Leicester City comment by Nev Foulger: Tactical switch proves a winner

There was more debate about shape at Bloomfield Road on Saturday than at a Weight Watchers' convention.

Blackpool managerIan Holloway claimed that Leicester City had it and kept it. Nigel Pearson, the man who replaced Holloway as the Foxes boss, believes he may have come up with a shape that could help to end City's goals shortage.

Many fans were disappointed that Pearson was unable to add to his strike-force during the transfer window. They felt that another goal-scorer was needed for City to really push for a play-off place in the second half of the season.

But Pearson looks as though he may have gone some way towards sorting out the problem by tweaking the side's shape.

Against Newcastle United in the last home game and again at the seaside on Saturday, he changed his tried and trusted 4-4-2 formation into 4-3-3.

Apart from a few teething problems, City look all the better for it.

As Pearson pointed out, he is gambling by using three out-and-out strikers up front, albeit with two of them playing wide. At Blackpool it was Martyn Waghorn and Dany N'Guessan out on the flanks, with Paul Gallagher switching to a midfield role in the absence of the suspended Richie Wellens.

It leaves Matty Fryatt as the lone central striker but he seems to relish the job. For a start it gives him even more space to make those searching off-the-ball runs that can terrorise and wrong-foot defenders.

He did it against Newcastle and produced a similar performance at Blackpool.

Fryatt could have bagged a couple of goals to add to the 12 he has already scored this season.

At the moment, though, things are not quite going his way in the six-yard box. But that will change and, with the sort of player Fryatt is, one goal could lead to a flurry of them.

The plus side to that is City are no longer reliant on goals from Fryatt to win matches. N'Guessan and substitute Lloyd Dyer provided the finishing touches that gave the Foxes a much-needed 2-1 away victory, and Waghorn will still be cursing his luck at having a close-range shot blocked by goalkeeper Matthew Gilks.

But Pearson will be encouraged that the change in system is clearly helping City create more chances without seriously weakening the side's defensive structure. Skipper Matt Oakley appears to be benefiting as well, by returning to a central midfield role where he can have more influence on the game.

He was outstanding against Newcastle, and did another good job at Bloomfield Road on a pitch that cut up and was hardly conducive to a passing game.

Blackpool managed it, and you could see why they have scored so many goals at home this season. But they looked naive in defence, and City exposed them on the counter-attack. "Leicester kept their shape much better than us," said Ollie.

Gallagher looks to have an important part to play if City are to stick with the new-look formation. He will be used either wide up front or in central midfield, where he was on Saturday. It is not his favourite position, but his versatility is proving a massive bonus for Pearson.

The City manager says the fans have not yet seen the best of Gallagher and you sense the striker is desperate for a goal or two of his own. But City are back in the top six and back on track. With two home games this week, they have the chance to continue that progress.