Leicester City are not winning when they play how Brendan Rodgers wants

In the last two games, from which Leicester City have taken just one point, Brendan Rodgers has been impressed with his side's performances.

Injury-time goals at Newcastle and Everton mean Rodgers has now admitted defeat in a late push for the European spots, but they have not lessened his feelings towards the displays. The football produced by his side for large parts of those games was exactly what he wanted.

In an ideal world, Rodgers would like City to dominate possession – as control of the ball means control of the game – and to move it around with purpose. The problem is that when City have done both of those things this season, more often than not, they haven’t won.

The game against Everton is a fine example. City had 63 per cent of the ball, which is the sixth highest share of possession they have had in a Premier League match this term. That they didn’t win fits the pattern. From the seven games in which City have had the most possession this season*, they have drawn two and lost five. No wins.

At Goodison Park, City completed 539 passes, their second-highest tally in a Premier League game this season. Yet of the 11 fixtures in which they have completed the most passes**, they have only won one, which was the opening-day victory over Wolves.

In some of the matches on the list, City were unfortunate. There was the defeat at Wolves in which City played some of their best, most progressive football of the season but lost to two strikes from outside the area, for example. And there was the home loss to Arsenal in which Aaron Ramsdale pulled off a series of brilliant saves.

But it feels like too big a pattern for it simply to be written off as luck. So where is it going wrong?

In an attacking sense, it may be that