Premier League 19/20: Are Leicester City serious title contenders?

It's a chilly November evening in the east midlands. The locals of Leicestershire are at the King Power Stadium, or at a nearby pub, cheering for their club, their pride, their very own 'Foxes'. In one corner of the stadium are a set of travelling fans, cheering on the opposition, albeit with a hint of worry. Ah, I almost forgot! Leicester City are playing Arsenal. Yes, the same Arsenal that was once considered one of the very best in England.

But what transpired at Filbert street was something special. Leicester City finished the match as 2-0 winners, and deservingly so. It wasn't down to a poor performance from Arsenal; no, it wasn't a Gunners' off day. It was a Leicester side brimming with confidence and dominating large parts of the game. Just two weeks prior to this day, the same team had travelled to St. Mary's and schooled Southampton 9-0. Yes, 9-0! Premier League records were shattered in the process.

The fans were all waiting with bated breath after the Arsenal game. Could they repeat the heroics of 2015/16? After all, their side was third in the table, only behind high-flying Liverpool and Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. Could we qualify for the Champions League? To think that 'little Leicester' was daydreaming would only be a fool's words. Were they over-achieving? Maybe. But all of it was thoroughly deserved.

Fast-forward to today, and the Foxes have made a stunning start in the Premier League this season. Heading into December, they are second in the League table and have made it to the quarter-final stage of the Carabao Cup. They're scoring goals for fun, have been solid at the back, and honestly, have been a lot of fun to watch. The team has a perfect blend of youth and experience.

Leicester City's attack has fired on all cylinders this season

At the helm of all of this is Brendan Rodgers, who signed midway through last season. While the latter half of last season was all about guaranteeing safety in the league, Rodgers has thoroughly been able to implement his ideas in his first full season with the club. His outstanding man-management has overseen many players performing beyond expectations, while a few shrewd buys in the transfer market have immensely helped build this team.

What has clicked for them so far? Could we see a repeat of heroics from 2015/16? Could they keep up this momentum until the end of the season? We take a look at the Foxes' season so far and discuss what lies ahead for them as the season progresses.

Also check out: Premier League Premier League Table Champions League Schedule

The journey so far

Maguire was signed by Manchester United in the Summer Transfer window

Leicester City's pre-season transfer activity largely revolved around Harry Maguire's big-money move to Manchester United, which only went through very close to deadline day. But although many argued that it was a mistake to let go of Maguire, in hindsight, it was Leicester City who were gaining from this transfer. Agreed that Maguire is a good defender, but he isn't of the same level as Virgil van Dijk or Sergio Ramos. Leicester played hard-to-get, and United's desperation meant that they shelled out heaps of money for Maguire.

While this was making headlines all around the world, Brendan Rodgers quietly went about his job of building a team that could pose a threat in the league. In came Ayoze Perez, Youri Tielemans and Dennis Praet, who would go on to become integral members of the side. Harvey Barnes, arguably one of the best loanees in the Championship, was recalled. In Jamie Vardy, Wes Morgan and Kasper Schmeichel, Rodgers had club leaders and veterans, who were a part of the title-winning 2015/16 season.

Wilfried Ndidi, Ricardo Pereira, James Maddison and Ben Chilwell had some of the best stats in the league the previous season and gave his team a more solid outlook. So Rodgers had most ingredients needed to build a good team. But he still had a gaping hole in defence after Maguire's departure.

The initial games were characterized largely by defensive play as he played Hamza Choudhary alongside Ndidi to make up for the defensive weak-link. This led to Leicester compromising on attack and started the league with two draws, against Wolves at home and away to Chelsea.

A moment of magic from Harvey Barnes helped the Foxes past Sheffield United for their first win of the season. This sparked about a renaissance of sorts; Harvey Barnes was too good to be benched. But this meant that Chowdhury wouldn't start, leading to a problem Rodgers was all too familiar with: compromising on defence. It had been his undoing at previous stints with Reading and Swansea.

Harvey Barnes lit up the Championship with West Brom last season

In such circumstances, it was defender Çağlar Söyüncü who stepped up his game. Looking back right now, Söyüncü has been a revelation this season. He was guilty of committing silly errors at the start of the season but has since settled in well alongside Jonny Evans at the back. The Turkish centre-back has more than replaced Harry Maguire; he is also popular among the Leicester faithful and chants in his name are often heard at home games.

Leicester City scraped past Newcastle in the Carabao Cup and followed that up with a top-notch performance to beat Bournemouth 3-1. A defeat to Manchester United away meant that Maguire could temporarily take home bragging rights, but looking at the table now, even he would have wished that he never left!

Caglar Soyuncu has emerged as a Leicester 'cult-hero'

What followed was truly special. A turning point in the Foxes' season was their come-back-from-behind win against Tottenham on the 21st of September. From there on, it has pretty much been smooth sailing. Barring the game against Liverpool, where VAR deprived them of a well-deserved draw, Rodgers' side have won all their games and that too in emphatic style. Post the Tottenham game, Leicester have netted a staggering 30 goals and conceded only thrice in nine games. Jamie Vardy is also currently the Premier League top-scorer with 12 goals.

What has worked so far?

James Maddison created the most chances in the league last season

The highlight of the season so far has to be the 9-0 thrashing of Southampton. Leicester was ruthless in front of goal, the passing and teamwork were fabulous and the players seemed to look like they were having fun working with Brendan Rodgers' ideas, something that had seemed missing after Claudio Raineri left the club. Unity within the squad, players willing to listen to the manager and perfect execution of his plans are something every fan wants to see. The likes of James Maddison and Ben Chilwell have become regulars for England as well, which has kept fans excited.

The performances have been there for all to see: Jamie Vardy and Ayoze Perez have been scoring consistently and have been ably supported by the attack-minded midfielders in Youri Tielemans and James Maddison. Full-backs Ben Chilwell and Ricardo Pereira have also contributed from the wings with their well-timed runs and accurate crosses. Harvey Barnes and Dennis Praet have also stepped up to the occasion when needed.

In goal, Kasper Schmeichel has been his consistent self. The defence deserves credit for sure: Johny Evans and Çağlar Söyüncü have formed a formidable partnership at the back and have managed to keep things tight. The full-backs have been instrumental defensively as well.

Jamie Vardy has consistently been scoring goals season after season and now has an able ally in Ayoze Perez. Wilfried Ndidi, James Maddison and Ben Chilwell have carried on from where they left off last season. Individual players hitting peak form has been key to Leicester's success so far. Newer players like Youri Tielemans and Çağlar Söyüncü have slotted in well, helping the side's cause.

Rodgers' tactics are also very simple. Leicester play a 4-1-4-1, with full-backs given the luxury to move upfront. The midfield is also a simple unit, relying on individual quality, with the main aim being to get the ball to Jamie Vardy as fast as possible.

What lies ahead?

Ayoze Perez was signed from Newcastle over the Summer

Leicester City have done pretty well against the 'Big Six' in the league. They defeated Arsenal and Tottenham, drew away to Chelsea and lost by the finest margins to Manchester United and Liverpool. They do pose a threat to the big teams and are certainly worthy of being in the top 4. The poor form of United, Spurs and Arsenal, and a Chelsea team in a transition phase have played into the hands of the Foxes. Expect them to continue being in the top 4 for the next few weeks as they have a relatively kind run of fixtures.

The major roadblock arrives in the form of back-to-back matches against Manchester City and Liverpool in the last week of December. The fixture congestion around that time does not help Brendan Rodgers' cause either. This period would be a test by fire for Brendan Rodgers and his players. Hence, it would be wise to rotate the squad for the next few games to preserve the best players for the bigger games.

Leicester City mostly play the same XI week in week out, and fatigue could creep into the team, so January acquisitions are a must. If the Foxes are to compete till the end of the season, they will need additions to this squad. The board would also have to do its best in retaining the current bunch of players, with Ben Chilwell, Çağlar Söyüncü and Youri Tielemans often being featured in transfer rumours.

The likes of Chelsea and Man City have shown an interest in Ben Chilwell

Leicester City are currently second, and here comes the million-dollar question: Can they win the title from here? Though many people would be rooting for them, the answer in one simple word would be 'no'. Though the league is barely half-way through, Liverpool have a huge 8-point lead, which seems nearly unassailable at this point. Manchester City are also more evolved as a team than Leicester and the Foxes would find it tough to compete with these two at this moment.

They could still finish in the top 4 of course and should aim to finish above Chelsea, as they do seem like the better team at the moment. A third-place finish is what we predict at the end of the season. With United and Arsenal well off the top 4, and Spurs still adjusting to their new manager, Leicester could easily and realistically achieve this. For a team that finished 9th last season, finishing in the top 4 would be a great achievement.

Leicester City is not yet a 'big club', but certainly, have the blueprint to become one. They've got a young, dynamic and talented team. The manager has a long-term vision and has been backed by the board so far. Though they may not be immediate 'title-challengers' this season, their main aim must be to bring in a few reinforcements in January and aim to finish in the top 4 at the end of the current season.

Brendan Rodgers' has proved his mettle as a manager in the league so far

If they persist with Brendan Rodgers and his ideas, they could become a force to be reckoned with in the years to come. In this way, the players and club can truly make the dream of the Late Vichai Srivardanaprabha become reality.