Preston North End were on the end of a another defeat, as they came away from the King Power Stadium on the back of a 3-0 loss.
A patient Leicester City side finally found a way to open the deadlock on Wednesday night before smashing the nail in the coffin with two more fine goals.
Not many will stop that Leicester side
The Foxes have won nine of their opening ten games, with one defeat coming against Hull City. They have matched the best ever start to a Championship season, with Neil Warnock’s Sheffield United side also picking up 27 points from the first 10 games in 2005.
You would expect Leicester to gain promotion just as The Blades did that season, and Wednesday’s game showed their there is plenty of quality in that side. Not only quality, but there is experience and patience.
There is huge strength in depth as well. They were able to bring on Kelechi Iheanacho, a striker they paid £25m for six years ago. The Nigerian helped confirm the win for Enzo Maresca’s side, and his goal was sandwiched between two from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall who has started this season exceptionally.
Other stand outs in their team were Wilfred Ndidi, and Ricardo Pereira. Quite simply, that team shouldn’t be in the Championship and they won’t be this time next year.
A different shape for Lowe
Ryan Lowe knew his side would be under the cosh against the league leaders so he took an approach to stifle them. They were always going to enjoy the lions share of possession, so Lowe set his team up with a 4-4-1-1 formation, with Duane Holmes sitting behind Milutin Osmajic, but often just stepping back to make it a five man midfield.
It meant we could double up when Leicester were out wide, which definitely worked in the first half. Whilst Osmajic was very isolated in the first half, Holmes probably had the best chance of the first 45 minutes, but went for the near post, when the far post would have beee the better option.
Hughes, Storey and Browne back for Ipswich?
After the match, Ryan Lowe explained that Jordan Storey and Alan Browne had missed the game with illness, but they were hoping to join up with the squad ahead of the Ipswich Town game. Andrew Hughes missed out with a tight calf. All three are key players in this Preston side, but it allowed Lowe to rotate and mix things up.
Ben Whiteman also came in as Ryan Ledson missed out on a starting berth for the first time this season. His calming approach in the centre of the park was obvious, and his passing ability is much better than that of his teammates. Jack Whatmough, and Greg Cunningham were also fresh faces at the back.
Ali McCann was unfortunate for the first goal when his sliding interception fell kindly for Dewsbury-Hall. But Whatmough was too easily dragged out of position by the scorer which left Iheanacho free to score the second. Whatmough hasn’t impressed me a great deal as of yet, and has been caught out quite a few times already.
Once again for the third Iheanacho split Liam Lindsay and Whatmough before his rebounded shot led to Dewsbury-Hall’s second. It’s a much stronger defence with Hughes and Storey in it.
Ben Woodburn scored a perfectly good goal
Lowe made some surprising substitutions in the second half, when the trio of Ben Woodburn, Noah Mawene and Kian Best came on. Some were questioning why Mads Frokjaer was left on the bench, but Lowe explained Woodburn and Mawene particularly had impressed in training this week.
Woodburn dispossessed Wout Faes shortly after coming on, and then curled one into the back of the net. But the referee pulled it back for a foul on the Belgian, but it wasn’t at all. Woodburn won the ball with ease from the defender who had a calamitous season last time round.
Lowe understands he has a squad with depth now, and with the game already gone, I have no problem with bringing on fresh legs, and players who are good runners, and will push to the end of the game. The aforementioned three are all very keen to impress.
A different set-up for Ipswich
Whilst Ipswich Town have been the early pace setters with Leicester we can’t afford to give them the same level of respect. We’ve lost two in a row and we can’t afford to make it three going into an international break. It would spoil the feel good factor that we’ve had from this season so far.
We’ve also got two tough games after the break at home to Millwall and Southampton. Ipswich are playing some lovely football, and with 25 points from 10 games, and 21 goals in that time, it’s easy to forget they were in League One last year.
They don’t possess the same quality as Leicester though, and Preston shouldn’t approach this game too apprehensively just because of the league position. Lowe has plenty of options now, but I don’t think he should go with a lone isolated striker again for this one.