Claudio Ranieri, the Leicester City manager, compared Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth team to an “orchestra” after Saturday’s match and claimed that his own side are still in rehearsal.
Considering that they remain unbeaten after four matches and showed the resilience at the Vitality Stadium to come from behind to take a point that might have been three, you wonder what is possible when their new Italian conductor gets them fully in tune.
“I have been working with them just one month, and then it is more difficult for me to make an orchestra,” Ranieri said.
“It was important to take a point and after that we have time to make some good songs. Sometimes we play very well with my ideas, sometimes they forget. It’s normal at the beginning. Now it’s my job to make repetition, repetition, repetition so they can play like Bournemouth, because Bournemouth are very well organised.”
Jamie Vardy grew into the role of soloist. Isolated in the first half, when Bournemouth took the lead with Callum Wilson’s fourth goal in two matches, Vardy received better service as Leicester found their rhythm in the second. He scored the equaliser from the penalty spot after his run had been ended by Steve Cook’s rash challenge.
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Vardy could have had another penalty when he appeared to be fouled by Marc Pugh and although seen limping around backstage with ice on a leg after the challenge, he is expected to be fit for England duty. “I love him,” Ranieri said. “Jamie is Jamie. He is dead but he wants to fight.”
Bournemouth’s harmony was disrupted by injuries that forced them to use three different left backs and replace Max Gradel, one of their most dangerous attackers, while Eunan O’Kane learnt a harsh lesson. Otherwise a man-of-the-match contender, he was caught in possession by Vardy before he went on the run that brought the penalty.
But Howe will not be changing his team’s approach. “You’re going to have less time on the ball and every mistake is going to be at a potentially higher risk of being punished,” he said.
“We’ve got some very good technical players and certainly if there’s any goals conceded from giving the ball away in tight areas, I’ll take the blame because that’s how I want my players to play.”
Ratings
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Bournemouth (4-4-2): A Boruc 7 — S Francis 7, T Elphick 6, S Cook 6, C Daniels 6 (sub: T Mings, 46min; sub: A Smith, 56 5) — M Ritchie 5, E O’Kane 6, A Surman 6, M Gradel 6 (sub: M Pugh, 67) — C Wilson 6, L Tomlin 5. Substitutes not used: A Federici, S MacDonald, Y Kermorgant, S Distin. Booked: Gradel, O’Kane.
Leicester City (4-2-3-1): K Schmeichel 6 — R De Laet 6 (sub: Y Benaloune, 90), R Huth 6, W Morgan 7, J Schlupp 7 — D Drinkwater 6, A King 6 — R Mahrez 5 (sub: S Okazaki, 46 6), N Kante 6, M Albrighton 6 (sub: J Doodoo, 72) — J Vardy 7. Substitutes not used: M Schwarzer, L Ulloa, C Fuchs, G Inler. Booked: De Laet, King, Huth.
Window box
Bournemouth Injuries to Max Gradel, Tyrone Mings and Charlie Daniels on Saturday have left Bournemouth weak on the left side, so any reinforcements will be in that area.
Leicester Claudio Ranieri said: “I expect nothing, but if someone arrives I will be happy.” A wide player is the likeliest target, especially if Arsenal pursue their reported interest in Riyad Mahrez.