adminRussell Martin has left Leicester City supporters with even more questions following the Foxes’ embarrassing 4-0 defeat to Oxford United at the King Power Stadium.
Leicester went into the game hoping to build on their first League One victory of the season against Plymouth Argyle, but instead produced a performance that quickly turned into another nightmare for the supporters.
Oxford United took advantage of Leicester’s poor display, with Mark Harris scoring twice before Mo Missanga and Jamie McDonnell completed the rout.
The defeat has now intensified the pressure surrounding Martin, particularly after Leicester’s difficult start to life in League One.
But while supporters were left furious inside the King Power Stadium, Martin’s post-match reaction was perhaps the part that will concern some fans the most.
The Leicester boss admitted that his team had fallen well below the required standard.
“We have to be so much better than that. It’s a real wake-up call,” Martin said after the match.
He admitted that Leicester lacked the energy, aggression and fight required during the opening stages and accepted that the performance was simply not good enough.
Martin also revealed that the players would review the defeat together and identify exactly what went wrong.
And then came the words that could leave Leicester supporters particularly frustrated.
After admitting that he did not expect to feel any better after watching the match back, Martin apologised to everyone connected with the club.
“I apologise to everyone. The staff, they don’t deserve that. The fans. We have to be so much better,” he said.
However, despite acknowledging the seriousness of the defeat, Martin insisted that he remains calm about the situation.
“It’s why I can be calm about it,” he added, while stressing that the 4-0 defeat was “not acceptable” and that Leicester must improve.
That combination of an apology and his insistence that he is calm could be the biggest talking point for Leicester fans.
The Foxes have now suffered two defeats in their opening five league matches and remain near the bottom end of the League One table, leaving supporters increasingly concerned about whether Martin’s possession-heavy approach is capable of producing the results expected at Leicester.
Some fans are already questioning whether the manager should still be in charge by October if he refuses to change his slow and ponderous style of play.
One supporter has even suggested that Rob Edwards could provide a more “no-nonsense” approach at third-tier level, while calling Leicester’s performances against Burton and Oxford a “shameful” surrender.
The same supporter believes Leicester need to use their wingers more effectively and get the ball into Emil Riis and Admir Bristric.
For now, however, Martin remains in charge and appears determined to turn things around.
The Leicester boss believes the defeat can become a turning point, saying the players and staff must ensure that this is “the worst we feel all season.”
Whether that message will reassure supporters remains to be seen.
After a 4-0 home defeat, just one league victory from the opening five matches and growing frustration over the team’s style of football, Martin knows the pressure will only increase if results do not improve quickly.
admin
Abdulhafiz Teslim
