LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 19: Riyad Mahrez (2nd R) of Leicester City celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with his team mates during the Barclays Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Leicester City at Selhurst Park on March 19, 2016 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Hope #1: That they can win it again.
One title is nice. But two titles? That would be even sweeter. Although there is no doubt that Leicester City supporters are happy with winning the title last season make no mistake about it: they want more. No one should enter a season saying, “Oh ninth place. Yup, that sounds great..” The point of playing and watching professional sports is the hope that one day your team can win a title. Once one has won one, one wants to win two. Then three. Then four.
Now, that is not to say that it is going to be easy for the Foxes to repeat. The last time a team in the Premier League collected consecutive titles was the late 2000s when Manchester United won it three times in a row.
It is incredibly difficult to win the title consecutive years in part because of the pressure and in part because of the added responsibility. Teams will no longer be caught off guard by Leicester and will be ready for them. There will be no sneaking up on sides this season. If Leicester wants to win the title for a second time they are going to have to face the best the league has to offer day in and day out.
Can they do it again? Sure. As evidenced by last season Leicester City can play under pressure and get results when they need to. But it is going to be a difficult.
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<p>But with success comes opportunity and like many players for the defending champions Mahrez is finding himself the object of affection from many European sides. If one reads the transfer talk of any website chances are one will see a rumor involving Mahrez. Everyday it is a new team and a new figure that is obscenely high. At this point it is unknown if Leicester City will be able to keep Mahrez but their supporters will hope so.</p>
<p>Will Mahrez stay? It appears that at least for this transfer window that he will. According to the <a href=https://playingfor90.com/2016/08/12/leicester-city-three-hopes-one-fear/2/"https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/aug/10/riyad-mahrez-not-leave-leicester">Guardian Leicester City officials have told Mahrez that the club will not sell him during this transfer window. Keeping Mahrez gives the club some level of stability after having lost N’Golo Kante earlier in the summer.</p>
<p>The problem with this move is that it really just pushes the question to the winter. Assuming that he keeps up the same level of performance from last season he will have similar offers waiting for him in January. Leicester City will have to make a decision at some point on Mahrez and in all likelihood the amount of money being offered will be too good not to take.</p>
<div class="next-post amp-get-next-post lg slider"><a class="location" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-post-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2016/08/12/leicester-city-three-hopes-one-fear/2/"#"><span class="next amp-next-post-teaser">Next: </span><span class="amp-get-next-post">Hope #3: That Danny Drinkwater can take over for N'Golo Kante</span></a></div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_416990" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-416990" src=https://playingfor90.com/2016/08/12/leicester-city-three-hopes-one-fear/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2016%2F08%2F585716084-international-champions-cup-2016-leicester-city-v-barcelona-850x560.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><p class="wp-caption-text">SOLNA, SWEDEN – AUGUST 03: Danny Drinkwater of Leicester City FC during the International Champions Cup match between Leicester City FC and FC Barcelona at Friends arena on August 3, 2016 in Solna, Sweden. (Photo by Nils Petter Nilsson/Ombrello/Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>Hope #3: That Danny Drinkwater can take over for N’Golo Kante .</h3>
<p>What made Leicester City so effect last season was the partnership at center midfield of Drinkwater and Kante. The duo work together seamlessly last season weaving passes into their opponent’s attacking half and finding opportunities for Mahrez and Jaime Vardy. Both players had breakout seasons last year which sadly led in part to Kante bolting for Chelsea.</p>
<p>For 2016-2017 all of the center mid responsibilities will fall to Drinkwater. The English international will be called upon to do more to help build the Foxes attack and may need to sit back more than he did last season. Drinkwater generally likes to play as more of a center attacking midfielder. But without Kante, who was a bit more of a defensive midfielder, he will need to play more conservative or risk giving their opponent’s too much space in the middle.</p>
<p>In terms of who will replace Kante as of right now that responsibility will fall to Andy King. Manager Claudio Ranieri likes to use a 4-4-2 and without any other center-midfielders on their roster King seems the most likely option. King has been with the club since their League One days. However, he seems to be most useful as a late substitute or as a spot starter. If there is one area that the club still needs to improve on during this summer transfer window it is center mid.</p>
<p>Danny Drinkwater had a stellar 2015-2016 season. But if this club is to contend for the title once again he is going to need to do more until the club can get him some help.</p>
<div class="next-post amp-get-next-post lg slider"><a class="location" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-post-shortcode" href=https://playingfor90.com/2016/08/12/leicester-city-three-hopes-one-fear/2/"#"><span class="next amp-next-post-teaser">Next: </span><span class="amp-get-next-post">The big fear: That the team doesn't have the depth to play in the Premier League and Champions League</span></a></div><!—pageview_candidate—><hr id="pagebreak"><div id="attachment_416991" class="wp-caption alignnone">
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-416991" src=https://playingfor90.com/2016/08/12/leicester-city-three-hopes-one-fear/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fplayingfor90.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2016%2F08%2F588415272-leicester-city-training-session-850x560.jpg" alt="" width="590" height="389"><p class="wp-caption-text">LEICESTER, ENGLAND – AUGUST 11: Manager Claudio Ranieri during the Leicester City training session at Belvoir Drive Training Complex on August 11, 2016 in Leicester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)</p>
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<h3>The big fear: That the team does not have the depth to play in the Premier League and the Champions League at the same time.</h3>
<p>It seems that the big fear that is hanging around Leicester City this season is their inclusion in the UEFA Champions League and how it will impact their Premier League chances. Last season, the Foxes were eliminated out of both the FA and League Cup early and thus only had to worry about the Premier League. This season the club will be playing in four competitions, including the most difficult club competition in the world.</p><div class="widget fs_ads"> <div class="fs_ad_widget-ad" style="margin:0 auto; width: 300px;"> <div class="fs-ll-ad" data-ad-type="minutemedia_slideshow_inline_300x250__desktop__tablet" data-vendor="minutemedia">
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<p>What separates Leicester City from the rest of the top European champions is that even with the television revenue money coming in, they do not have the resources that other teams do. So the question comes in as to how this club can compete in multiple competitions with a thin roster. That is not to say that it is not impossible for the Foxes to win titles this season; it just means that it is going to be extraordinarily difficult.</p>
<p>Although he received many plaudits last season for his work (and rightfully so) this season might be Ranieri’s most difficult task ever as a manager. The bar has been raised for Leicester City this season, especially since they retained the services of Vardy and Mahrez. Coming out of this season without a trophy will be seen as a disappointment.</p><!—pageview_candidate—></p>">