Match Day Thread Leicester City Vs Sunderland: Official Not 606 Match Thread

Leicester City Vs Sunderland

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Preview
The opening game of the 2015/16 season is finally upon us. There's been a different feel around the Stadium of Light this Summer. For the first time you get the sense that the Chairman, Director of Football and Head Coach are genuinely working well together with what appears to be a strong professional relationship which is yielding results.

Last season, before Dick had even re-signed up, he echoed many of our sentiments in the need to significantly improve our playing staff. With that we've seen a stream of players enter the Academy, scarves a loft. Where past transfer acquisitions seemed to reveal little in terms of foresight and forward planning, this window has been different. So far it's undeniably apparent we have a Head Coach who knows what he wants with a Director of Football who knows how to get it, as for once all our signings actually make sense.

A solid but aging defence has now been complemented with acquisitions the right side of 30, add to that an injection of pace and depth among our defensive ranks gives us a very healthy options at the back. At the attacking end of the pitch our new Dutch International will bring a much needed pace and direct attacking intent. With Lee Congerton still working hard with three weeks remaining of the window there should be more attacking numbers to be added to our ranks in the near future. Then we have our Midfield, an area not thought to be an area of concentration, but some concerning pre-season performances led some decisive actions in the transfer market. In comes Jann M'vila, a french international who just two years ago had the world at his feet. 30 million price tags were bandied about with a queue of suitors to pay it, but a poor career choice and some disciplinary problems has seen his career stall. The loan makes it risk free for Sunderland, where as Yann must surely see this loan as the last chance saloon to reignite his career. If the Little General can't get him back on the straight and narrow, performing to his best then who can?

It's not a squad that's suddenly going to transform our fortunes and turn us into world beaters, but from the outside looking in it's hard to argue against the ideal that the club is finally starting to progress and improve after season up on season of stagnation which has led to constant flirtation with relegation.

But while we've been strengthening, so have others. Saturday will see us open the campaign with a very tough away trip to last season's escapologists Leicester City who's fine run of form saw them pull away from the drop zone in very much the same spirit as ourselves in the 13/14 season. The Foxes have also moved to strengthen their back line bringing in trio Robert Huth, Christian Fuchs and Yohan Benalouane. Shinji Okazaki has come in to provide competition to the forwards while N'Gola Kante will add something different to the Midfield. However, Leicester have yet to find an adequate replacement for Esteban Cambiasso. Though plenty of time remains for new boss Claudio Ranieri to address this problem, it is a golden opportunity for Sunderland to exploit such a weakness and boss the Midfield.

Match Appointments
Referee: Lee Mason
Assistants: P Kirkup & I Hussin
Fourth Official: M Dean

Leicester City Team News
But for long term absentee Matty James who's out until Christmas, Leicester City can boast a fully fit squad for the opening encounter at the King Power Stadium.
Sunderland Team News​

Jordi Gomez remains out with a fractured kneecap. Danny Graham could also miss out after picking up a knock. Yann M'Vila has signed in time to play, though a lack of fitness means he'll miss the opener at the King Power. Other than that Sunderland can boast a fully fit squad which could field a possible 6 league debutants when you consider youngsters Duncan Watmore and Tom Beadling. New signing Jeremain Lens is expected to start .

Previous Meetings
01 Oct 2000 Sunderland 0-0 Leicester City D Premier League
24 Feb 2001 Leicester City 2-0 Sunderland L Premier League
03 Nov 2001 Leicester City 1-0 Sunderland L Premier League
01 Apr 2002 Sunderland 2-1 Leicester City W Premier League
13 Nov 2004 Leicester City 0-1 Sunderland W Championship
23 Apr 2005 Sunderland 2-1 Leicester City W Championship
16 Sep 2006 Sunderland 1-1 Leicester City D Championship
01 Jan 2007 Leicester City 0-2 Sunderland W Championship
22 Nov 2014 Leicester City 0-0 Sunderland D Premier League
16 May 2015 Sunderland 0-0 Leicester City D Premier League

Pre-season
Leicester City

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Lincoln City 1-3 Leicester City
Mansfield Town 1-1 Leicester City
Burton Albion 1-2 Leicester City
Rotherham United 1-2 Leicester City
Birmingham City 2-3 Leicester City

Sunderland

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Darlington 2-4 Sunderland
Sacramento Republic 1-0 Sunderland
Pachuca 3-1 Sunderland
Toronto FC 1-2 Sunderland
Doncaster Rovers 2-0 Sunderland
Hannover 96 0-1 Sunderland

Last Corresponding Fixture
Premier League
22nd November 2014
Leicester City 0-0 Sunderland​

Vardy

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, de Laet

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​

Larsson

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, Cattermole

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, Fletcher

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​

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Spotlight

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All eyes will be on new signing Jeremain Lens this Saturday after a couple of head turning performances in pre-season, the Sunderland faithful will be hoping he can hit the ground running both with his creativity, and his goal scoring threat. The dutch international has a knack of getting involved with goals either creative or scoring close to the rate of once every two games throughout his career.

Stream
http://firstrowusa.eu/
Betting
http://www.oddschecker.com/football/english/premier-league/leicester-v-sunderland/winner
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HAWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

 

Brilliant mate

Haway The Lads!!!

 

Excited.

 

Funky, Ive gone for the draw, as always an awaay point is a good point.
However I reserve the right to call a fantastiic start with all 3 points IF The new boy/s (Lens in particular) gel straight away.

KTF

 

Can't ****ing wait

And straight after the game drive to Rotterdam to see feyenoord hopefully win aswel

 

At least put some ****ing effort into it mate!

Just the usual awesome **** won't do anymore!!

ps.... Nice one Funky!!

 

Every graphic and word was crafted by my own fair hands

 

The match thread!

Now it`s sunk in.

Top work Bri.

 

Hawaayyyy! Bring on Saturday!

 

Well done mate. You have a gift for this sort of thing.

You ain't stupid, you should be looking to make this turn into pounds shilling and pence.!

 

I intend to fella, this is also on Roker Report, nearly 500 people have read it already, Every publication is a portfolio entry for my CV. Soon as I get moved I'll be setting about an access course to get me into sports journalism

 

Well done mate. You have a gift for this sort of thing!!

There must be a way to make some pennies from this?

If you already are, kudos! If not, get off you're arse now and get it sorted!

 

Oops I hit post while I was in the middle of writing!

 

Season opening with a suitable literary fanfare. When you become a journo though just make you are not biased!

 

A few years ago I played in a Captains Day at my golf club with David Walsh as my partner, the guy who took down Lance Armstrong.

An awesome sports journalist and such an honest, unbecoming guy!

We spent the first 9 holes discussing MoN. He knows the family and had nothing but good things to say at the time.

I always had the feeling he was holding something back, but he was such a gentlemen I couldn't push it.

If you can make a living in sports journalism mate, go for it! It's still a bastion of integrity for the most part, so go for it!

 

Think I'd be moving more to multimedia graphics and statistics anyway fella.

 

My mistake but still good luck, but you do have a talent for semantics as well as the graphics.

 

Ta mate, whos know what I'll do fella, Modern history appeals massively to me too so will also be studying that. I'm hoping I'll be naturally drawn towards the area to be as I study.

 

Thanks for the invite over FD. Gone for the draw myself, as I wouldnt be surprised if home and away ends up even. For those who are travelling down, safe journey and enjoy the atmosphere at the KP cos it was (literally) rocking at the back end of last season.