continue playing the football we did last season and not try to change too much, then I feel that everything will be ok in the chase for survival. Hoping to be around 12th when the season ends. A number of promoted sides have managed that in the past and hopefully City can do so this season.

6. Which player would be key for you in this game to get a result?

Kasper Schmeichel. He can save us and be the reason also for City staying up this season. At his best, we would not change him with anyone, and the way he performed for Denmark v. England a few months back shows everyone what Schmeichel Jr can do.

7. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Leicester?

The strength, of course the goalkeeper and keeping up the tradition of having some great names in the past, Banks and Shilton used to play for Leicester, so did also Tim Flower and Ian Walker, all of them previous England internationals.

8. What is your best memory of Leicester's clash with Chelsea and why?

That must the 2-0 win in 2000, when Stan Collymore and Muzzy Izzet scored the goals. A few weeks later City were top of the Premier League table, what a great start to a season.

9. Chelsea have had difficulties breaking down lesser sides who 'park the bus' last season. Do you think Nigel Pearson will set Leicester up to play that away against us or will he try to take the game to us?

If he will park the bus, I don't know, but to believe to go to Stamford Bridge and start entertaining, will be foolish. He surprised everyone playing 4-4-2 In the game v. Everton, after playing 4-5-1 in most pre-season games, so I am not shure what he will be up to against Chelsea. We have no tradition of parking the bus, so I believe he will try to push forward, and as we could see against Burnley, you just did the business, and cooled it off In the 2nd half, don't know why. If it was fatigue or if Burnley have something about them. NP knows that a number of smaller clubs have in the past made ok results v. Chelsea, so he probably have studied some of those games to find a formula of play.

10. What would be expected lineup from Nigel Pearson on Saturday?

My guess would be to go out in a 4-5-1 formation, and drop Ulloa from the starting line-up, but I am not shure. But my prediction is, Schmeichel – De Laet, Konchesky, Moore, Morgan – Hammond, King, Knockeart, Albrighton, Mahrez – Nugent. If Albrighton isn't fit he will probably play Vardy who is also back in contention after injury. If he goes with 4-4-2, Ulloa will play alongside Nugent and Mahrez or Knockeart will go to the bench.

11. What is your prediction for this game?

I believe that your prediction of a 3-0 win for Chelsea is one that could happen, but the only thing I would be willing to hope for in my wildest dream is a 0-0 draw or a shocking 1-0 opener from us and that you come back in we manage a 1-1 draw.

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