Alious
Leicester City’s season continued to unravel following a disheartening 3-0 home loss to Newcastle United, raising serious questions about the direction of the team under Ruud van Nistelrooy—and what role, if any, Jeremy Monga should play going forward.
A Slight Spark, but Still Smoldering
There were fleeting signs of intent at the King Power Stadium on Monday night, with City showing more attacking desire than in some of their earlier capitulations. After their listless showing at the Etihad just days before—where they seemed content to settle for a 2-0 loss—any hint of forward momentum felt like progress. Leicester recorded more final-third touches against Newcastle than in all but five matches this season and won an impressive 12 corners—twice as many as in any previous league outing.
But these minor positives only served to highlight deeper flaws. Their expected goals (xG) total of 0.5 was the second-best during their current eight-game losing streak. That damning stat underscores just how low the bar has dropped for a club that once lifted the Premier League title.
**Van Nistelrooy’s Tactical Gamble Backfires**
The Dutchman made aggressive changes at the break in an effort to chase the game, but his shift in mindset may have come too late. And despite the tactical tweak, the fragility at the back was alarming.
James Justin was hung out to dry in the opening minutes, forced into a two-on-one situation that led to the opener. For the second goal, defensive discipline collapsed entirely—Wout Faes, Conor Coady, and Luke Thomas all failed to recover as Jacob Murphy was gifted time and space to convert despite a poor first touch. The third goal was perhaps the most damning, with miscommunication, weak aerial challenges, and one-on-one defending all contributing to the calamity.
**Monga Left in Limbo**
This latest humiliation leaves Leicester with decisions to make across the board, and chief among them is the future of young attacker Jeremy Monga. Once viewed as a potential spark in the final third, Monga now finds himself on the fringes as Van Nistelrooy experiments with his squad. With the team struggling to create and convert chances, Monga’s omission is becoming harder to justify—especially if the manager continues to favor systems that aren’t delivering results.
A change of heart from Van Nistelrooy regarding his preferred personnel may mean Monga is forced to wait, or worse, consider options elsewhere if he remains sidelined. Leicester must now evaluate whether to reintegrate the youngster and give him the opportunity to prove his worth, or risk losing a promising talent at a time when creativity is sorely needed.
**Wider Concerns for the Club**
Perhaps more concerning than the on-field display was the sight of swathes of empty seats across the stadium. Fan disillusionment is growing, and it’s no longer just about poor results—it’s about the lack of identity, cohesion, and a clear plan.
Even in games where the team shows some attacking ambition, the defensive collapse and poor organization tell a broader story of a team rudderless both on the pitch and in the boardroom.
As the season limps toward its conclusion, Leicester City are a club with more questions than answers—about their coach, their players, and the future of young talents like Jeremy Monga.
Alious
