Claude Puel’s set-up “backfired spectacularly” in Leicester City’s defeat to Southampton, former Premier League defender Danny Higginbotham has said.
Used to great effect at Chelsea and Everton, City manager Puel opted for three defensive midfielders in a 4-3-3 system at the King Power Stadium on Saturday, despite the Saints’ lowly position.
And while Puel said the formation was not a factor in the 2-1 loss, former Derby and Stoke centre-back Higginbotham was baffled by the line-up.
“He set up with three defensive midfielders in a 4-3-3 at home — and it backfired spectacularly,” he wrote in his column for the Sun.
“I just can’t fathom why he would start with Nampalys Mendy, Wilfred Ndidi and Hamza Choudhury in a game like that.
“He could have played James Maddison deeper, knowing he will always play it forward.
“(The formation) makes perfect sense in games where you are going to spend plenty of time defending and will be looking to play on the counter.
Higginbotham claimed then when Choudhury, Mendy or Ndidi got on the ball, “their first option was to look sideways or backwards far too often.
However, the stats show that before Mendy was substituted, the trio played 25 forward passes, 15 sideways and 10 backwards.
With 10-man Southampton sitting back and defending their lead in the second period, City finished the match with 72 per cent possession.
That this was not accompanied by any points was another sign of Leicester’s profligacy, said Higginbotham.
“They have had more possession in seven of their 11 games at home, but have won only one of those,” he said. “Which just shows how unproductive they have been with the ball.
“The problem Puel has is the large majority of fans will only see home games.
“You can’t approach a game with Southampton as you would against Manchester City.