The Curtain Raiser Didn’t Disappoint

By JAMES HARLOW

Fridaynight was the foxes first game of the 17/18 season with an away trip to Arsenal live on Sky. Maguire started his first game for the foxes and it was great to see Matty James back in a city shirt in the premier league.

Lacazette scoring after just 2 mins, most of the Leicester fans were in shell shock as we weren’t expecting this, then before anyone could blink Maguire heads the ball back to Okazaki and its 1-1. What a great move to equalise.

Albrighton then pings the most delightful cross and its Vardy, he doesn’t miss them does he what a ball and what a strike, its 2-1 to the foxes at the Emirates what a game. Just before half time Welbeck pulled one back not what we wanted to go into the break level but we go again. Looked good again after the break with midfield and defenders containing Arsenal and our attackers looking dangerous on every attack.

On 56 mins Mahrez takes a corner and its Vardy header what a goal and its 3-2 to the mighty foxes.

Matty James looking amazing tonight but comes off as he has run himself into the ground, this looked like the turning point of the game to me. Then Ozil controls the ball with his arm and gets a corner. The following corner and Ramsey is unmarked and scores.

Another corner and Giroud scores.

Game ends 4-3, personally feel deflated as feels like we have thrown away 3 points. Some great positives from the game including James and Maguire were sensational tonight. We moved the ball really well and looked like scoring on every attack. A great game and I can’t wait for the Brighton game if we play like that we should be scoring at least 4. A great season ahead in my eyes.

My Player Ratings – do YOU agree with me ?

Schmeichel (6), Simpson (7), Morgan (4), Maguire (9), Fuchs (5), Mahrez (7), Ndidi (7), James (8), Albrighton (7), Okazaki (7), Vardy (8).

Subs: Iheanacho (6), Gray (5), Armartey (6)

Leicester MoM: Maguire

THE FANS VIEWS… we chatted with Leicester City fans moments after the final whistle,  here are their mixed views….

Chris Medhurst
“My view, replace our right side with people who care (mahrez) and someone with a bit of composure (Simpson) and we’ve got the potential to be a very good team again. Shakespeare not subbing riyad is very frustrating. And the subs didnt make sense anyway”

Ian O’flynn
“Thought Simpson had a good game, gray no better than mahrez, vardy sharp and James did nothing spectacular but that is normally good in a CDM”

Matt Hill
“We lost the game with the first sub, trying to hold a slim lead against a great attacking team with a poor defense we needed another goal and sitting back without anything going forward played right into their hands”

Benny Royston
“Crazy substitution. I get why, but it was too risky and we paid for it. Don’t think Iheanacho even touched the ball. Gutted!
Until the handball, best performance in London in many a year! That hurt!”

Alex Blaney
“Maguire was excellent. Vardy looked stoked. Lots of positives. Great effort. We were worried about goals in pre-season but 3 away from home is a good return against a good side. 37 games to go. If we keep at it like tonight then we’ll tear it up again.”

Rob Sturgess
“Mike dean !!! Arrrrghhh!!
Robbed of a point. But remember when we won the league? There was only one team that Beat us home and away… Arsenal
To go to the emirates and get 3 goals in its own is an achievement. Not many teams will do that. Yes we lost but we scared them big time.”

Linda Patterson
“Mahrez plan is working he is playing bad to get his own way , stop pandering to him put him on the bench. Really proud of the rest of the team, poor substitutions cost us the game, onwards and upwards blue army”

Nick Henson
“Shakespeare has a lot to answer for. We were doing fine before that Iheanacho change. Other than that decent performance looked sharp, especially vardy.”

Richard Phillips
“Gutted, but there aren’t any teams we should be nervous about facing this season after that opening performance.”

Jeff ‘Jethro’ Woodward
“Great effort by the Boys but done by slack defending from search pieces once Again! Did themselves proud though by silencing the North bank until they went 4-3 Up! Sickner to score 3 goal away and still lose the Game.”

Scott Ferrar
“Our problem is allowing the opposition to play! Why do we sit back then boot it up when we finally win possession just to let them attack again, we need couple of players who actually play football not hoof it up other end hope vardy gets near it”

Simon Titchner
“We sat back protecting a 1 goal lead, Mahrez was on the pitch 89 mins too long, regular few played their hearts out, regular few did very little to impress…. on that performance we’ll do alright this season”

Alex Joyce
“Defense kept making the same mistakes! They exploited that left side inside the box time after time and had a clear shot every time but we kept handing them the same scenario! Of course they were going to score. Even Kaspar can’t save every single one. We need Huth back- and someone to replace him eventually. He’s good but he ain’t young.”

Paul Crook
“Ok in Hindsight the subs cost us, but how many people usually call for brave, bold substitutions in those situations. The perennial moaners we’re loving the lack of goals in pre season but let’s see how many other teams go and get 3 at arsenal. There were many positives for me, Vardy looked back to his best, James impressed for his 1stvgame back and maguire looks like he could be some player, we looked very dangerous. Carry on like this and we’ll have a good season winning plenty of games.”

Lee Hinton
“Unlucky not to get something, conceding in the first and last min of the half is poor game management. Indecisive defending from Morgan has cost us 2. We left the far post free too many times and paid the price for it in the end, 3 defenders all ball watching and all went near post for ramsey’s goal. Some attacking positves, took our chances when we got them. Big issues defensively, nervous as hell everytime the ball comes in our box.”

William Fathers
“What a match against Arsenal, city should have seen the match out, we deserved to win.
Albrighton for me , man of the match, for the crosses in the box, he should be playing for England, along with Vardy
The only suspect thing I saw, was Morgan , he’s been a great servant to City, but he gets caught out too slow , and his positioning is suspect, o 2 of there goals, with the squad we have now, plus one or 2 more additions, ie Jonny Evans , City could get top 7, well done lads.”