Claudio Ranieri’s Leicester can’t cope with the expectation of defending Premier League crown, says club legend
Foxes are struggling in mid-table in the league this season, but Gerry Taggart says Champions League is their saving grace
LEICESTER can't cope with the expectation of defending their Premier League crown, according to club legend Gerry Taggart.
The former Foxes defender, 46 - who turned out 142 times for the Midlands outfit - claims while last season was uncharted territory for the club, the 2016-17 season is something else entirely.
However, despite Leicester's domestic struggles, Taggart says any Foxes fan will be thrilled by their Champions League form, where they have won all three of their games so far.
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When asked what Claudio Ranieri's problem was in the Premier League this term, Taggart told : "It’s simple really, players are dealing with expectation that they simply aren’t used to.
"This is still the team that won the title last year and, whilst their away form has dipped, their home form has continued to be pretty solid – the team is unbeaten at the King Power in the league for over a year.
"The draw against Spurs was well earned and they are slowly finding their feet again, showing a real steeliness and determination which they were perhaps lacking at the beginning of the season.
"If you’d said to me at the start of the season that we’d be mid-table but have a great chance of getting in to the last 16 of the Champions League, I’d have snapped your hand off.
"Defending your title is difficult for any team, not just Leicester. The numbers of quality players coming in to the league has levelled out the competition.
"More teams, such as Watford and Everton, are taking points off the bigger teams more regularly."
Meanwhile, Taggart claimed there is nothing to be worried about regarding the form of Ballon d'Or-nominated duo Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez.
The ex-Northern Ireland international said: "In my opinion, Vardy’s performances this season are similar to last season – he’s got the same work rate and sharpness and I’d argue he’s working harder for the team this year than last.
"The obvious talking point is his lack of goals, which I would argue is a mixture of poor supply from his teammates and opposition defending him with greater caution.
"He’s the type of player that absolutely relies on good service, particularly with balls over the top and down the channels and that isn’t happening this season.
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"Everyone will have an opinion on Vardy this season, coining him as a ‘one-season wonder’ if his goal tally doesn’t improve but, if you watch him week in, week out, his importance to the team hasn’t changed and it’s unfair to expect him to repeat his tally from last season.
"He’s learning to adapt to a more team-focused role this season and he should not be disregarded as a result of this.
"Mahrez on the other hand is someone I have constructively criticised this season, as his performances aren’t to the same level we were used to last season.
"There are several reasons for this – transfer speculation, the weight of expectation, how the opposition are lining up against him – and you can’t pinpoint one thing, it’s a culmination of things.
"I would point out that his performances in the Champions League have been exceptional, so I hope he starts to replicate that in his domestic form.
"Mahrez should be up there with Ronaldo and Messi competing for Ballon d’Or this year.
"He was the best player in the Premier League last season and the main protagonist in one of the best football stories ever, so I would not be surprised if he wins the award based on the year he’s had."
Speaking of Europe, Taggart added that Leicester reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League would be comparable to winning the Premier League last term.
He said: "First and foremost, Leicester must finish top from the group and they’ve not got a better chance to do so.
"I believe that the quarter-finals are within sight if they get a favourable round-of-16 draw, which would be absolutely stratospheric in terms of achievement.
"If Leicester get to the quarter-finals, it would be as good an achievement as winning the league was, considering the lack of experience they have in Europe’s elite competition.
"It is crazy to even think about. Claudio Ranieri will know how important the Copenhagen game will be and I think he’ll treat it as if it was his first game in charge for the club."