Foxes Gunned Down On Boxing Day

Peter Gilbert 26.12.00

Driving down, I was entertained on the radio by the annual fox hunting debate where a reference was made to Leicester City by the 'landed gentry' Arsenal fan who was of course in favour of exterminating what he called 'this most distasteful of creatures.' He spoke of 'country people' and suggested that if it wasn't for the heroics of him and his chums we would be infested by this vermin and presumably we'd all be eaten alive. Although how you can be a 'country person' and an Arsenal fan I really don't know. We're talking North London here.

The walk to the ground is in fact very pleasant and lots of people deck their front gardens out, not with Christmas decorations but with stalls where you can buy coffee, or hot dogs or scarves or whatever. Fortunately I made it to the ground without a fox attacking me.

It was a cold day with a chill North Easterly wind adding to the effect. City were decked out in their all blue kit but the first few minutes of the game saw the red and white team on the offensive. An intelligent ball out of defence by Oakes set Akinbiyi free to retaliate. Looking at the team sheet the contest wasn't so much Foxes v The Gunners but Britain v The Rest of the World.

Our major hope seemed to stem from the fact that their forward line was not having the best of times. It was good to Matt Elliot in the line up after his gashed shin needed stitches just three days ago.After only 10 mins. it was very much backs to the wall and these Arsenal players looked hungry to regain their credibility after a humiliating defeat on their last outing. Tim Flowers was busier than in any other match I could recall all season.At this stage it was only a matter of time before Arsenal would score and then a question of how many when suddenlt Adams made a mistake at the back which Akinbiyi seized upon but his effort was beaten away by Manninger. So we weren't totally out of it.Were we ?

After 15 mins. Arsenal were taking their 5th corner and the Foxes were trying desperately to retain organisation and weather the storm. We could have done with a second ball on the pitch so that we could have something to play with whilst Arsenal got on with their game. The long ball out of defence was not helping as we inevitably lost possession and for some reason has become a feature of our play during the last two games. Our only hope appeared to be to bore the Gunners into submission, if we could get them blazing away to no effect, they might just give up and go home.

An injury to Izzett gave us some respite, the stretcher bearers came on but left without a victim. The Arsenal crowd were at least becoming subdued.

When the goal came Arsenal scored it - a cleanly hit volley by Henri on the edge of the box which flew past Tim Flowers without him being able to react. Yet another corner saw Tim Flowers react smartly to a flick from Viera.

Gerry Taggart went off after spending several minutes limping and Guppy came on. City would now need to change their system but even so it didn't produce anything which liberated us to play some football and string a few passes together. The football such as it was became desultory from A City point of view and when half time it was as if we were for a short while at least to be put out of our misery.

The sky grew heavy the chill wind dropped down a gear - would it rain or would it snow?

City's reorganisation saw Rowett go to left back, Sinclair to right back with Elliott and amazingly Jones as the centre backs in a 4-4-2 formation with Impey, Guppy. Savage and Oakes in midfield which Izzett tried to link to our forward player Akinbiyi.

Vierra added a second on 50 mins after a smooth move which exposed Matthew Jones as a centre back in what looked rather like a boy trying to do man's job.

Oakes went off Benjamin came on, Izzett went into midfield. Surely someone would have to replace Jones at centre back to give us a more plausible line up.

Then Benjamin against all the odds had a header on goal from a Guppy free kick which Maninger messed up and Akinbiyi planted the ball into the back of the net for his 5th goal of the season.

Arsenal retaliated and forced Flowers into a smart save. From the corner Adams hit the post.

A poor back pass from Dixon was chased down by Benjamin but it ran away from him.

Pirez dived in the box to demonstrate just how fragile the Arsenal dividing line was between total supremacy and mindless panic. Surely if we could hit back at them, string a few passes together and apply some pressure they just might capitulate.

But a long ball forward saw Henri get goal side of Elliott who pulled at his shirt but the Frenchman wriggled free to slot home his second and Arsenal's third goal of the match.

The Arsenal crowd woke up to become their nauseatingly arrogant worst and their team began to look very good indeed whereas City looked a tattered and forlorn outfit who just wanted to end the game with some level of respectability.

Inevitably a fourth Arsenal goal went in.

A breakout by Akinbiyi came to nothing; his shot was wild and he might have been better to have squared the ball to an unmarked Benjamin who'd made a run into the box.

Henri completed his hat trick after rounding Tim Flowers.

Let's go home.

Adams it was I think that made it six.

Let me out of here I never did like Arsenal.

Thank you ref. for blowing the whistle and thank you Tim Flowers for coming up to our end to wish us a Happy New Year.

So the toff on the radio I heard on the way down would now be cheering as the vermin was dealt with.

Flowers: A busy afternoon at the office

Rowett: Didn't have a restful Boxing Day

Sinclair: Wasn't happy to be back in London.

Taggart: Limped off in the first half.

Elliott: Played like King Canute trying unsuccessfully to hold back the incoming tide.

Impey: Very busy

Savage: Strangely quiet, couldn't even get the crowd to boo him.

Jones: A bizarre afternoon's work which saw him complete the game as a centre back, he'd have been just as effective in goal.

Oakes: He was over run, couldn't win the ball.

Izzett: Swept aside

Akinbiyi : Scored a goal but looked miserable.

subs

Guppy: OK

Benjamin: Musn't grumble

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