Following successive poor performances against Southampton and Sheffield United, Leicester City sits 16th in the Championship. Pressure has been mounting on Marti Cifuentes for the past few months, and it’s no surprise due to the turmoil both on and off the pitch. Reports about point deductions and financial limitations continue, whilst on the pitch, the Foxes are struggling. Six losses, whilst also lacking dominance in the games that they do win. Despite this, star midfielder Jordan James insists the decline isn’t here to stay, with City now ‘looking up’ the table.
Jordan James Backs Leicester Teammates Amid Tough Run
What Did Jordan James Say?
When recently talking to the BBC, James dismissed the increasing worries of successive relegations. He said: “If you think Leicester can be in League One, then you have lost your mind.” Over the club’s 141-year history, they have only suffered one relegation to the third tier, which was back in 2008 under Ian Holloway. The club also boasts the most success in the second tier with eight league titles. For James to acknowledge City’s chances of relegation, perhaps, best shows the turmoil that they are in currently.
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The 21-year-old also added: “The players we have got are Premier League players and it will show.” These comments, of course, come as little surprise given the level that many of the current Foxes players have reached. For example, Harry Winks once put on a masterclass at the Bernabeu against prime Real Madrid. Likewise, many of these players played in Europe for Leicester and were part of the squad that dominated the league just two years prior. For this quality to go missing for so much of this season leaves questions about both the mentality and the manager.
Despite these questions, James believes that finishing in a higher position is still on the cards. He said: “For us, we are only looking up. It can change very quickly.” This is a fair assessment given the league’s lack of quality and close proximity between sides. The gap between third and eleventh currently sits at just five points, which further suggests this idea.
How Does This Affect Leicester?
Discussing relegation after eighteen games played certainly wouldn’t have been within many supporters’ expectations coming into the campaign. To have kept players like Abdul Fatawu and Harry Winks brought much hope, especially after that stellar 2-0 win against Fiorentina a week before the season start. Even James himself discussed the likelihood of promotion when he signed on deadline day. The Welshmen said: “This year my aim is to help the Club and help my team-mates get the Club back to where it should be.” It’s fair to say those aspirations of automatic promotion are out of the picture now as Middlesbrough and Coventry continue to extend their lead.
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A statement like this coming out is also eerily similar to James Maddison’s infamous tweet two years ago, before Leicester’s shock relegation from the Premier League. One of the main lines to come from that poorly aged tweet says: ” Play like that, and we’ll be absolutely fine.” Everything, of course, wasn’t fine as City dropped back down to the second tier two months later, and lost their next six games after the tweet.
Comparisons between the two situations are even more in accordance, given the lack of investment in the summer and the perceived quality within the squad. Leicester have won just three games since August, and with the league so tight, anything is possible. Cifuentes’ side next travels to Pride Park for an East Midlands derby, which could have a considerable impact on his future at the club. Conceding three in the first half of the last two games isn’t good enough, and if this continues, a sacking may become necessary.
Featured Image Credit:
IMAGO / Sports Press
