Leicester Preview

LEICESTER CITY(A) PREVIEW

So here we go again. After the generally pretty-bloody-good year that was 2013/14, what does the new season hold for the Tricky Blues and their dashing Catalan leader?

Overall, football wise, it’s been an excellent summer. We’ve had a World Cup which completely lived up to the hype, key players tied down to contracts and some exciting, top-class players signing in. What more could we want? Well, not playing shite in a couple of pre-season games would have been nice, but, cliché though it may be, those games mean absolutely nothing. Remember Alex Nyarko contemptuously strutting around in the August sunshine, leading Walter Smith’s side to win after win? Yep.

The signings then, and the headline has to be the permanent move for Romelu Lukaku. Let’s be honest, at full time in Hull in May, no-one genuinely believed it was a goer. Lukaku isn’t perfect by any means, but his potential is limitless and he is without doubt the most exciting Everton signing in decades. He needs to toughen up a bit, he needs to work on the consistency of his first touch – but, bottom line, the lad scores goals and when he’s on he’s unstoppable. It’s great to see him back.

Equally important were midfield reinforcements, which were much needed. Gareth Barry was vital for us last year and is well worth the three year deal he’s been given, not least to help the development of young players such as Barkley, McCarthy and other new signing Muhamed Besic. The Bosnian certainly looks the part, and impressed in a lively cameo at Leon Osman’s testimonial. More than one observer has likened him to Olivier Dacourt, which cuts both ways of course – Dacourt had all the talent in the world, but seemed to be always on the brink of a red card and suspension. Let’s hope Besic has all the skills with a bit more discipline.

Finally, just this week, Christian Atsu and his horrendous Back to the Future trabs signed in on loan from Chelsea. From the World Cup he looked quick and direct, and we need that to replace the departed Deulofeu. Roberto Martinez also has his sights set on another striker – no arguments here on that one – but we may have to wait a couple of weeks to find out who.

All that and we haven’t even got to the long term contracts for Barkley, Coleman and Stones, to add to that for Leighton Baines last year, and the suggested one for James McCarthy. It’s a great time to be an Evertonian.

Of course, they’ll probably balls it all up at Leicester on Saturday now, but twas ever thus. Realistically, if Everton get out of third gear they should win comfortably. There is a concern  about the fitness of some players – Coleman has been injured and Lukaku, Mirallas and Jagielka have barely figured in pre-season – but you would hope we will still have enough. With Arsenal and Chelsea coming up, hitting the ground running is essential.

Leicester themselves are a slightly unknown quantity – a mix of a load of players I’ve never heard of plus journeymen like Matthew Upson, ex-kopite dog Paul Konchesky and David Nugent, someone who you’d love to be good enough to play for Everton but who just isn’t. Having just looked up their squad – Jesus H we should win this.

Anyway, over to you, Everton. No excuses.

5 Leicester (a) memories:

1.   Andy Gray scoring two and telling the bench how much he loves them;

2.  Limpar scoring a belter from somewhere near Derby;

3. Gary Speed netting a late, late penalty in a vital win;

4. Gascoigne looking brilliant there, shortly after he signed, in a 1-1;

5. Duncan throttling that horrible snide Freund

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