Season Review: Leicester’s mixed campaign could culminate in change of manager

It’s been a peculiar season for Leicester. The Foxes have certainly improved from last season but there have been strong reports in recent months suggesting Claude Puel could be on his way out of the club after just one season. 

Leicester’s players have reportedly grown unhappy with Puel’s training methods to the point where a change of manager looks inevitable this summer. 

The Foxes finished ninth in the Premier League despite ending the season with just 5 wins from their final 21 league matches. 

However, the way Leicester performed in their last two matches, a 3-1 home win over Arsenal and 5-4 defeat away to Tottenham, would suggest there is a glimmer of hope for Puel at the King Power Stadium. 

SUCCESS – HARRY MAGUIRE

Leicester’s season hasn’t been a roaring success but Harry Maguire has proved an astute piece of business by the Foxes.

Claude Puel’s side signed Maguire in a deal worth £17m last summer and the 25-year-old now looks set to start for England at the 2018 World Cup.

Not only is Maguire solid at the back, but the former Hull defender has already showed he can be a huge threat in the oppositions half.

The sight of Maguire bombarding forward from the back has become commonplace in the last two years.

In fact, since the start of last season, Maguire has completed more dribbles than any other Premier League defender (80) – only four fewer than Marcus Rashford from the same number of appearances.

FLOP - DEMARAI GRAY 

Demarai Gray considered his Leicester future last summer after struggling to nail down a regular starting berth before being convinced to sign a new deal in November. 

Claude Puel arrived with a reputation of giving youth a chance and that appeared to be put Gray’s mind at ease and commit his future to the Foxes

However, it’s been another season of frustration for the England Under-21 international. Despite starting more league games this season (17) than he did last season (9), Gray has not repaid the manager’s faith with enough consistent performances. 

Three goals and one assist in 35 league appearances is a measly total and does nothing to warrant a regular starting berth over Marc Albrighton. 

Furthermore, Gray’s WhoScored rating of 6.45 is the lowest of any Leicester player that started at least 10 league matches this season. 

Grade - C