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| Leicesters Premier League title charge was built on exhilarating attacking play in the first half of the season, but their mean defence is coming to the fore now. After a fourth 1-0 victory in five games against Crystal Palace on Saturday, we take a look at how the high-flying Foxes have adapted… When Leicester sat top of the table at Christmas it was largely thanks to a record of 37 goals in 17 games. Jamie Vardys record-breaking scoring run had propelled them to unthinkable heights, but when the goals started drying up for the 29-year-old it was widely anticipated the magic would fade and the Foxes would start to slide.Their defensive record did not exactly cry out solidity, after all. Leicester had conceded 24 times in those 17 games - the same number as relegation-threatened Swansea - and it wasnt until late October that Claudio Ranieri had to come good on his promise of pizza to reward their first clean sheet of the season. Three months on, however, and Leicesters players are dining on pizza almost every week. Premier League viewers have become accustomed to seeing them at the top of the pile - and the Foxes are just seven games away from making history with a title challenge that is rapidly gathering momentum. Leicesters Premier League record before and after Christmas Leicester 2015/16 Before Christmas After Christmas Games played 17 14 Wins 11 8 Draws 5 4 Losses 1 2 Goals scored 37 17 Goals conceded 24 7 Clean sheets 3 9 Leicester remain a deadly force on the counter-attack, but the statistics illustrate how the emphasis has shifted since Christmas. Before then, the Foxes were averaging 2.2 goals per game, but they have only netted 17 times in 14 outings since then at a rate of just 1.2 goals per game.Despite the drop-off in goals scored, however, Leicesters results have remained consistent, with their average points per game only falling slightly (from 2.4 before Christmas to 2.0 afterwards) while their lead at the top of the table continues to grow. Leicesters Premier League record before and after Christmas Leicester 2015/16 Before Christmas After Christmas Goals per game 2.2 1.2 Shots on target per game 5.1 3.9 Goals conceded per game 1.4 0.5 Shots on target faced per game 4.2 3.4 Points per game 2.2 2.0 A run of four shut-outs in five games has highlighted their defensive resilience in recent weeks, but the stinginess has been apparent for months. Since Christmas, and with help from midfield enforcer NGolo Kante, a first-choice back five of Kasper Schmeichel, Danny Simpson, Robert Huth, Wes Morgan and Christian Fuchs has only been breached seven times.Once we got that first clean sheet, it cemented the idea in peoples heads that keeping a clean sheet is a great foundation to build upon, said back-up goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer on Sky Sports News HQ. Weve got players who will always score goals, so if you can keep a clean sheet when the season gets tighter and the pressure starts to mount, you can win games by the odd goal. Speaking on Sky Sports News HQ, Leicester City goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer highlights their defence as the key to their impressive recent form Having found defensive shut-outs so hard to come by at the start of the campaign, Leicester have now kept nine in their last 13 games. In the same period, no other Premier League side has managed more than seven. They have the look of champions about them, noted Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp in his Daily Mail column - and hes not the only one to have been impressed.They dont give a lot away, said Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew after Riyad Mahrezs first-half strike settled Saturdays game at Selhurst Park. Theyre underestimated defensively. Theyve got energy and theyre up to the ball all the time. Theyre tight and its difficult to create against them. Most Premier League clean sheets since Christmas Team Clean sheets Leicester 9 Southampton 7 Arsenal 6 Manchester City 6 The two centre-halves are confident in possession, they rarely make mistakes and they dont slash at clearances. They make good clearances from their defensive third and theyre fast. They have a lovely balance to the team and you have to admire them.Leicester have also had to adapt to their opponents attempts to nullify their goalscoring threat. The Foxes thrived in the first half of the season by ceding possession to their rivals, waiting for mistakes and springing forward on the counter-attack, but since their 2-1 defeat to Arsenal the likes of Norwich and West Brom have played them at their own game. Kasper Schmeichel, Robert Huth and Christian Fuchs have shone in recent weeks The Foxes have therefore averaged 53.4 per cent possession in the last five games compared to 40.5 per cent earlier in the season. The enforced change of approach has resulted in fewer opportunities for Ranieris attackers to get in behind, but their defensive solidity has made the difference at the other end.Leicester are now within touching distance of one of the most extraordinary achievements in football history, and while Mahrez and Vardy are likely to battle it out for the player of the year gong, they are certainly not the only individuals who are due a considerable share of the credit. Leicesters remarkable stats We look at the numbers behind Leicesters Premier League title charge. Also See: Leicesters remarkable stats Leicester to slip up? Ranieri remaining grounded Mahrez: Title getting close Adidas Nmd r2 Dame . The CFL will help tackle womens cancers by playing four special "CFL PINK" games this weekend. Adidas Nmd Dame Udsalg . His apology came before a pregame ceremony in which the team honoured its 2004 team that won Bostons first World Series championship since 1918. "I realize that I behaved bad in Boston," Ramirez said. http://www.dknmdskotilbud.com/adidas-nmd-herre-outlet-danmark.html . LOUIS - Two-thirds of the St. Adidas Nmd Dame Tilbud . Indeed, must be among the greatest challenges in all of sports. The pressure he applies, from set to set, game to game, point to point, shot to shot. Adidas Nmd Herre Udsalg . - While a fast-paced offence has become more of a fixture in recent years, the San Antonio Spurs can still grind out games when needed.BARCELONA, Spain - Osasuna and Valladolid were relegated on the final day of the Spanish league season on Sunday and will join the already doomed Real Betis in the second division next season. Osasunas 2-1 win at home over Betis was overshadowed by a railing collapse that left dozens of fans injured, and counted for little when Granada won 1-0 at Valladolid, Getafe beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1 and Almeria drew 0-0 with visiting Athletic Bilbao. Play was delayed for more than half an hour at Osasunas Sadar Stadium when a railing collapsed following Oriol Rieras 12th-minute goal, sending fans tumbling forward. The club said that a total of 68 people were hurt and that one man suffered a broken leg. The other three matches with relegation implications were then delayed an extra 35 minutes during halftime to synchronize their estimated finishing times. Before the games to determine relegation were over, the party in the Spanish capital had already begun with Atletico Madrid celebrating its league title with thousands of fans. Osasuna hasnt played in the second division since 2000. Valladolid has spent the last two seasons in the top flight. "In football, when you think you have wrapped it up, you are put in your place," Riera said. "We reacted, but it was too late. We ask our fans for forgiveness and tell them we will do our best to come back up." Osasuna and Valladolid entered the final round in the drop zone, both needing to win their matches and hope the other three teams in danger slipped up. Osasuna did its part by beating Betis from Rieras opener and Carlos Acunas goal in the 14th right after play was restarted. Betis Francisco Chica pulled one back with a long strike in the 70th. But Valladolid self-destructed in a direct matchup with Granada, one of the trio of teams along with Getafe and Almeria still in danger. Valladolid disappointed its fans at Jose Zorilla Stadium with a paltry performance that reached its low point when defender Stefan Mitrovic scored an own goal in the 44th minutte by knocking in Francisco "Piti" Medinas cross.dddddddddddd "We shouldnt have arrived to this week in this situation," Granada coach Lucas Alcaraz said. "We were facing a do-or-die match and my boys were able to handle it." Despite assuring their teams stayed up for another year, both Alcaraz and Rayo coach Paco Jemez said that they would most likely not be continuing with their teams next season. Getafe won at crosstown rival Rayo thanks to Ciprian Maricas brace. The Romanian striker scored from long range in the 43rd and then added a second from the penalty spot in stoppage time after Roberto Trashorras had levelled in the 67th. Almeria needed goalkeeper Esteban Suarez to save Guillermo Fernandezs point-blank try in injury time to ensure a point against Bilbao. Earlier, Europa League champion Sevilla routed Elche 3-1 at home to round off an excellent campaign that saw the team finish fifth. Midfielder Vicente Iborra scored twice in the 16th and 72nd with Jairo Samperio netting in the 61st for Sevilla. Yiadom Boayke scored Elches consolation goal moments before the final whistle. Giovani Dos Santos scored one goal and set up another to help Villarreal win 2-1 at Real Sociedad, overtaking its rival to finish the season in sixth place. Dos Santos raced into the box before cutting back to put the ball on his left foot and curl in the 26th-minute opener. The Mexico forward set up Ikechukwu Uche on the break in the 69th before Carlos Vela pulled one back in stoppage time. Villarreal, which spent last season in the second division, rose above seventh-place Sociedad on head-to-head goal difference. Both teams had already clinched Europa League berths. Atletico won the league title for the first time in 18 years on Saturday after it drew 1-1 at Barcelona. Barcelona needed to win to defend its title but finished second, level on points with Real Madrid. Bilbao had already sealed its fourth-place finish, completing the top four teams heading to the Champions League. ' ' ' |
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