quarta-feira, 7 de dezembro de 2016

Porto 5-0 Leicester: Foxes second-stringers hammered in Champions League dead rubber - 5 things we learned

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With the group already won, Ranieri rang in the changes as the Foxes had a European night to forget


Leicester's second-stringers had a night to forget in their Champions League dead rubber in Porto, as they slumped to a 5-0 defeat.
With top spot in Group G already secured, Claudio Ranieri rang in the changes, but came up against an inspired Portugese side, who needed to win to book their place in Monday's draw for the knockout stages.
The Foxes got off to the worst possible start when Andre Silva took advantage of some very lax defending from a corner to nod into the back of the net from eight yards out after just six minutes.
Corona superbly lashed a volley into the top corner to double the hosts advantage after 26 minutes and Yacine Brahimi backheeled a Maxi Pereira pass into the back of the net just before half-time to cap off a dominant first-half.
The hosts took their foot off the gas slightly after the break, but netted a fourth when Silva doubled his tally for the night from the penalty spot. Diogo Jota's netted a fifth shortly after Danny Drinkwater limped off, as the Premier League champions went through the motions.
Here's what we learned from the Estadio do Dragao.

Ranieri tinkers - but his fringe players don't take advantage

Claudio Ranieri rang in the changes following the 2-1 humbling at Sunderland, as the he lived up to his Tinkerman reputation by bringing in ten new faces to his starting XI.

While resting his key players was a logical move considering the Foxes' position in the group, it was also a good chance for some fringe players to make a claim for regular inclusion in what is turning into an increasingly bleak domestic campaign.
Ben Hamer in goal was one such player, given Kasper Schmeichel's injury, but did his cause no favours with a timid performance between the sticks.
Ben Chilwell was run ragged by Corona on the right, receiving a yellow card before the half-time break after being dragged out of position again and again.
From this performance, Ranieri hasn't been handed any welcome selection problems ahead of Saturday's visit from Manchester City.

Depth a real issue for Ranieri at the back

The fact that the one player Ranieri didn't change from the loss at Sunderland was Wes Morgan is worrying for Leicester fans.
The Foxes skipper turns 33 next month and surely would have benefited from putting his feet up tonight, but their lack of depth at the back meant he got the nod.
And after such a shaky performance by the Foxes defence, Ranieri must surely strengthen when the transfer window opens next month.

Mendy rusty on his return

Billed as the replacement for N'Golo Kante, Nampalys Mendy was snapped up for £16million this summer, but Foxes fans have barely seen the 24-year-old in action following a troublesome ankle injury.
And heaven knows, the Foxes need him to fill the Kante-shaped hole in the middle of their team.
Before the game Ranieri admitted that the Frenchman was still not yet 100%, but hoped to get an hour out of him in his first start since August, which didn't sound too promising.
And it showed. This was a performance from a man who was blatantly lacking fitness as he was off the pace against a fizzing Porto midfield. But it would be foolish to write him off after tonight's showing.
While his performance was nothing to write home about, he showed flashes of what he is capable of and managed to get a full 90 minutes under his belt in a dead rubber.
Providing he stays fit, Mendy will be an important player for the Foxes in the second half of the season.

Brahimi's admirers will be twitching again

Yacine Brahimi was linked with a deadline day move to Everton in the summer, with rumours that Liverpool, Arsenal and several other big boys were in for the 26-year-old.
And with the January transfer window around the corner he gave a timely reminder of his talents against the Premier League champions, scoring deft backheel just before half-time and being a constant menace in the Foxes box.
Porto rejected a £34million bid from the Toffees in August, but the Portuguese side could again find themselves fending off the Algerian international's suitors next month after a man-of-the-match display tonight.

Porto lurk dangerously in Pot 2

Admittedly, this second-choice Leicester XI weren't the sternest opponents, but any of the group winners watching the action in Portugal tonight will want to avoid Nuno's side in Monday's last-16 draw.
The hosts were out of the blocks instantly in the first-half as they pinned Leicester back in their own half, not giving the Premier League champions a sniff of the ball.
Corona's volley for the second goal was a thing of beauty and a just reward for an excellent individual performance for a very good Porto side.

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