Loic Remy’s second-half goal halved the deficit in
Monday night’s match in the Midlands but an
equaliser proved elusive as the Blues slipped to a
consecutive league defeat.
Jamie Vardy gave the league leaders the advantage in
a first half featuring few chances but unfortunately
containing an early injury to Eden Hazard. A Nemanja
Matic header from a set-piece that clipped the
woodwork was the closest we came in the first 45
minutes.
After half-time Chelsea improved, especially after
Jose Mourinho made a tactical change, but Riyad
Mahrez had made it 2-0 to Leicester with a good goal
early in the second period and ultimately that proved
a lead too great to overcome.
In this first Premier League meeting between teams
managed by ‘the Special One’ and ‘the Tinkerman’,
monikers acquired while each was in charge at
Stamford Bridge, both Jose Mourinho and Claudio
Ranieri named an unchanged side, which was not
surprising given both were coming into the game off
the back of wins.
For Chelsea, it was very much a case of trying to
maintain the verve in evidence in the Champions
League against Porto and not relapse to the
frustration and ultimately fruitless showing in our
last league outing against Bournemouth.
An early shot from Mahrez after Cesar Azpilicueta,
making his 100th Premier League appearance, had
been caught out wide on the flank, was comfortable
for Thibaut Courtois and apart from that, it was an
uneventful first 10 minutes of the match.
A chance for the home side to put the in-form Vardy
in on goal was over-hit and a free-kick from Christian
Fuchs was claimed by Courtois, albeit with a second
grab of the loose ball required.
On 15 minutes Chelsea worked our best move of the
half as Oscar took possession in space having moved
out to the right. The Brazilian did well to get his cross
in and even better to make it clear the defence.
Hazard controlled with his chest but his half-volley
was blocked. As a result of trying to stop Oscar
however, Leicester lost a man. Midfielder Danny
Drinkwater went off with a pulled muscle and was
replaced by Andy King.
The game continued on as before with neither side
poised to breakthrough. Courtois had to come to
claim another couple of speculative balls into his box
without properly being tested,
Shortly before the half-hour Hazard was fouled and
not for the first time in the game, but on this
occasion Vardy’s late shove hurt the Belgian who
needed treatment and even then did not look
comfortable as he limped to the touchline. The signal
came for a change to be made and Pedro prepared
for action.
Hazard came back on for one second before turning
and going down the tunnel. This game had been
deprived of his skill and it remains to be seen how
many more will during this busy period.
Three minutes later Leicester took the lead. The ball
was won deep in midfield by the Foxes and played
quickly to the Chelsea left. Mahrez’s cross dipped in
dangerously and Vardy ran into a gap between Terry
and Zouma to volley in.
The home fans had the moment they had come to
see but Chelsea went close to scoring a rapid
equaliser when Matic rose above a crowd at a corner.
His header skimmed off the top of the crossbar.
In open play, the Blues needed to get to more of the
50-50 challenges first, emphasised when Zouma
fouled the darting Vardy on the edge of our area.
Fortunately the free-kick came to nothing.
Courtois saved from Marc Albrighton to ensure the
half-time scoreline mirrored the one back in April.
Within 20 seconds of the restart Vardy took out Diego
Costa at the ankle and this time was booked; the first
yellow card of the game. With the next piece of
action Leicester doubled their lead through their
other top scorer. There was still plenty to do for
Mahrez when he collected a pass on the left of our
area but he did it well, twisting and doubling back
inside Azpilicueta before curling powerfully past
Courtois. A comeback to match last season’s 3-1 win
here now looked a mighty tall order.
Huth was booked for sending Diego Costa tumbling as
they chased a ball into the Leicester half shortly
before Mourinho switched players and formation,
bringing on Cesc Fabregas for Terry as we went to
three men at the back. Remy later came on as an
additional striker.
On the hour there was a moment of hope as
Leicester dealt uncertainly with balls in from wide by
Diego Costa and then Willian and it looked to be
falling for Pedro in front of the net, but a crucial
block was still able to be made.
The Leicester goal continued to live through a couple
of minutes of siege as Diego Costa’s shot from a
Fabregas pass deflected off Kasper Schmeichel and
cleared the net, and then Willian’s corner was missed
by all in the middle but a stretching Ivanovic could
not find a way past the defender on the far post.
Fabregas glanced a Pedro cross on target but without
power in the header and Pedro shot over soon after.
The Blues were now making chances in open play.
There was quarter of an hour to go when substitute
Remy was found just inside the area by Willian but
his attempt to control the ball and wrong-foot his
marker at the same time did not pay off. Moments
later the France international was celebrating his first
league goal of the season.
Pedro’s cross from the left was a peach, the equal to
Mahrez’s for the Foxes opener. Remy, just three
yards out, applied the finishing touch with a firm
header.
This was now a test of Leicester nerve, and maybe
their legs as well given the way they chased hard in
the first half. Albrighton shot wide from distance for
the home side and Remy did similar at the other end
but it was Chelsea with the ball in the opposing final
third more of the time.
When the added-time board showed five minutes
still to play, there was outcry from the home fans
and from Ranieri but it proved to be the case that
our better chances and half-chances had already
come and gone in that lively second half.
Next up are Sunderland at Stamford Bridge. Every
game is vital but this has the added significance of
the 16th-placed Blues facing a team three points
below us.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Ivanovic, Zouma, Terry
(c) (Fabregas 53), Azpilicueta; Ramires, Matic; Willian,
Oscar (Remy 65), Hazard (Pedro 31), Diego Costa.
Unused subs Begovic, Cahill, Mikel, Kenedy.
Scorer Remy 77
Leicester (4-4-2): Schmeichel; Simpson, Morgan (c),
Huth, Fuchs; Mahrez (Inler 82), Drinkwater (King 17),
Kante, Albrighton; Ulloa, Vardy (Okazaki 87).
Unused subs Schwarzer, Wasilewski, Benalouane,
Dyer.
Scorers Vardy 34, Mahrez 48
Booked Vardy 46, Huth 51
Referee Mark Clattenburg
Crowd 32,054
Source: chelseaFc.com
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