How Leicester City's midfield suddenly became selection battleground – with transfer planned

It was not so long ago that Leicester City’s midfield picked itself.

Wilfred Ndidi and Youri Tielemans would sit deep, the former disrupting the opposition’s attacks, the latter dictating play when City were in possession. James Maddison would then be in the number 10 role, making himself an option to receive forward balls and then play it to the striker and wingers advancing into dangerous areas.

They are three of City’s best players, and they were able to take up positions where they could best show off their particular skillset. It was part of what made City so successful last season.

But now, that shape has been dispensed with. Instead of two deep-lying midfielders and one behind the striker, Brendan Rodgers is picking one man at the base with two box-to-box number eights ahead of them. Not only does it mean that Ndidi, Tielemans, and Maddison are all playing in a role that does not suit them perfectly, but it means the latter pair are competing for one position. All of a sudden, City’s midfield has become a significant battleground for places.

It seems, on paper, an idea lacking in sense. Why disrupt three of the club’s best players, particularly one in Maddison who is in the form of his career? It’s for the benefit of the team.

The last time the trio started together in this shape was Randers away, and although City won, Rodgers was not happy with the performance. If not for the heroics of Kasper Schmeichel, nor two brilliant strikes by Maddison, City would have suffered a humiliating defeat to the Danish minnows, who created a flurry of chances.

Rodgers felt the problem was the lack of pressure on the ball higher up the field, and so he switched to a system that helped with that. Since, City have mostly put in