Can Dean Smith restore some consistency at Leicester City?

Leicester City finally have a new manager installed, but it’s probably not a name Foxes fans were expecting. Dean Smith is the man tasked with overseeing the first team until the end of the season, and it’s fair to say the appointment has not exactly filled Leicester’s supporters with confidence. Smith’s eventual demise at Aston Villa, followed by a disappointing spell at Norwich City, are not exactly sure-fire signs that the Englishman has what it takes to get the Foxes firing.

After talks with Jesse Marsch broke down, as well as a failed approach for Rafael Benitez, Leicester have turned to Smith to try and steady a ship that is slowly sinking. Brendan Rodgers’ sacking seemed like an inevitability, after a run of eight games without a win. That spell included an FA Cup 5^th round home defeat to Championship Blackburn Rovers, which dashed any chance of Leicester finishing the season on a high.

Given the lack of transfer activity last summer at the King Power Stadium, it’s perhaps unsurprising that the football turned a bit stale. It’s not that long ago that Leicester were challenging for Champions League football, missing out on the top four on the final day of successive seasons, but even though the majority of that squad are still around, the lack of investment and improvement has had a costly effect.

With so much money in the Premier League, and with each club now possessing plenty of spending power, a period of stagnation can quickly lead to a plunge down the table. That is what’s happened to Leicester this season, and the result is that they’ve been dragged into a relegation quagmire along with a handful of other clubs. There’s no doubt that football odds tonight will be tipping Leicester to go down.

Smith’s job will be to restore some consistency, and hopefully put enough points on the board to be able to lift Leicester out of the muddy waters of relegation. He is a positive coach with excellent man-management skills who will bring an immediate lift in spirits to the squad, something that is clearly badly needed. It’s also worth remembering that there was a spell during his time at Aston Villa where they were a formidable force in the Premier League. The 7-2 victory over Liverpool back in 2020 is a prime example of just how well a Dean Smith side can play.

Leicester have some fantastic individuals in their squad, and frankly they shouldn’t be anywhere near the relegation places. Perhaps a fresh perspective and a new voice in the dressing room will be enough for those players to dust themselves down and start producing the form we all know they’re capable of.

There have been some performances from Leicester this season where they have shown their quality, notably the 4-1 home win over Tottenham Hotspur back in February. Indeed, many felt that result would be the turning point for the Foxes’ season, but it didn’t pan out that way.

Smith’s job will be to try and uncover the spark of that performance and find a way for Leicester to play like that with more consistency. It’s a big task, but Smith has never been one to shy away from a challenge.