Steve Cooper covers Leicester City’s flaws as unlikely hero steps up and goal-scorer proves his value

Leicester City may be masking their issues, but it seems to be working—at least for now.

During their recent clash with Ipswich, Leicester was outplayed for over an hour.

A promising start soon faded, and the home side took control, pinning City back as they sought to make their dominance count.

Leicester struggled to create any meaningful opportunities, managing only two long-range shots from Harry Winks between the 15th and 85th minutes.

Signs of a Leicester comeback were sparse until Kalvin Phillips’ red card shifted the game’s momentum, providing them with a lifeline.

Leicester capitalized on the numerical advantage, culminating in Jordan Ayew’s dramatic 94th-minute equalizer.

However, while the late goal sparked celebration, it may only mask an overall poor performance.

Recognizing that the team was subpar and addressing the underlying weaknesses is essential for long-term improvement.

Yet, post-match, manager Steve Cooper appeared unconcerned.

Typically frank in his assessments, Cooper suggested that the better chances fell to Leicester at Portman Road, seemingly overlooking Ipswich’s two free headers in the first half and their prolonged dominance throughout much of the match.

Many fans might worry that Leicester cannot rely on scraping through with inconsistent performances; they need to produce solid, full 90-minute displays to survive the season.

However, perhaps this expectation is unrealistic.

So far, Leicester’s sporadic good periods have been enough to secure results. In their 10 Premier League games to date, they have not managed a sustained hour of strong play in any match.

Generally, they have shown up for about 45 minutes. Against Ipswich, they had about 30 effective minutes.

Despite this inconsistency, Leicester has managed to secure positive outcomes in six of their 10 games.

While a complete 90-minute performance would undoubtedly boost fan confidence, it may be an unrealistic goal for a newly-promoted side—and it may not even be necessary to achieve results.

Cooper may be reluctant to admit it, but luck has played a role in Leicester’s season so far.

For instance, they likely should have conceded a penalty against Southampton when Abdul Fatawu charged into Conor Chaplin—much like Cameron Burgess’s push on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall last season.

Additionally, while Phillips’ red card was justified, his earlier elbow to Facundo Buonanotte’s neck could have seen him dismissed sooner.

There is a risk that Leicester’s fortune may eventually run out, with fewer favorable moments to bail them out.

The team’s underlying stats do not suggest sustained success or a rise out of the lower table toward mid-table security.

However, Leicester does possess certain strengths: they have reliable finishers, an outstanding goalkeeper, and a knack for delivering in crucial moments.

For now, they are covering up their weaknesses well enough to get by.

If they continue to “paper over the cracks” effectively, they might just hold things together until season’s end.