Leicester City have had a tremendous Premier League season as they’ve sat in the top four for pretty much the entire 2019-20 campaign, so why don’t we reveal a ranking of how they’ve performed?
Everyone loves a ranking.
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Below we give each Leicester player a grade, ranking and group them together based on their season(s) so far.
If a Leicester player is listed in this ranking it is because they’ve played in more than five games in all competitions.
A-GRADE
Jamie Vardy: The top goalscorer in the Premier League with 19 goals, Vardy has rolled back the years this season. He is working just as hard as he always has but now he’s working smarter. Efficiency has been key and Vardy’s pace on the counter is a weapon this slick Foxes team loves to have up their sleeve. Somehow opposition defenses keep giving him space to run in-behind them. Brendan Rodgers has improved Vardy tactically.
Caglar Soyuncu: What a signing. He waited it out for a year behind Harry Maguire and spent that year observing the man who moved to Man United. Soyuncu is a fans favorite for his no-nonsense defending but like Maguire he loves to stride forward with the ball too. Alongside Jonny Evans, Leicester’s center back pairing are among the best in the league.
Wilfred Ndidi: Emerging as one of the top defensive midfielders in the game, Ndidi wins the ball back time and time again to set Leicester on their way. The young Nigerian star was out injured for a few weeks and that coincided with Leicester’s worst run of the season. Coincidence? Nope.
Ricardo Pereira: Another player who sort of flies under the radar but has had a very good season at right back. He flies forward and helps out with attacks but he has improved a lot defensively. The Portuguese right back looks like another bargain buy for the Foxes.
Jonny Evans
James Maddison
B-GRADE
LEICESTER, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 01: Jamie Vardy of Leicester City celebrates with Kelechi Iheanacho of Leicester City after scoring to make it 1-1 during the Premier League match between Leicester City and Everton FC at King Power Stadium on December 1st, 2019 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)
Leicester City FC via Getty Imag
Youri Tielemans: Started the season like a Rolls Royce but recently looked like he was running out of gas. The young Belgian midfielder impressed while on loan last season and after his permanent move from Monaco his poise on the ball alongside Ndidi creates the perfect balance in midfield. Needs to kick on when games resume. He has the quality to dictate games.
Kelechi Iheanacho: Doesn’t play often but when he does he usually scores. He will get the chance to replace Vardy in the next few years and perhaps that is the chance he is waiting for. Remarkably Iheanacho is only 23 years old.
Kasper Schmeichel
Harvey Barnes
Marc Albrighton
C-GRADE
Leicester City’s Spanish striker Ayoze Perez (L) is shadowed by Newcastle United’s French midfielder Florian Lejeune during the English Premier League football match between Newcastle United and Leicester City at St James’ Park in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, north east England on January 1, 2020. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty Images
Ayoze Perez: Okay, he’s had a decent first season at Leicester and he’s scored seven goals, but three of those were in the hammering of Southampton. Perez has played out wide and has been asked to cut inside and he works his socks off. Perhaps he will play in a more central role in years to come when Vardy winds down. Center forward is where he’s at his best and his $40 million move from Newcastle was a lot of money. So far, the jury is still out.
Demarai Gray: An up and down season for the young English winger. Like the. majority of his career, he’s shown flashes of brilliance but is still lacking composure. Harvey Barnes, Albrighton and Perez have been preferred to him out wide. His time will come.
Dennis Praet
Christian Fuchs
Wes Morgan
James Justin
D-GRADE
Ben Chilwell: This is perhaps a little harsh but there’s no doubting that Chilwell’s form has gone right out of the window during the season. An England international with Chelsea, Liverpool and others reportedly interested, Chilwell suddenly looks like he can’t find a teammate with a pass. He’s become a target for Leicester fans and that has impacted his confidence. Chilwell’s quality on the ball is undoubted but this season has been a rough one for him.
Hamza Choudhury
Nampalys Mendy