Team Focus: Premier League Clubs' Transfer Window To Do List – Part II
We return for part two of our look at each Premier League club and where they may be best served to search for new recruits to bolster their current ranks, covering alphabetically from bottom club Leicester to surprise package Southampton.
LeicesterAny team that sits bottom of the league at the turn of the year could always do with a little help from the board at such a time and Leicester certainly have players within their ranks yet to convince that they are of the requisite quality to keep the Foxes afloat. Nigel Pearson’s men have proven capable of playing some nice stuff, most recently to earn a point at Anfield, but have shot themselves in the foot on more than the odd occasion this season.
One player guilty of such slip-ups has been Paul Konchesky, sent off twice this season as well as picking up an unintentional assist for West Ham’s Andy Carroll last month. The veteran full-back is Leicester’s lowest rated outfielder this season (6.47) and with team weaknesses from WhoScored including the likes of defending against both counter and through ball attacks they may be best served to look at strengthening the backline, with Konchesky’s place in the side currently unthreatened due to a lack of competition at liverpoolafter a bitterly disappointing start to the campaign Liverpool have been brought back down to earth with a bang having so nearly secured an unlikely league title last season. There are problems to solve all over the pitch for Brendan Rodgers, not least the fact that they have scored 18 goals fewer than they’d managed at this stage last season, and the Reds carry nowhere near the threat they did with Suarez and Sturridge available. However, it may be a case of starting from the back in terms of the necessary additions. The very back.
Simon Mignolet’s form has plummeted this season and was arguably on the decline some time before the start of the current campaign, with a rating of just 6.58 from whoscored. The Belgian lost his place in the side in turn and had Liverpool had a replacement of higher quality than Brad Jones he may have done so considerably earlier. With team weaknesses including ‘avoiding individual errors’ – of which Mignolet has been responsible for his fair share – and ‘protecting the lead’ a new number one, let alone reserve keeper, may well be at the top of Rodgers’ wish manchester CityTo suggest that there are weak links in a side that are well and truly on the charge to retain their Premier League crown may seem odd but City have certainly not been without fault this season, despite their stellar squad. Pellegrini’s side have dropped points to the
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