Leicester City looked clueless and disjointed in a demoralising 3-0 loss at Southampton on Sunday. The Foxes are still winless away in the Premier League this season and if the display at St Mary's is anything to go by, their woe on the road won't change any time soon.
Positives
None, aside from the fact Leicester remain five clear of the relegation zone.
Negatives
The champions look so negative -- a shadow of the side who came from 2-0 down to earn a point in the corresponding fixture last season. Wes Morgan is not only failing to lead but becoming a liability at the back and Jamie Vardy appears utterly disinterested. A once fearless side now look increasingly forlorn.
Manager rating out of 10
2 -- The "Tinkerman" is well and truly back. Claudio Ranieri fielded a back three in the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea and trialled a diamond formation against Southampton. It didn't work.
Shinji Okazaki didn't look comfortable at the tip of it and Demarai Gray isn't a striker. It wasn't a terrible idea to pick Wilfred Ndidi, Nampalys Mendy and Danny Drinkwater, but the logical call would have been to employ them in a 4-5-1, with Gray on the right and the dropped Marc Albrighton on the left.
This would have given Leicester genuine width and provided more service for Vardy. Plus, if the formation didn't work, there was the easy option to take off a central-midfielder and bring on Okazaki or Ahmed Musa as a second striker in a 4-4-2. Ranieri was right to admit the defeat was his fault. He just has to pick a formation and stick to it.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Kasper Schmeichel, 6 -- Nothing the Dane could have done about any of the goals. One of the few Foxes players who is leading by example.
DF Danny Simpson, 3 -- Totally outclassed by Dusan Tadic. Allowed Southampton to put in far too many deliveries from their left.
DF Robert Huth, 3 -- Should have done better in the air for Southampton's killer second goal.
DF Wes Morgan, 2 -- One of his worst performances for the club, let alone this season. Put through his own net but got bailed out by the assistant referee. On a nightmare afternoon, he then gave away a sloppy penalty. It feels like he's in the side because of the captain's armband and not on merit at the moment.
DF Christian Fuchs, 3 -- Fortunate not to be punished when his dreadful back pass set free Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who squandered a fine chance to score.
MF Wilfred Ndidi, 5 -- Didn't relish playing in a diamond. City's lack of width gave him very little space or options to pass to and he struggled as a result.
MF Nampalys Mendy, 3 -- Taken off at half time after failing to influence the game. Lacked both spacial awareness and tenacity.
MF Danny Drinkwater, 5 -- One of the few Leicester players to improve in the second half, but still failed to create much.
FW Shinji Okazaki, 3 -- Had no idea how to anchor the midfield diamond -- a role that would have been better suited to someone like Musa or even Andy King.
FW Demarai Gray, 4 -- Lively but infuriating. Gets into so many promising positions but rarely finds a final ball. Has to mature and quickly if he's to remain in the side.
FW Jamie Vardy, 3 -- May as well have watched the game from the stands, that's how little impact he had.
Substitutes:
MF Marc Albrighton, 5 -- Should never have been left on the bench. Did his best to add a bit of quality but didn't see enough of the ball.
FW Ahmed Musa, 4 -- Continues to be thrown in and out of the side with no rhyme or reason which is why he can't settle at the club. Given he scored twice in a 2-1 win at Everton in the FA Cup on Jan. 7, Leicester's last away victory, he really deserved to start.