Latest news with #MarkCarey
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Crying cowboy builder on benefits can't repay victims but wants to go on holiday
A cowboy builder who is on benefits and has no money to repay his victims asked to go on holiday the day after narrowly avoiding jail. Mark Carey swindled people who contacted his MTC Landscaping and Solutions business on Facebook. It was estimated he caused six victims a loss of more than £11,000 in total by promising work by either never showing up or delivering a substandard service. READ MORE: Judge accuses mum of getting pregnant to avoid jail in blast over contraception The 42-year-old, from Hazelwell Drive, Kings Heath, broke down in tears in the dock at Birmingham Crown Court as he was spared jail on Monday, June 30. He was handed an 11-month sentenced suspended for two years including 30 days rehabilitation activity and a two-month electronically tagged curfew between the hours of 10pm and 7am. Recorder Fiona Clancy asked if the latter requirement would cause any difficulty to Carey. Joey Kwong, defending, explained that 'before his family found about this case' a relative had booked a flight for Carey to depart the UK tomorrow to attend his nephew's wedding. He said: "Mr Carey is well aware he does not deserve to go on this trip but for the sake of his nephew..." At that stage Recorder Clancy interjected and told him: "There is absolutely no way this defendant is going on a holiday abroad when he has defrauded those individuals. "He is lucky to keep his liberty, there's no way. The electronically monitored curfew is going to be imposed." The judge had earlier declared she was 'disgusted' by Carey's offending and expressed 'surprise' he had attended court without belongings to take to prison. She told him he had avoided being jailed by 'the skin of your teeth' after hearing the loss of an unborn child had caused a significant downturn in his mental health, prompting him to abuse alcohol and painkillers at the time. Recorder Clancy also stated she was 'displeased' she could not order Carey to pay compensation to his victims or contribute towards prosecution costs because he was currently not working and only receiving Universal Credit. She reserved any future breaches of the suspended sentence order to herself and said: "If I find out he has breached the order he can attend next time with his bags packed." Addressing Clarey directly Recorder Clancy added: "You are incredibly fortunate not to be going down the stairs today, incredibly. "You turned up without bags, there must have been some expectation of not going down the stairs today. "Don't in any way have sympathy to yourself for the fact you are missing out on a holiday. That's the punitive element required."
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump's tariffs impacting Dallas food businesses
The Brief A Chinese restaurant owner in Dallas says he is doing all he can to avoid raising prices despite tariff concerns. Café Hunan serves traditional Chinese food with original Chinese products such as some sauces and vegetables only produced in China. Carey and others in the restaurant business are hoping the tariff talks are tamped down, and that countries can negotiate amenable solutions. A Chinese restaurant owner in Dallas says he is doing all he can to avoid raising prices despite tariff concerns. The tariffs bring a shrinking profit margin and an increase in worry about what additional planned tariffs might mean for business. A lot of supplies used in the food industry come from China or other places in Southeast Asia. Café Hunan on SMU Boulevard serves traditional Chinese food with original Chinese products such as some sauces and vegetables only produced in China. Owner Mark Carey is concerned that climbing tariffs could really make things tight in the food service industry. Not just food products but the packaging that everyone uses. The majority of it is not produced in this country. Most packaging used in all restaurants comes from China. This impacts not only what comes from China, but also Mexico. Stuff that you just can't get in America. What they're saying Carey and others in the restaurant business are hoping the tariff talks are tamped down, and that countries can negotiate amenable solutions. "It's going to just exponentially raise the prices on every dish. There's no two ways about it if that happens," said Carey. "Because a lot of the produce during the off-season all comes from Mexico, a large part of it so, hopefully, they'll get something worked out with the Mexican tariff fees. I think that's something that they'll get worked out, but they have to because we're not growing a lot of that product that we use in the wintertime in this state, in this country here." While Carey's industry understands the trade have concerns about their bottom line. I understand you got to crack an egg to make an omelet, right? So I get that, but also, at the same time, you have got to be careful with industries that really don't have the margins. I understand steel. There's competition there between our countries and other countries. I get all that but when it comes down to food products, our margins are so small that when you start affecting those prices, it's either going to put people out of business or it's going to get so expensive that people just aren't going to eat out anymore," said Carey. What's next While the treasury secretary says he expects a de-escalation in the tariff tug-of-war with China. He also said talks between the world's two largest economies had yet to formally start. Restaurant owners like Mark Carey at Café Hunan are hoping they will start and come to a good end soon. The Source Information in this article was provided by interviews conducted at Café Hunan.
New York Times
01-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
The Premier League returns: Our writers' verdicts on the end-of-season run-in
If a week is a long time in football, then a break of more than two weeks? Well, that's simply an eternity. But if you've found yourself longing for the warm embrace of England's top flight over the lonely days when international football, FA Cup quarter-finals and children being perched atop telephone boxes have dominated the agenda, then fear not. The Premier League is back. Advertisement Starting with three games on Tuesday night, we have a full slate of midweek action to get our teeth into. So now is as good a time as ever for a discussion. Who holds the edge in the race for European qualification? What are the plotlines that will dominate proceedings between now and May? And who are the unsung heroes of the season? Our writers Mark Carey, Oliver Kay, Caoimhe O'Neill, Carl Anka, Jacob Whitehead and Tim Spiers chew the fat as the Premier League returns. Mark Carey: I'm simply looking forward to the crescendo of the season. The final stretch is when champions are crowned and relegation candidates are confirmed — what more drama can you ask for? Yes, we are already pretty confident of who those respective teams are, but dig a little deeper and it is still all to play for in the quest for European football next season. After so much discussion, debate and deliberations throughout the campaign, now is the time to see those crucial moments play out. Might there even be a twist in the tale? I cannot wait for the action to unfold. Oliver Kay: Are we saying the title race is done and dusted? Liverpool are 12 points clear but there are still nine games to go. They have a Merseyside derby against a revitalised Everton at Anfield on Wednesday night, which should be a great occasion and a significant test. Liverpool have only won the league title once in 35 years — and that ended up being celebrated behind closed doors because of the Covid-19 pandemic — so even if it ends up being a procession, I don't think it's something to be blase about. There could yet be some tension along the way. Caoimhe O'Neill: Football stadiums in the sunshine. Is there a better place to be than a match when the sun is shining? It warms the soul, even watching from an armchair. In England, blue skies are never guaranteed, so aside from the weather, the pressure is on Liverpool to wrap up the title. The race for European football will be topsy-turvy, which should keep us picking popcorn out of our teeth until the end of May. Carl Anka: The Champions League race has the most appeal from a team perspective but I'm going hyperfocus on a collection of players between now and the end of the season. Can Alexander Isak finish the season strongly at Newcastle United? Can Evan Ferguson reignite the fire on loan at West Ham United and play back-to-back 90-minute games? Will Chelsea's experimentation of Reece James in central midfield come good? Will Luke Shaw or Mason Mount come back at Mancheter United? When Bukayo Saka returns from his hamstring surgery, will he still have the same explosiveness? (I hope so!) Which team (Nottingham Forest) would make a good fit for Ipswich Town's Liam Delap this summer? Advertisement Jacob Whitehead: The chase for the top four — or more realistically, given UEFA coefficients, top five. If Forest hold on, it will be one of the most surprising storylines of recent seasons — but the stakes are high across the top of the league. Chelsea are slumping badly and the hierarchy's faith in Enzo Maresca may waver. Newcastle's spending will hinge on whether they can play Champions League football. Tenth-placed Bournemouth are only four points back from fifth-placed Manchester City — half the league are eyeing European football. Tim Spiers: With the title and relegation places surely already sewn up, there's intrigue about teams and matches instead. This week throws up the Merseyside derby and, given their form before the international break, perhaps a rare opportunity for Everton to win at Anfield and an even rarer chance for David Moyes to win at Anfield (he's never done it from 21 attempts). Then there's Chelsea versus Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday: always a keenly-fought derby with a surprising amount of needle, it is a big game for both managers. Maresca seems to be strongly admired by Chelsea's players but less so by their supporters, and Ange Postecoglou has precious little time to prove he deserves another season in charge. Carey: History will arguably be more favourable to Liverpool. As good as they have been in Arne Slot's first season in charge, there has been an underlying narrative that their success has come from other teams not providing a sufficient challenge to their title push. The forensic lens on teams has never been sharper. When that lens softens over the years, fans will only remember the name on the trophy. Liverpool have put together a strong campaign and deserve their position in the table. Advertisement Kay: Usually, you would judge a title-winning side over years but this Liverpool team will look very different next season, with a summer of change ahead. It's also harder to evaluate a title-winning team when their competitors fall short. I wouldn't put Slot's Liverpool in the same elevated class as the team that won the Premier League under Jurgen Klopp in 2020 or even the side that finished just behind Manchester City a year before that. Equally, I wouldn't put last season's Manchester City in the same class as their earlier title-winning teams under Pep Guardiola, but that's holding them to an exceptional standard. The levels at the very top of the Premier League have dropped slightly over the past couple of seasons but the standard from top to bottom is extremely high, so it takes a seriously impressive effort to be as dominant as Liverpool have been. Short answer: I would probably put them on a similar level to last season's Manchester City or Antonio Conte's Chelsea — worthy, impressive, creditable champions, but not likely to be recalled as vintage conquerors. O'Neill: They would be remembered as unexpected but deserved champions. The implosion of their rivals at crucial stages of the season has helped but to win a title, you still have to win a title — and who here among us expected Slot to lead his team to 12 points clear with nine games to go? Not me. Credit will be due. Anka: This is the most volatile the top of the Premier League has been since the 2015-16 season. Slot's men have done very well to keep on trucking when many others imploded. However, their real 'legacy' might not become clear until the end of next season, and we see how they defend their title. Liverpool have a big summer ahead to remain at the front of the pack for the next campaign (they could end up reworking their left and right flanks simultaneously). This title win could be the start of something special. If it is, we can class them in the same tier as Manuel Pellegrini's Manchester City side of 2013-14 — good but not great in the way that Klopp's 2019-20 side were. Whitehead: Some league winners are viewed through the lens of the manager rather than the individual. Think of Sir Alex Ferguson's last title at Manchester United — despite Robin van Persie's excellence, that season is predominantly remembered for Ferguson's final glory. For Van Persie then, read Salah now. This is not to compare Slot to Ferguson in historic achievement, but in terms of narrative, Liverpool's head coach is the dominant storyline. Taking over from Klopp, Liverpool's own legendary manager, before triumphing with his first attempt? Think of how 2013-14 would have been remembered if Moyes had marked his arrival at Manchester United with a league title. Advertisement Spiers: Not as a premium title-winner compared to some of the great Premier League sides, but as worthy winners and as the season of Slot and Salah, like how 2013-14 (for me, anyway) is remembered as the season of Brendan Rodgers and Luis Suarez. That team famously fell just short, partly because of the pressure put on them by Manchester City and Chelsea. This Liverpool team have not felt a rampant challenger breathing down their neck but history is unlikely to emphasise that fact. It may also be seen as the end of an era, not the beginning of one. One of the oldest squads in the league needs a refresh. Carey: As a data analyst, I am obliged to turn to the numbers. Liverpool, Arsenal and Forest look nailed on for a Champions League place, with Opta's predicted table (established by simulating the remaining matches hundreds of thousands of times) tipping Manchester City and Newcastle United to claim the remaining two spots. The pair have the most straightforward fixtures remaining among the sides pushing for Europe — on paper, at least. Statistically speaking, Guardiola's men have the easiest run-in, with Newcastle having the sixth-easiest among all Premier League sides. There might be some twists and turns along the way — but, in order, I am saying Liverpool, Arsenal, Forest, City and Newcastle. Kay: Liverpool, Arsenal, Forest, Manchester City and… despite having little enthusiasm for this team and this project, I'm going to say Chelsea. O'Neill: Liverpool, Arsenal, Forest, City and… Newcastle. This was difficult to decide on but with the black and white pyro smoke still clinging to their nostril hairs after that special parade last weekend, Newcastle are going to finish with a flurry of wins, even with plenty of teams hot on their heels. Advertisement Anka: Liverpool, Arsenal, Forest, City and… Newcastle. A series of managers have used a League Cup triumph to put the battery in the back of their players, and they'll finish the season strongly. That dogs-of-war midfield trio they have must be an agony to play against. Dribble passed Joelinton and he tries to suplex you. Whitehead: Liverpool, Arsenal, Forest, City, Newcastle. First and second feel done and dusted, while there is no evidence but entrenched dogma and underestimation that Forest will stumble. They feel like the Newcastle of two seasons ago. Eddie Howe's current iteration have a tough end to the season — playing at Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion and hosting Chelsea among their final four games — but should reemerge from their Carabao Cup celebrations refocused and remotivated. This is not the Manchester City we are used to but it feels like they are through the worst of it. It would surprise me if Chelsea better their results. Spiers: Liverpool, Arsenal, City, Forest, Brighton. Chelsea's form since December is really poor and their run-in is tough (Brentford, Fulham, Newcastle and Forest away, plus Liverpool at home), so I can envisage them dropping out. City's fixtures are much kinder (they play none of the top seven), which leaves Brighton, Newcastle or an outlier from the chasing pack to finish fifth. Brighton and Newcastle play each other on May 4 at the Amex Stadium, which may decide it. I'll go with the former. Carey: With the title race and relegation battle almost wrapped up, a smattering of teams have little to play for domestically in the remaining weeks. Manchester United and Spurs are two of those teams, but both must end the campaign strongly to show green shoots of recovery after torturous seasons. For United, Ruben Amorim needs some positive examples of his 3-4-2-1 system in full operation to provide a clearer window into the long-term intentions. For Spurs, it would be a return to their high-intensity, possession-dominant style that Postecoglou had initially imposed in north London when he joined. With his job seemingly on the line, a strong finish could provide the morale boost Tottenham need. Kay: In a way, it's Chelsea. Everyone at Manchester City accepts they've had a bad season. Everyone at Manchester United accepts they have a massive rebuilding job to do. But people at Chelsea are still trying to convince themselves and the world that they're onto a good thing. Advertisement A couple of points here or there won't change my impression of this Chelsea 'project', but at least they would finally feel able to claim some minor vindication if, having spent more than £1billion ($1.3bn) in the transfer market over the past three seasons, they manage to scrape into the Champions League places (as well as win the Conference League, which is surely a given). O'Neill: For some reason, I think it is Liverpool. They are still not confirmed as champions and are either going to make it a waltz to the finish or a bit of a clamber over the finish line. How they complete this season will go a long way in determining how we define them. Anka: Southampton. You need to earn three more points to avoid historic humiliation. You can do it. I believe in you. (Also, let me know if any spares are going for the trip to Leicester City on May 3.) Whitehead: It feels as if, whatever happens from here, the verdicts on Manchester United and Tottenham's seasons have been established. United have been disappointing but Amorim will get more time, Spurs have been disappointing and Postecoglou probably won't, but Maresca's Chelsea future is most up in the air. This is a facsimile of last season at Leicester. Maresca's side scraped over the line in the Championship without turning a corner — if Chelsea continue to slump, missing out on Champions League football, the owners have already displayed their impatience. Spiers: So many teams have underperformed, which means a few could do with proving they're not as bad as we think they are: chiefly Southampton, who need one victory to avoid Derby County's all-time-low Premier League points record. Manchester City have to prove they are capable of belatedly engineering some consistency from their expensively assembled but endlessly underachieving team; ditto Chelsea, to a lesser extent. The biggest underachievers are Manchester United and Spurs, but their seasons are all about the Europa League now. Advertisement Carey: I am interested to see if a dark horse can sneak into Champions League spots. It looks like Forest are already one of those but if Brighton, Bournemouth or even Fulham were to make a late dart into those top five places, it would be incredible. It is remarkable how tight things are in the top half of the table. Five points separate Chelsea in fourth and Bournemouth in 10th — and teams are likely to take points off each other. Kay: The biggest story of this season will be the outcome of the Premier League's case against Manchester City and whether that outcome is a) a complete acquittal or b) a complete damnation of the club that has been English football's dominant force over the past decade — or, more likely, c) somewhere in between — the repercussions will be far bigger than anything that has happening on the pitch. O'Neill: Watching how the managers of the clubs chasing Europe go about their business. Many of them, including Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola, have multiple prospective clubs watching their every move closely. It will be interesting to see how that plays out and who remains in their jobs come August after a summer of headhunting. Anka: Can Aston Villa elbow past their other top-half rivals and qualify for the Champions League? The club had a wage-to-turnover ratio hovering at 96 per cent last season, according to Deloitte's Football Money League. Almost half the league are chasing Champions League qualification but Villa's accounts might need it the most. It's been an excellent season for Unai Emery's men but a strong finish is required, or belts may be tightened in the summer. Whitehead: I'd love to keep this answer light — but mine is the repercussions of a verdict in City's case with the Premier League. If it drops in April or May, expect City's fate to dominate the news agenda for weeks. Spiers: The ongoing refereeing conspiracy against Arsenal? Who loses the Jadon Sancho tug of war? Precisely how much can the PGMOL, the refereeing governing body, balls-up the forthcoming introduction of semi-automated offside technology? Who wins the 'used to be good but not anymore' 13th-to-16th mini-league comprising fallen giants Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and West Ham? Advertisement But no, seriously, with the bottom three already decided, the title wrapped up and Crystal Palace finishing 12th again, the only thing that remains of real interest in the Premier League is the race for Champions League football, which is genuinely quite enthralling given there are some new teams in the mix this season. There's also the potential for Salah to break Erling Haaland's Premier League scoring record in a single season — he's on 27 with nine games left and needs to score another nine to equal Haaland's 36. If you add Salah's 17 assists, he could record the best individual season in the Premier League era. Carey: I do not expect so. The teams in the relegation zone have not done anywhere near enough to warrant survival after their promotion and, for the second season running, all three look set to go straight back down. It is a shame because the overriding narrative is that the gap between the Championship and the Premier League has become a chasm — but plenty of teams have shown that you can thrive, not just survive, in the top division. Fulham, Nottingham Forest, and Brentford were Championship teams in 2020, and all are set to have top-half Premier League finishes this season. Kay: I don't think so. I don't think Ipswich and Leicester are capable of hauling back that deficit — and that's more a reflection of the league's rising quality than their shortcomings. If you somehow were to parachute this Ipswich team into the Premier League of, say, eight or nine years ago, never mind further back, they would be comfortably in mid-table. The problem they have — and it's a serious problem in English football — is that the gap between the Championship and the Premier League is so big. O'Neill: I'm sorry, Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton, but you are like the horses at the Grand National whose jockeys have been unseated and are now very much on your own for the run-in. So run free with the wind in your hair and enjoy it. Anka: Nope. The 1997-98 season used to be unique as a Premier League season where all three promoted clubs went straight back down. A creeping tactical and financial instability is affecting England's top 25 or so clubs. Whitehead: No. Between them, Ipswich, Southampton, and Leicester have a record of 14 losses and one draw from their last 15 games. A reversal of that would not be a 'great escape', it would be a miracle. If Wolves beat Ipswich on Saturday, even prayers to a power above would be in vain. Advertisement Spiers: Nope. Even as a pessimistic Wolves fan, it's job done for Vitor Pereira. If Wolves don't pick up another point in their final nine matches, on current form, neither Ipswich nor Leicester will even come close to catching them; they've earned a combined five points from 20 matches in 2025. Carey: Slot has made light work of his debut season but Nuno Espirito Santo's job at Forest is remarkable. Sure, Forest have overperformed a little bit at the top end of the field — scoring 11.5 goals more than their expected goals (xG) suggests — but Nuno has imposed a style that is defensively disciplined and devastating on the counter-attack. Given how they finished 17th last season, even pushing for the top half would have been impressive. Securing a place in the Champions League spots would be dreamland stuff, thanks to Nuno. Kay: There are five or six managers who have had excellent seasons but it boils down to three who have impressed in very different ways: Slot, Iraola, Nuno. There is a bit of revisionist talk about Slot and the size of the challenge he faced after taking over from Klopp at Liverpool. (Did anyone predict they would be 12 points clear at the top of the league by this stage? I certainly didn't.) But in terms of performance vs expectations, I'm going to say Nuno at Forest — not just because he's taken a previously relegation-threatened team to third in the Premier League but because the place was a madhouse when he arrived last season. He has done a remarkable job. O'Neill: In reality, it is Slot — especially if he does, in his first season at Anfield, deliver Liverpool's 20th league title and equal Manchester United's record. Shouts to Nuno, Howe, Iraola, Fulham's Marco Silva, Emery and Brighton's Fabian Hurzeler, though. They have all made it a proper anyone can beat anyone league. Anka: *Bruce Forsyth voice* Nuno Espirito Santo, come on down! Forest ended up in some hot water last season for their odd activities in the transfer market but they've ended up ahead of the curve on what a Premier League squad needs. Nuno created a rugged team that can be lethal on the counter-attack. There will be some excellent photos of the City Ground under the Champions League lights next season. Advertisement Whitehead: It would be easy to search around for a hipster answer but if Nuno doesn't get it for taking Forest from 17th to third, it's difficult to know what else could justify it. Spiers: For Slot to win the title in his debut Premier League season is extremely impressive but in judging this award, you'd have to say he did inherit a ready-made team and squad that only lost four league games last season. Forest, on the other hand, have gone from relegation fodder to (probably) the Champions League under Nuno. His two previous standout achievements in management were taking Rio Ave to Europe for the first time in their history and Wolves to Europe for the first time in almost 40 years. He's no one-trick pony and his incredible work this season deserves the highest recognition. Carey: Again, I'm going to lean on the data here but Brentford's Mikkel Damsgaard has quietly been one of the most creative forces in the Premier League this season. His 7.1 expected assists — which measures the xG of the shot that is assisted — is bettered only by Son Heung-min, Cole Palmer and Mohamed Salah. Damsgaard's appreciation of space, intelligent movement, and deft passes can sometimes go unnoticed, but watch him for a full game and you can see how deserving he is of praise. Given his previous injury struggles, I am happy that he has found fitness and form. He has already played more league minutes than in any of the previous four seasons. The quality has always been there but he is showing it consistently. Kay: How unsung are we talking? If we're calling Salah a shoo-in for the individual awards, then that downplays the brilliance of his Liverpool team-mate Virgil van Dijk, Arsenal defender Gabriel and Newcastle forward Isak, all of whom have been outstanding. But here, we're talking about Bryan Mbeumo at Brentford and a handful of players from Forest: Murillo, Nikola Milenkovic, Morgan Gibbs-White, Elliot Anderson and Chris Wood. O'Neill: I'll try to save flowers for some names not already mentioned. Three that spring to mind are Milos Kerkez, Antonee Robinson and Ryan Gravenberch. And not forgetting Wataru Endo, Liverpool's official closer-out of games — mentioning him feels like a fitting way to end my answers. Advertisement Anka: Ryan Christie had spent his career as a decent No 10 (attacking midfielder) or hard-working winger but has been recalibrated into a sensational box-to-box midfielder. The 30-year-old is a professional pest (that's a compliment) and a key component in the perpetual pressing machine that Iraola has forged at Bournemouth. Christie is more than just a ball-winning water-carrier — he sprinkles flair in with the fight, too. Iraola has said Christie dealing with a chronic groin issue and will need surgery in the summer. I hope he'll find a way to continue his good form next season. We're obsessed 🤩 — AFC Bournemouth 🍒 (@afcbournemouth) February 22, 2024 Whitehead: Salah is deservedly receiving the plaudits but outside the Egyptian, Liverpool's most integral player this season has been Alexis Mac Allister. He links defence and attack as well as any midfielder I've watched this season, and really puts his body on the line for such a slight figure. A word for another Merseyside-based midfielder, Everton's Idrissa Gueye, who has been outstanding at 35. Spiers: Depends how unsung we're talking. Wood and Isak are both quite well sung, so I'll jointly go for Mbuemo and Yoane Wissa for helping spearhead Brentford to another comfortable mid-table finish. I thought they would struggle this season but they're 24 points clear of the bottom three and batting well above their weight yet again. Thomas Frank is probably the Premier League's most underrated manager.
New York Times
14-03-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Leicester are Premier League's worst for winning second balls – it epitomises their struggles
If Leicester City are to launch a remarkable late push for Premier League survival, they will need to improve dramatically in all areas — not least winning second balls. Their results make for grim reading. Twelve defeats in 13 Premier League games, conceding 32 goals and scoring just four. Losing their past five games without scoring. Losing their past six home league games by an aggregate score of 15-0 (no team in English top-flight history has lost seven in a row without scoring). Advertisement They also have the lowest expected goals (xG) tally in the Premier League, implying they are creating fewer high-quality chances to score. They have registered fewer shots (251) and shots on target (85) than any other side and have conceded the second-most goals. But there is another concerning trend and area that has to be improved — their poor record on second balls. As highlighted by The Athletic's Mark Carey here, Ruud van Nistelrooy's side win possession just 26.4 per cent of the time immediately after an aerial duel — the lowest in the division. It might be seen as a quintessential English trait, the importance of winning second balls, but physicality and winning any duel is integral to success in any league. Leicester have fallen well short. Fans want to see some fight in the final 10 games, but Leicester have been found wanting in most areas of the physical game this season. Duels can often be taken as a sign of that. If we focus on aerial duels, Leicester compete for an average of 29 per league game — the seventh highest in the top flight. Playing styles can often dictate how many aerial duels there are — the more direct sides compete for the most, so Crystal Palace, Brentford, Bournemouth, West Ham United, Everton and Nottingham Forest are above Leicester. Manchester City compete for the lowest, just ahead of Liverpool. Leicester's success rate is just under 48 per cent, fractionally better than Palace and Bournemouth, but those sides win more of the subsequent second balls resulting from those aerial duels. Whether through a lack of anticipation, the deflating and demobilising nature of so many defeats, or a lack of ability to read the game, Leicester have been extremely slow to gain possession from aerial contests. Looking at some of the goals they have conceded, there is an evident lack of awareness of where the danger is. Here, against Arsenal at the King Power Stadium in February, Jorginho clips a high ball into the Leicester box but Caleb Okoli should clear it easily, with plenty of blue shirts around the box to deal with any second ball. However, they all neglect Declan Rice, the only threat. Rice collects the second ball under no challenge and plays it wide to Ethan Nwaneri, who puts in a cross to the far post. Mikel Merino beats Wout Faes and James Justin at the far post to head home. Leicester had a chance to clear their lines but their failure to deal with the second ball gave Arsenal another opportunity. It was a similar story the week before at Old Trafford when Leicester were defending a rare lead. As Noussair Mazraoui puts a high ball into Leicester's box and Justin wins the headed clearance, Leicester players are around the edge of the box. But Leny Yoro is anticipating the second ball and moving towards the likely destination of the clearance. He plays it wide to Alejandro Garnacho, who gets to the byline and picks out Rasmus Hojlund between three defenders. His shot is blocked but Joshua Zirkzee fires home the rebound. The worst example of a lack of awareness and anticipation for the second ball came at Aston Villa in January when former Leicester midfielder Youri Tielemans put in a hopeful cross that should have been dealt with. Jannik Vestergaard has a free header to clear but can only put it back into danger on the edge of the box. Ross Barkley is in acres of space as Harry Winks and Jordan Ayew have both been drawn wide, Boubakary Soumare is with the central defenders inside the box and Bilal El Khannouss is behind the play. Barkley has the time to compose himself and score from the edge of the box. The danger was obvious at Villa Park, but Justin did a better job of heading the danger away against Wolverhampton Wanderers at King Power Stadium just before Christmas… … until Wolves gathered up the second ball and Nelson Semedo clipped another high ball back into the box. It seemed simple for 6ft 5in (196cm) defender Vestergaard. However, he misses the ball, allowing Goncalo Guedes behind him to score. It isn't just second balls. The inability to deal with the first ball was glaring at Goodison Park at the start of February. Inside the opening 10 seconds, Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford pumps a long ball forward that Soumare misses. Abdoulaye Doucoure shows greater anticipation than Vestergaard to run onto the second ball to score. In terms of total duels, Leicester have not fared much better. They have competed for the sixth-highest number of duels, an average of 103.5 per 90 minutes. But Leicester's success rate is the fifth-lowest at just 49.2 per cent. Leicester also have the third-lowest recoveries (46 per 90 minutes), although they are seventh in interceptions (8.5 per 90). Looking at tackles attempted, they are fifth with 19.7 per 90 minutes but they have the second-lowest success rate, winning just 57 per cent. Advertisement In comparison, Bournemouth compete for the most duels (110 per game) but have the lowest success rate (47.6 per cent) — but they do have the highest number of recoveries per 90 minutes and the second-highest number of interceptions. They prove it is not always about the first ball (duel) but also the second ball, and they have a clear style. The approach at Leicester has been more confused due to their disrupted season and receding confidence. Their failure to win loose balls speaks for Leicester's general struggles. Leicester have not been competitive enough overall. It has not just been competing for second balls that has been the issue — but it is a clear one and highlights much of where they are going wrong.
