Leicester City has spent the week in France, intensifying their preparations for the upcoming Premier League season. The training camp in Evian-les-Bains provides new manager Steve Cooper an invaluable opportunity to implement his strategies for the team, while also allowing new summer signings to integrate smoothly into the squad. This setting offers plenty for analysts and fans to observe and dissect.
During this period, several key observations have emerged from the photos and videos released from City’s training sessions. These insights are particularly intriguing as they precede the team’s upcoming friendly match against Shrewsbury, scheduled for next Tuesday.
A significant point of speculation is whether Leicester City will adopt a back four or back five formation at the start of the season. At Nottingham Forest, Cooper utilized both formations but seemed to favor a back five, effectively using wing-backs, especially during their promotion campaign from the Championship.
Recent images from Evian have shown a defensive drill where City appeared to be lining up in a back four formation. In one scenario, the defensive lineup consisted of Ricardo Pereira, Harry Souttar, Conor Coady, and Luke Thomas, from right to left, with Hamza Choudhury positioned as a defensive midfielder ahead of them. Conversely, the other end of the pitch featured Brandon Cover, Ben Nelson, Caleb Okoli, and James Justin, with Harry Winks taking on the holding midfield role.
The attacking setup seemed to involve a group of five players, mirroring the offensive structure employed under previous manager Enzo Maresca. This group included two wingers, two attacking midfielders, and a central striker, highlighting a familiar attacking strategy.
While this particular drill could merely be a warm-up exercise and may not fully represent Cooper’s tactical intentions, it does provide a glimpse into the possible formations City might adopt. As the team continues to train, more clarity on their tactical approach will likely emerge, particularly in the forthcoming match against Shrewsbury.
