Steve Cooper was almost nine minutes into his post-match press conference when he was asked what he made of Arsenal, who needed two goals in added time to beat his spirited Leicester City side.
“They’ve had a tough week,” said the questioner, seemingly referencing the late equaliser against Manchester City and the previous week’s 0-0 draw with Atalanta in the Champions League, rather than the 5-1 demolition of Bolton Wanderers in midweek.
Cooper pulled a wry smile and sat back in his chair.
“Not as bad as our week or my week, if I am being honest,” he replied. “I wouldn’t mind being in Mikel’s shoes, I know that.”
It has been a challenging week for Cooper. After their disappointing draw at home to Everton and the midweek frustrations when they needed a penalty shootout to see off League Two’s Walsall in the Carabao Cup, Cooper was heavily criticised by a section of the Leicester fanbase.
It could have got a whole lot worse for Cooper at the Emirates Stadium.
After a first half in which his side had just one touch in the opposition’s penalty box to Arsenal’s 37, they were two goals down as they trudged off at half-time. It could have been more. Goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and midfielder Harry Winks had a heated discussion after the second goal, which was almost a mirror image of the first in its construction.
Arsenal fans might have been salivating at the prospect of many more goals, so one-sided had the game been. There was a huge gulf between the sides in every aspect of the first half.
Leicester, without a league win this season, could have succumbed, rolled over and accepted their fate.
The fact that they didn’t, that they showed more hunger and desire in the second half, and quality — especially through James Justin’s stunning volley for the equaliser — should provide heart.
With Justin scoring twice, Facundo Buonanotte driving Leicester forward in the second period and Hermansen in inspired form, there was hope for the immediate future.
Yes, they eventually succumbed to the 17th corner Arsenal forced, a cruel deflection off Wilfred Ndidi, and then finally a fourth in the tenth minute of added time. Again that final blow came in unfortunate circumstances as Justin, in attempting to make a goal-saving tackle, played the ball on to Kai Havertz in an offside position. But at least Cooper’s men had shown some fighting spirit.
Cooper’s tactics, his selections and his substitutions have come in for scrutiny and criticism by his doubters, but it has been evident his players are fighting for the cause after a tough start to the season. There appears to be a determined mindset. They have had to fight back in five of their opening six league games, and they have shown an appetite to do that. That must be encouraging for Cooper.
“I had a different experience here previously when I’ve seen a team go under, but we saw the opposite from the guys, in terms of their attitude and commitment and sticking to the task,” he said.
“At half-time, the message was more about encouragement, belief and sticking together.
“It can go one of two ways: you can either crumble and hide, and it gets a lot worse, or you can do what we did.”
Two years ago, when Leicester were relegated having finished in the top eight in the three previous seasons, there was no doubt they had the quality and talent to have avoided that predicament. But there was a mental fragility, an air of arrogance that such a fight for survival was beneath some players of such stature.
Although still littered with internationals, this Leicester squad doesn’t possess the top-level quality of that squad. There is, however, an honesty about the group — and a fighting spirit.
In a game where the opposition had nearly 75 per cent possession, 77 touches in Leicester’s box, 36 shots on goal and 16 on target for an expected goals (xG) tally of 4.7, to Leicester’s 0.3, the 2022-23 Leicester arguably would have folded at half-time and not made one of the title challengers sweat deep into added time.
The fact this version of Leicester did not crumble should be a source of confidence before an important run of fixtures: Bournemouth, Southampton, Nottingham Forest and Ipswich Town.
To get a good points return in those games Leicester must improve: show more quality and be more adventurous in possession, defend better — as the first two Arsenal goals showed — and start games brighter. Except for against Crystal Palace, they seem to be waiting for something to happen at the start of games, to react rather than trying to make things happen.
Cooper’s Leicester is still a work in progress. But they have to start picking up results soon to give themselves a chance of survival, and for Cooper to earn credit with the supporters who are doubting his credentials. That will help quell the “noise”, as Cooper referred to it, around his team.
Having a side willing to fight when in desperate positions is a good base on which to build an effective team. That is the fundamental thing fans demand.
On the walk back to Finsbury Park station, four Arsenal fans could be overhead discussing the game. Their side had been far superior to Leicester in every way, but they complimented Leicester’s tenacity and determination to get back into the game. Ultimately, they were mightily relieved.
(Top photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images)
