Steve Cooper Identifies Two Major Concerns for Leicester City Ahead of Tottenham Opener
Manager Reflects on 1-0 Loss to Augsburg with One Pre-Season Game Left Before Campaign Begins at King Power Stadium
Leicester City must show greater desire to score and win more 50-50 duels to be ready for the new Premier League campaign, manager Steve Cooper believes.
City suffered a second consecutive pre-season loss on Saturday, falling 1-0 to Augsburg. With just one match left, against Lens next weekend, before hosting Tottenham in their season opener, improvements are urgent.
The primary concern is the lack of goals, as City also lost 1-0 to Palermo, creating very few chances in both matches. Cooper highlighted this issue, emphasizing the need for more ruthlessness in the final third.
Augsburg, a physical team, used their strength effectively, especially in the penalty areas, marking another area for improvement.
Cooper told the club: “It was a test that we needed, it was a step up in game, there’s no doubt about that.
They’re a good Bundesliga team and that’s the sort of competition we want to be playing now.
“For all of the control we had in the game, I just feel, as a team, we need to show more desire to score a goal.
To play with the ball like we did and get into the positions we did, it’s to create and score goals. That’s the purpose of our game.
“We want to be at the top end of the pitch, be exciting and be threatening, and the last two games I don’t feel like we’ve done that enough, truth be told. It’s not particularly an attacking thing, it’s a team thing.
“The set-piece we conceded is never okay, but it’s something we can learn from. There’s the performance and the result, and we want to perform in a way to win games, but to do that, you have to have a toughness about you and a ruthlessness at both ends.
The last two games, for all of the good positions we’ve got into, we’ve got to be more of a threat.
“Also, duels. We know what’s coming in the Premier League, it’s a massive step up. In the end, when you’re in one-v-ones and you’re combatting, and you’re against your opponent, you’ve got to win more duels than you lose. I think that needs addressing as well.”
The squad will now return from their training camp in Germany and head back to Seagrave for another week of preparation.
Cooper will want to see the fruits of the coming week’s labor in that dress rehearsal against Lens.
