Claude Puel’s astute management is helping Riyad Mahrez to blossom once more at Leicester City. Photograph: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

How Claude Puel calmed Leicester down and carried them up the table

This article is more than 6 years old

Leicester’s defence was struggling but Puel has helped them put together a run of five games without conceding a goal

By Martin Laurence for WhoScored, part of the Sport Network

When Leicester City appointed Claude Puel to replace Craig Shakespeare, the news was met with a little bemusement. He had won the Ligue 1 title at Monaco but that was nearly 20 years ago and he failed to win over Southampton fans last season. Puel’s dismissal, which was welcomed by many supporters on the south coast, now seems more than a touch harsh. Southampton were were narrowly beaten in the League Cup final and finished eighth in the Premier League last season; they are now in the relegation zone, having failed to win any of their last 11 league games.

Puel’s single season at Southampton gave him an introduction to the Premier League and Leicester are now reaping the benefits of that experience. When he took the job in October, Leicester were 14th in the league with just two wins in their opening nine league games. They are now seventh in the table, having not lost – or conceded a goal – in any competition this year.

Puel was criticised for being too negative at Southampton but his defensive organisation has improved Leicester. When the club won the league in 2015-16, their defence was superb, conceding just 36 goals in 38 games. Neither Claudio Ranieri nor Shakespeare could maintain that solidity. In Ranieri’s ill-fated second season at the club, they shipped 1.7 goals per game, which was only reduced to 1.6 under his replacement.

Things are going in the right direction under Puel. Leicester have conceded just 1.2 goals per game in his 15 matches so far. They are now conceding fewer shots (12.9 per game) than they did in the season they won the league (13.6) – a figure that shot up to 15.7 during Shakespeare’s reign. Intriguingly, they are conceding fewer goals while also making fewer tackles and interceptions. They have only made 9.9 interceptions per game this season – less than half what they averaged in 2015-16 (21.6). The players are in less of a hurry to regain possession but they are remaining solid nonetheless. Their 2-0 win over Watford on Saturday was their fifth consecutive clean sheet in all competitions.

Some of Leicester’s spending on forwards has been wasteful in recent seasons but they have a knack of recruiting good defensive players. Robert Huth (£3m), Christian Fuchs (free), N’Golo Kanté (£5.5m), Wilfred Ndidi (£15m) and Harry Maguire (£17m) have all been smart acquisitions. Maguire has been key to a newfound willingness to play out from the back – only 17% of Leicester’s passes are long now compared to 20% under the two previous managers – while Vicente Iborra and Adrien Silva have added experience and composure to the midfield.

Opposing teams worked out how to play against Leicester and Puel’s predecessors failed to adapt. Shakespeare was understandably keen to return to the tactics that had won them the title, but key players had departed and opponents were wise to their approach. The quality of the football stagnated and the star performers who still in the squad were unable to sparkle.

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Leicester were in need of a facelift and Puel has duly obliged. They remain a threat on the counterattack but the manager has urged his players to show more patience. Too often they were in a rush to get the ball forward, which put a huge amount of responsibility on Jamie Vardy – who was not given the same quality of service after Kanté and Danny Drinkwater moved to Chelsea.

Leicester’s average for possession dropped to a new low of 41.1% before Puel’s arrival. They have never dominated possession – they saw just 42.6% of the ball in the season they won the league – but that figure has been decreasing steadily over the last few years. Puel has altered their approach, with their share of possession rising drastically to 47.5%. They averaged around 250 passes per game under both Ranieri and Shakespeare, but they now attempt over 300, at an improved (if still modest) 75% accuracy.

The new regime is showing more faith in the players’ technical abilities, which is only wise given the calibre of the squad. The new approach has helped Riyad Mahrez, who is no longer being bypassed in the rush to get the ball in behind opposing defences. That tactic had become too predictable but the new, slower approach means that, when Mahrez does burst into life, he is able to catch defenders off guard. Keeping the winger will be a huge task – and finding his replacement could be an ever bigger one – but at least confidence is returning under Puel. Last season he was criticised for adopting a style that was perceived as too laboured and cautious, but the sense of calm he has brought to this Leicester squad is working wonders.