Champions to Relegation?

It was 3rd May 2016 and we were witnessing one of the greatest sporting stories ever told when Chelsea drew with Spurs, sending the title to The King Power Stadium. It was and will continue to be one of the most astounding sports stories.

Fast forward eight months and Leicester are languishing in 16th place. So where has it gone wrong?

Leicester's defence has been terrible this year, already conceding more goals this season than for the entirety of their Championship winning season. That tally has hit 38 goals conceded in only 23 games compared to 37 last season.

At the other end, the Foxes have failed to make an impact in the back of the net. Vardy's return for the side is only 5 goals in 19 games followed by Mahrez with 3 goals and only 2 assists. Big summer signing Islam Slimani has only managed 5 goals after his $42m transfer from Sporting CP.

Much of their success last season was built on their solidity at the back and their bursting runs on the counter attack. Twinkle-toed Vardy receiving a pin-point pass from Mahrez or Kante was a common sight. Their pace and deadly finishing became something to be feared when facing the Foxes. This was no more evident than with Jamie Vardy's Premier League record of scoring in 11 consecutive fixtures breaking Ruud Van Nistelrooy's long standing record.

Kante along with Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez, were the core drivers pushing the Foxes towards success.

When underrated players needed to stand up and be counted, they were there. Leonardo Ulloa, Shinji Okazaki, Danny Drinkwater and Mark Albrighton epitomised 'team players' in sacrificing their own personal ambition for the greater good of the team.

Before the start of this season though, the Foxes' midfield general N'golo Kante departed for Chelsea and this would, on reflection, have a devastating effect on the team. Leicester found a willing replacement in un-heralded Frenchman Nampalys Mendy from OGC Nice.

Leicester's two main arrivals have both struggled for their new team. Slimani has battled in front of goal and Mendy's contribution to the team has been questionable. He started one game before injuring himself and being sidelined for three months. On his return, he sat on the bench for a number of games before making his return to the first team at the start of the New Year. We are yet to see the same impact that Kante had on the side but in fairness, Mendy does need an extended run in the first XI to prove himself.

Opposition teams have cracked onto their style of play and adjusted their strategy to combat this. Leicester though haven't tweaked their's and as such find themselves well and truly in the relegation battle. In the middle of the park, Kante's departure has left Leicester without a dominant midfielder that can impose themselves on the contest and control the play. This has a flow on effect going forward and on the other players in the midfield.

Ranieri has a battle on his hands over the next few months to change Leicester's fortunes or we could see the Foxes going from Champions to being relegated within one season.

For those who are interested, the last team to do this was Manchester City in the old First Division. They won the title in 1936/37 and were then relegated the following season despite scoring the most goals in the league.

Images shown are not owned by Premier Plays