Well, then. Who would have thought it? After eight Premier League games, Brendan Rodgers' Leicester City are currently top of the table.
This is the same Foxes side who finished the previous campaign defending like 11-year-olds. The same team that most pundits tipped to struggle under the weight of their Europa League commitments. Most surprisingly, this is the same Leicester squad that have been ravaged by injuries all season long.
Yet, here we are. Eight games in with Rodgers' charges flying and showing no signs of buckling under the pressure.
Key to Leicester's fine form has been the contributions of fringe players. The group that have carried the Foxes up the table consist of a man the club were actively trying to sell a few months ago in Nampalys Mendy, a couple of wily veterans in Christian Fuchs and Wes Morgan and the third best full-back at the club in James Justin.
The collectivism and selflessness of this group was demonstrated once again during the Foxes' hard fought 1-0 win against Wolves on Sunday. All the players mentioned above featured in the contest and all of them played their roles admirably - even while having to deal with positional shifts and talented opponents.
Leicester lined up in a 3-4-2-1 and while the shape remained constant throughout, personnel was shifted constantly as Rodgers' attempted to manage a squad still feeling the effects of a horrific injury crisis. Justin started the game at right wing-back before being moved to the left at half time. The former Luton Town man finished the game in the back three with Fuchs - who started centrally - moved out wide to accommodate Morgan, who came on to shore things up in the final 10 minutes.
Even amid these flurry of changes, Leicester never looked in any danger of being penetrated. This is proof of two things. One, the Foxes are very well coached with each squad member knowing exactly what is expected of them in Rodgers' system. Two, Leicester's team spirit is at an all time high.
The victory against Wolves came just three days after a Europa League win over Braga. Rather than use this as an excuse as some sides have in the past, they did not skip a beat at the King Power Stadium, grinding out a result in a game in which they spent the final half an hour camped out in their own half.
— Leicester City (@LCFC) November 8, 2020
The international break will give Rodgers' battle wearied troops a chance to get some rest and recuperation. What the starting XI will look like when the likes of Wilfred Ndidi, Ricardo Pereira and Timothy Castagne return from their layoffs is a mystery.
However, Rodgers can rest assured that their understudies have more than shown themselves worthy of being Premier League starters over the past two months.
Source: 90min
