JibrinLeicester City’s promotion dreams are being CRUSHED before their very eyes—and the treatment room at Belvoir Drive now resembles a war zone after TWO MORE stars were added to an already horrifying casualty list.
The Foxes limped through Saturday’s 1-1 stalemate with Ipswich, but the REAL damage happened before a ball was even kicked. Fran Vieites and Jeremy Monga became the latest victims of what fans are now calling the “King Power Curse,” taking the total of first-team players sidelined to a staggering SEVEN .
Let that sink in. SEVEN. In a Championship relegation battle where squad depth is meant to count, Leicester are effectively turning up to a gunfight with one arm tied behind their backs.
THE GROWING CASUALTY LIST:
Player Position Injury Status
Asmir Begovic Goalkeeper Ankle strain In protective boot, out “a good few weeks”
Fran Vieites Goalkeeper Twisted knee Injured in training Friday, ruled out of Ipswich clash
Jannik Vestergaard Centre-back Knock Sidelined
Harry Souttar Centre-back Achilles tendon Long-term absentee
Victor Kristiansen Left-back Unknown Sidelined
Aaron Ramsey Attacking midfield Hamstring Out since mid-February
Jeremy Monga Left-wing Minor injury Ruled out of Ipswich draw
THE GOALKEEPING NIGHTMARE
The crisis between the sticks tells its own horror story. Veteran shot-stopper Asmir Begovic is currently wearing a protective boot after rolling his ankle in the warm-up before the Norwich defeat—an injury boss Gary Rowett confirmed will keep him out for “a good few weeks” . The 38-year-old was spotted in a protective boot, leaving his season—and potentially his Leicester career—hanging by a thread .
With Begovic crocked, Fran Vieites was scheduled to serve as back-up to Jakub Stolarczyk for the Ipswich fixture. But in a cruel twist that smells of pure misfortune, the Spaniard twisted his knee during Friday’s training session and was forced to withdraw .
That left Leicester with NO choice but to ransack the Under-21s, with teenage goalkeeper Harry French—born September 2005—included in a senior matchday squad for the very first time . The 19-year-old kid has zero senior appearances to his name, yet suddenly finds himself ONE INJURY AWAY from being thrown into a Championship relegation battle.
BUT WAIT—IT GETS WORSE
The defensive department is equally decimated. Jannik Vestergaard and Harry Souttar—both centre-backs who’d expect to be starters—are watching from the treatment room . Victor Kristiansen is also sidelined, meaning the backline Leicester fans expected to see is now a distant memory .
In midfield, Aaron Ramsey’s hamstring issue has kept him out since mid-February, while Jeremy Monga joined the casualty list with a minor problem that ruled him out of the Ipswich clash . Hamza Choudhury has only just returned to fitness after his own spell on the sidelines .
ROWETT’S BRUTAL HONESTY
Following the 1-1 draw, manager Gary Rowett didn’t hide from the grim reality: “Fran twisted his knee yesterday so that’s a blow with Asmir out, (those injuries) in quick succession. Jez it’s a little injury as well, so we’re just going to have to look after him” .
“Louis, I just felt for this type of game that I needed more experience on the bench. We had Joe (Aribo) in there, JJ (Jordan James), Hamza. We had three players who can go in the middle of the pitch.
“He’s a really good player, Louis, he’s a lovely young player with great balance. But it needs must at this stage of the season and we’re going to have to make some of those decisions.
“Sometimes it’s easier to go for experienced players that have been through those battles before.”
THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE
Vieites and Monga’s injuries mean City now have SEVEN players out currently, with Begovic, Jannik Vestergaard, Harry Souttar, Victor Kristiansen and Aaron Ramsey also sidelined . And here’s the terrifying part—that’s not even counting players like Abdul Fatawu, who recently missed games with a knee “grumble,” or Bobby De Cordova-Reid, who recently served a suspension .
With the transfer window slammed shut and the treatment room bursting at the seams, Rowett is being forced to patch together a starting XI from whatever bodies are still standing. Stolarczyk now stands ALONE as the only fit senior goalkeeper. The defence is threadbare. The midfield is running on fumes.
And while the football world debates expanding the play-offs to six teams , Leicester fans couldn’t care less—because right now, this squad is fighting just to stay alive in the Championship.
Promotion hopes? Right now, survival feels like the only battle worth fighting.
Jibrin
