Leicester City Fan View: With the FA Cup dream over, what now for the Foxes?

Leicester City’s only chance of a trophy for the season is over. The FA Cup defeat to Chelsea is disappointing, more so due to us gifting Antonio Conte’s men two easy goals. It leaves the Foxes with a bit of a slow end to the season ahead. What now for Leicester City?

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Claude Puel will look to plan for next season while finishing the best of the rest

Position wise, the best we can hope for is to climb two places. Realistically, it’s more likely one place. Leaving us little to play for. That’s not a complaint, given our season start, to be relatively comfortable and allowed the luxury of planning ahead is fine. It just feels like a time for transition as we try and shake the constant talk of that title season and balance our current aims.

Claude Puel is still in his first season with us. He’s had just the one transfer window so far and the January one tends to be a frustration. With our remaining fixtures, to go out with as many wins as possible is preferable. Puel also needs to have a plan in motion for where we’re going and how we can progress. The gradual transition to a possession based side will continue, perhaps bringing in a player or two who can help with the change.

Thoughts will be on making the step up to a Europa League side. While FA Cup success would have granted us an earlier shot at that, we may be thankful for the chance to strengthen and work towards it.

Marc Albrighton digs deep for Leicester City

Not always appreciated within Leicester City, let alone outside of the club, Marc Albrighton had a superb game against Chelsea. He’s a player who always gives maximum effort, few challenge that. Having been asked to perform multiple roles per match and generally thrown in wherever required, he’s struggled on occasion this season.

A worthy recipient for the Foxes’ Man of the Match in this FA Cup tie, it was Albrighton back at his best. Even a bloodied nose didn’t hold him back. He was covering every inch of the pitch and sending in countless balls for our forwards.

Albrighton is a player who surprises many, including Puel who likely didn’t expect the winger to be such a prominent inclusion, yet he trusts him with various roles and wants to work with him to improve him more. The winger is still without an England cap, but is not the type to sulk about it. Vital to this Leicester side, he should feature strongly again in any progression for Leicester.

Another goal for Jamie Vardy as he looks to lead England front-line

It’s a week with a big chance for Jamie Vardy. With Harry Kane on the sidelines for a while, Vardy should be the focal point for Gareth Southgate’s England side. He bagged yet another goal for the Foxes as his form continues to improve. Good news for both us and England.

With the World Cup looming, Southgate will be looking for players to impress him, be it newly capped ones or the likes of Vardy. For Vardy it’s his chance to show what he can offer and what may help England out come June. Whether Kane makes it back in time or not, Vardy should be included in Russia in some way.

The striker isn’t the only Leicester player who’ll probably feature. Harry Maguire’s first season for the Foxes has been impressive. So much so that his place in the squad going to Russia is all but cemented. He’s been getting ahead of the likes of Gary Cahill and his contribution is likely to test another partnership or formation. Maguire and Vardy give Foxes fans an extra reason to countdown to the World Cup.

It’s still March so there’s no reason our domestic season cannot end on a high, it just feels like it’s a case of counting down to international focus and then a pre-season certain to bring changes.