Squad rotation helping Spurs, killing Leicester


Leicester City are currently falling foul of not having a big enough squad. They won the Premier League last season by playing basically the same players each week and were fortunate enough not to have too many injuries.

It was a great achievement to win the league and once again many congratulations to them, but teams who then try to play the same players week-in-week-out the following season statistically have a significant drop in results. That has happened to Leicester who have an unprecedented UEFA Champions League competition to add into their schedule.

Claudio Ranieri admitted it would be impossible for Leicester o stay at the top of the league and that is proving to be the case. They are currently back in the bottom half and my pre-season prediction was that they would finish 8th, 9th or 10th. Last season was a flash in the pan, they won the league in a way it had not been won before by nicking victories while having fewer shots.

Statistically they went against the grain of previous Premier League winners. That may work once, but it isn't a recipie for consistent success and thus they were overrated going into this season, in the same manner that we were underrated because we hadn't splashed cash on marquee signings. We spent logically instead of meaninglessly for show.

The result is we have a stronger squad with more depth. We added power and have proven we took the right course with a comprehensive victory over Manchester City without Eric Dier, Mousa Dembele and Harry Kane, the three players deemed essential to our success.

Mauricio Pochettino has prepared for the season and can rotate his players to keep them fresher. Harry Kane will have had a decent rest when he returns, which I think we all agree he needed, Mousa Dembele will come back fresh as will Eric Dier, another who has played a lot of football, which may have been a factor in his muscle injury.

Our situation is different to that of Leicester who have a tough game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday followed by an easier tie against FC Copenhagen in the Champions League, a game against Crystal palace and then on Saturday 22 October they face us at White Hart Lane.

In the meantime, bring on WBA, games against whom we have struggled to convert into victories at The Hawthorns, 6 in 18.