Enzo Maresca – Leicester City – Tactical Analysis

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In 2016, Leicester City accomplished one of the most remarkable feats in football history. Winning the 2015-16 Premier League title with a group of relative unknowns in such stunning fashion feels like a feat that might never be achieved again. Not least for Leicester City themselves, who fell out of form the season immediately afterward. Brendan Rodgers restored some faith and kept them in the fight for European places for many seasons thereafter, thanks in large part to the international transfer poll they accumulated from winning the title. But then it all came crashing down in 2022-23, when they succumbed to a surprise relegation.

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Leicester weren’t good enough to stay in the Premier League last season, but they’ve now been far too good for the Championship. Currently sitting at the top of the table by a ten-point margin, the Foxes look primed to reintegrate themselves into the Prem and come back stronger in 2024-25. With that, here is a tactical analysis of Enzo Maresca’s dominant Leicester team across the 2023-24 Championship season.

SYSTEM OF PLAY: 4-3-3

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Brendan Rodgers spent much of his Leicester career operating back and forth between a 4-1-4-1 and 4-2-3-1, always trying to get the best out of an illustrious midfield that included the likes of Wilfred Ndidi, Youri Tielemans and James Maddison. Enzo Maresca’s now struck a completely different balance in his midfield with an attractive 4-3-3; changing the role of the only man within that triangulation to go down with the club.

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Instead of operating with a ‘Midfield Destroyer’ at the base of his midfield in the ‘6’ position, Maresca signalled his intent toward possession-based football by bringing Harry Winks into the fold. Winks is more of a ball-savvy game-controller in the ‘6’ position, and so Ndidi’s actually had to transition into more of a ‘Box to Box’ presence. The Nigerian’s even responded by contributing to 7 goals already this campaign, something that certainly can’t be said of his usual defensive restraints.

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Alongside them is the team’s undeniable star – a man who has clearly shown himself to be far too good for the Championship, and even worthy of an England call-up in due time. The class and composure of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has been a known entity for the past few seasons, but Maresca has completely unlocked the shackles by positioning the 25-year-old in a more creative role. He’s accumulated 8 goals with 9 assists already, a stark contrast from the 2 goals and 2 assists he notched in his best Premier League campaign.

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Further forward, Maresca’s made more smart additions across the board. He’s brought in dynamic dribblers and powerful goal-threats in the form of Stephy Mavididi and Abdul Fatawu to operate on the wings, and the pair have already hit 22 goal contributions between them. Mavididi’s shooting and finishing is unmatched at the club, and that’s saying a lot with Jamie Vardy still kicking around. Danish keeper Mads Hermansen’s also been brought in to restore the solidity the Foxes always had in Kasper Schmeichel, but adds more of an edge to his game on the ball.

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But since Leicester already had the makings of a great team, not much else has needed to drastically change. Ricardo Pereira has the capacity to be one of the best full-backs in the world on his very best day, and James Justin adds further quality down the other side. The young Callum Doyle has proven a smart pick-up from Coventry, but it’s Wout Faes and Jannik Vestergaard continuing to nail down the starting places alongside the pair of full-backs. Conor Coady adds further reinforcements in a back-three, and much in the way of leadership and experience at the back.

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At the top of the tree, Jamie Vardy continues to hold down his place, with reinforcements from Patson Daka and Kelechi Iheanacho. After making his debut in December, we can however expect to see plenty more of 21-year-old Tom Cannon, who already looks calm and composed in front of goal.

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So with much in the way of already proven Premier League quality, it’s no surprise that the Foxes sit ten points clear at the top of the table. They might need a few additional reinforcements when the eventualities of their return become reality, ensuring they don’t fall back down. But for now, it’s one of the best sides the Championship has ever witnessed.

ATTACKING PRINCIPLES

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In the Premier League, Leicester always tried to be a high-octane possession-based team, but still needed to rely heavily upon their pace and power on the break. In the Championship, with some of the best ball-players in the league, Leicester have accumulated 65% of the possession in their matches. Only another recently relegated club best that number, with Southampton failing to hit the same super sublime high notes with their 66% control.

Starting from the back, the Foxes build out through short and quick passes through the thirds. The initial builds are helped massively by the speed of play behind Harry Winks, as he drops and forms a diamond with the keeper and wide-positioned centre-backs.

The former Spurs man is an intelligent and efficient passer of the ball, but also excellent at carrying and driving through the thirds. But despite his brilliance, an additional central midfielder may also hang low to aid those initial builds and any slip-ups that require the team to quickly counter-press within their own third.

That can then form a 2+2 shape with the keeper ready to remain involved, and then later a 3+2 with one full-back (typically James Justin) holding a more reserved stance. Justin is the more defensive full-back of the two, and has experience playing centre-back under Brendan Rodgers, so it’s been logical in pushing the high-flying Ricardo Pereira further forward.

That 3+2 build also then allows the creative energy of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to seek space further ahead. Often playing in the left half-space channel, Leicester will then prioritize attacks down their left through the combination of Mavididi’s pace and power, and Dewsbury-Hall’s sensational swagger. The right-spaces then might become better vantage points for finishing off chances, where you tend to have the attacking combo of Ricardo Pereira and 19-year-old Abdul Fatawu, who’s also become a key creative cog in the team.

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That said, the Foxes will also take an incredibly vertical approach to their shifting of the ball toward goal, utilizing up-back-and through combinations to expose defenses. That’s where the quality of Dewsbury-Hall or Winks to hit a ball in behind comes in handy, and we all know Leicester strikers are never short for speed.

While those combinations can often be created between central midfielders, many of their strikers are also great at dropping deep and bouncing with their back to goal, as a speedster from the wings (or even Ndidi!) races in behind.

This is the wonderful variety that Leicester inject within their attacking play, always creating at least a 3+1 rest-defense in behind to allow all of their magic to come to life further ahead. Particularly magical is Stephy Mavididi, who delicately finishes off chances with composure every single time. As Leicester compact one side of the field in their attempts to break down the opposition, they will often quickly switch play to Mavididi on the other side to attack 1v1 or create a chance.

Having such competent ball-players in the centre of the park has massively helped Leicester’s ability to play with such swagger, where they’ve been completely dominant in nearly every match this season.

DEFENSIVE PRINCIPLES

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In defense, Leicester will typically change shape to more of a 4-2-3-1, allowing for one central midfielder to drop alongside Harry Winks. They press individually one at a time as the ball shifts into a player’s zone, with the remaining players holding shape. This is where you might find a full-back stepping all the way up to the line of attacking midfielders, or a centre-back shifting out of the back-four to follow an opposition’s striker. Leicester are flexible in accommodating for this approach, such as through central midfielders filling holes when required.

As they settle into more of a mid-block, the team will defend in a 4-4-1-1, with wingers taking priority on players positioned higher up the pitch rather than those that might impact more of the build-up lower down.

Maresca’s men rarely care to win the ball through aggressive pressing or tackling, but rather through forcing errors. Given how much they’ve controlled their matches, it’s easy to say that they’re quite competent in doing so.

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Through the talent they have across the pitch and a solid 3+1 rest-defense at minimum, they rarely concede. The Foxes have conceded just 18 goals in 26 matches this campaign (0.7 per game). Perhaps it’s most about sorting out their set-pieces, which were a significant factor behind their relegation last season. Since they keep so much of the ball, Leicester shouldn’t concede that many set-pieces. However, they’ve conceded 8 goals from set-plays so far, tied for the 7th worst record in the league.

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The issue seems to be mostly down to a lack of aggression and physicality in the penalty area, and perhaps an overly zonal approach that leaves dangerous attackers unmarked.

It’s also mostly through a lack of concentration behind second-balls, which is slightly more worrying given their impending return to the league. That will then become a top priority for Leicester as they prepare for the Prem, ensuring they sort out the one key area holding them back in defense.

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For now though, it has been a season to remember for Leicester City inside the Championship. They’ve been one of the league’s all-time top sides, and look fully prepared to hit the mark if they can keep hold of their star power leading into next season. Enzo Maresca and his team have done a brilliant job in assembling this squad, reinventing roles, and achieving buy-in from the players, and the same criteria will need to be met ahead of 2024-25.

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