Cold, disappointed but relieved

Foxes 2 Walsall 2, Tuesday 21 October 2008

Quick to the ball, good movement, and some tenacious tackling. That was Walsall for half the game. City just didn’t seem to have any answers. But then the rest of the time it was Leicester on top. So a game of mixed fortunes and an outcome that matched the state of play. Even so, it was Walsall who took the lead twice, and they showed just how frail we can be. City had better be more focused when they play Northampton.

For most of this match, Fryatt was well marked, and Howard effectively closed down. It worked well (both our goals came from corners). If other sides employ the same tactics as Walsall we might struggle to score. Let’s hope the manager has some answers.

We left the stadium, cold, disappointed at not winning, but perhaps also relieved we didn’t lose.

Disaster: a lack of mobile phone signal

Oldham 1 Foxes 1, Saturday 18 October 2008

I was visiting my parents and we had gone out for the day. What I hadn’t planned for was the lack of a mobile phone signal in deepest Hampshire. Disaster. Luckily, everyone was beginning to feel tired after all the walking so we headed back to the car at about the time the second half kicked off. I then listened avidly, to the exclusion of any conversation, for news from Boundary Park on Radio 5.

I had to endure commentry from some premier league game, and news from everywhere but Oldham. And then just two brief reports. One when we took the lead, and one when they equalised. I guess a point is bad from one of the coldest grounds in Europe.

It Seems A Very Long Time Ago

It seems a very long time ago that Leicester last played a league match. Still, it is a credit to the team that we need postponements due to international call-ups.

And speaking of internationals, what great results for England. Of course the media would have loved to find fault. Indeed, if you watched the ITV coverage on Saturday you’d have thought it was all doom and gloom. Just why they have to be so negative is beyond me. They even had another dig before the highlights of last night’s game.

But I guess you don’t get a job commenting on football these days unless you are completely full of yourself. After all, you only have to listen to the over-opinionated, arrogant shit on Radio 5 called Alan Green. I’m simply not interested in your views Alan so keep them to yourself. And I have a message for you, I will never support Man Utd in Europe so stop assuming that I do!

Anyway, it’s Oldham Athletic away this weekend. Let’s hope Boundary Park isn’t it’s usual freezing self. I’ve only been there once and it rained, hailed and blew a gale. Apparently they sing a song there that goes something like “It’s cold, it’s wet, pneumonia’s a safe bet, Boundary Park….”

Terriers make it tense

Huddersfield 2 Foxes 3, Saturday 4 October 2008

This sounded like a cracker of a match – clearly better seen than heard. At half time I kept telling myself not to worry – we would score. So when Fryatt shot us into the lead I felt pretty pleased with myself. This turned to enthusiastic pacing around the room after the penalty conversion for our second. But then the tension really started.

First Huddersfield got a goal back. The Radio Leicester commentators were full of excitement, I took to biting my nails. Then disaster – Huddersfield equalise. As posession was won and lost, I started flicking through my partner’s magazine in an effort to calm my nerves. But not even a rather fetching photo of Rachel Stevens could do the trick. So back to pacing around the room.

And then, just as I was getting used to the idea of a draw, Lloyd Dyer hits the winner in injury time. Brilliant!

Advance immediately to the top of the table

Colchester 0 Foxes 1, Tuesday 30 September 2008

Take three points and advance immediately to the top of the table.

According to Radio Leicester, the Foxes were the only team in the first half; and far from sitting back, they started the second half with even greater determination. The goal from Lloyd Dyer on 48 minutes sounded well deserved, and only some excellent goal keeping kept Colchester in the game. Indeed, Matt Piper said that Leicester were “obliterating” Colchester.

Oh yes, this pint of cider is particularly refreshing. As the song goes, “when your smiling…”

A complete contrast

Foxes 1 Hartlepool 0, Saturday 27 September 2008

What a complete contrast to the Millwall match. Both teams determined to play proper football, and a joy to watch. Leicester deserved the victory and proved again that when they pass and move, they create chances. For once we had very few long balls; and so for most of the match the game flowed nicely. Hartlepool themselves must take some of the credit. They too wanted to play rather than foul their way through the game.

The early strike for Matt Oakley promised a possible goal feast. Sadly it was not to be, but we did see some penetrating runs from Dyer, and a solid performance by Chris Powell. The only player who didn’t seem quite that bothered was Howard, so no surprises there!

Despite Leicester being the better team, I still managed to give my nails a good bite. After all, history shows us that a one-nil lead is usually not good enough. But my anxiety was not necessary. The sun was shining, the fans were in good voice, and my motorbike was parked right outside the stadium.

In fact the only downside was the bloke who has started sitting in front of me. He clearly likes pies, and as a result, his seat strains under the excess weight (what I mean he is fat even for a pie eating football fan). This means I have even less leg room than normal due to him preferring to sit back in his seat. So my dilema is this: Do I tell him to sit forwards? Do I ignore him, or do I continue to give him the occasional accidental kick in the hope that he gets the message?

When You’re Smiling

Cheltenham 0 Foxes 4, Saturday 30 August 2008

Oh the joy of walking out of a ground having seen your team win 4 – 0. On the way back to the car people were stopping to ask the score, only to walk away in disbelief (apart from a Hereford fan who was nearly as overjoyed as us).

We arrived in good spirits, having had the traditional bag of chips between the car park and ground. It was a hot summer’s day, and the local stewards and police made us feel welcome. OK, the coke was warm but this was after all, a League one football ground. Then three minutes into the match Dyer shoots us into the lead with a strike so powerful it had bounced back out before we realised it was a goal.

That set the scene for much loud Leicester singing, and we barely heard anything from the home supporters.

But the first half didn’t quite live up to the promise of that early goal, so we  were looking forward to something better after the restart. We weren’t disappointed. Leicester took complete control and we celebrated four more terrific goals (although one was disallowed). Amid the goal spree, the singing got louder and more silly. Towards the end, and in the absence of any noise from the Cheltenham fans, we had to tell each other to “sit down shut up”.

Still, by the time that whistle went we were really smiling. And when one of our party walked into a tree afterwards, we enjoyed a further round of joyous laughter. It was a great day.

Jumpin’ Jack Flash

We’re off to Cheltenham on Saturday to watch the match. I can’t recall ever visiting the place so I don’t know what to expect. A quick look on Wikipedia reveals that notable Cheltonians incude Brian Jones (of Rolling Stones fame) and footballer Steve Cotterill. Like many people though, to me Cheltenham conjures up images of horse racing and of course Desert Orchid.

As for the game, perhaps for the first time in ages I feel confident that we will do well. Let’s just hope that such feelings aren’t the kiss of death, come the final whistle tomorrow. So in keeping with the Rolling Stones theme, lets hope it’s a case of Jumpin Jack Flash rather than As Tears Go By or even You Can’t Always Get What You Want.

Flukey Fulham Fabulous Foxes

Fulham 3 Foxes 2, 27 August 2008, League Cup 2nd Round

Full time report: A fabulous performance against a team two divisions higher. For most of the second half Fulham were outfoxed. Play like this in League one and we will be promoted. PS. Dickov, King and Gradel should all be starting our next match.

92 mins: Oh no! More bad luck as Fulham scape a winner from yet another deflection. It’s a cruel game at times.

91 mins: Fulham’s twelth player disallows a Howard goal.

83 mins: Balls! Fulham get a second despite being second best this half.

48 mins: Goal! Dickov creates a goal for Andy King and we take the lead. Delirium time.

46 mins: Goal! Dickov equalises for the foxes. Cue scenes of great joy in the kitchen.

First half report: It was, according to Radio Leicester, a wicked deflection that gave Fulham the lead. In fact, John Sinclair said it was an own goal as it was going straight at our keeper before Morrison put a foot out. But let’s look on the bright side. City seemed to have a good amount of the ball, and they were trying to pass and move rather than kick it long. All this against a premier league side. Then there was the penalty that never was. Despite a torn shirt the ref wasn’t convinced that Morrison has been pulled back. Talk about obvious, I could see it was a penalty from my own kitchen!

Big Improvement

Stockport 0 Foxes 0, Saturday 16 August 2008

Not had much chance to post a comment about this match, but it certainly sounded like a big improvement on the league cup meeting. Relief then.

Listening to the Radio Leicester commentary, we clearly created plenty of chances in the second half. I still think Dickov should start a match rather than being introduced for the last 20 minutes. I guess in the end we should have won, but at least the team from Yorkshire lost.