Leicester City boss Nigel Pearson believes the tactic of keeping Wes Hoolahan under control paid dividends. Picture: Paul Chesterton / Focus Images

Leicester boss Nigel Pearson’s gameplan works as Foxes hunt Norwich City’s Wes Hoolahan

Paddy Davitt Monday, February 20, 2012
12:02 PM

Nigel Pearson revealed nullifying Wes Hoolahan was key to Leicester’s FA Cup fifth round success at Carrow Road.

The Foxes’ chief was well aware of the Irishman’s potential to wreak havoc, but Pearson felt his combative midfield got the upper hand to tilt the cup tie decisively in the Championship outfit’s favour.

Hoolahan did drag Norwich level after Kasper Schmeichel had initially saved the stand-in skipper’s spot kick following Sean St Ledger’s early opener, but David Nugent hammered underneath Jed Steer to earn a last-eight spot.

“I think they play some good football, but they can also mix the game up,” said Pearson. “On the day we were better than them. We played some good football as well. Sometimes as the away side you can set up a little differently, but we decided from the off that we wanted to play positive football. Their shape, with the diamond in there, can cause problems from time to time if you let Hoolahan get on the ball too much, but because of our work rate we dealt with that pretty well.

“They have had an awful lot of success over the past three years and they are having another good season in the Premier League. We knew they have very capable players. I think both sides contributed to what was a very good cup tie.”

Pearson labelled Norwich’s first half penalty award ‘harsh’ after Schmeichel rashly barged Elliott Bennett attempting to collect Simeon Jackson’s spiralling shot.

“There was certainly contact, but Kasper on the replays is only looking at the ball,” he said. “I was very pleased with both the result and the performance. I thought we played exceptionally well, mixed the game up very, very well. I think for our fans we have put them through the mill this season because we have had a few false dawns, but hopefully we can build on this sort of performance.

“We played with a lot of discipline and desire and didn’t make mistakes, like we have been doing. That was down to a combination of a number of things. I was just pleased with how we started the game, how we dealt with the disappointment of being pegged back through a penalty, which we felt was harsh, and throughout the rest of the game we created chances. When we had to defend, we did with an awful lot of spirit.”

Pearson was delighted at the number of chances created by his men, which included a Wes Morgan back-heel cleared by Elliott Ward in a first-half incident that threatened to reignite the debate on goal line technology.

“They are still going to be talking about these things until the game embraces technology,” said Pearson. “I don’t know. I’ve seen the incident and you would have to say it would be a guess to decide whether it was or it wasn’t over the line. Our players felt that it was over the line, but until we actually embrace technology like other sports do then it makes the job for the officials that much harder.

“It was great to see Sean get his first goal for the club. When I say it doesn’t matter who scores them of course we want our strikers to be in form. I think (Jermaine) Beckford today caused them all sorts of problems as did Lloyd Dyer. We had Ben Marshall making his first start for us and to play as positively as he did bodes well for the future.

“I decided to freshen things up, which is no bad thing for the squad, and, as I have always said, I want competition for places, but it was pleasing that we created a number of other chances.”

Pearson now aims to use cup success as a springboard for a late run to the Championship play-offs.

“It still remains a frustration why we are as inconsistent as we are. but there are lots of positives from this game,” he said.

“We still have a number of games left in the league, plenty of points to play for, and I think it is important if we play like that then clearly we are going to have a better chance of winning Championship games.”

Latest Norwich City stories

7 comments

I did plead for a bit of Glasnost on the ticket allocation business. Not forthcoming. It is a pity there has to be this petty bickering between fans as a result. It`s not as if the Foxes are ITFC is it! It is the responsibility, surely, of everybody involved in professional football to aspire to create an atmosphere conducive to harmony. I think NCFC et al failed badly on this occasion, sadly. If not through malice, then through incompetence. OTBC anyway.

Report this comment

Mad Brewer

Tuesday, February 21, 2012
we went home with a quarter final in the bag..cheers

Report this comment

Plmfox

Monday, February 20, 2012
Plmfox - it's not sour grapes at all. There is no doubt that Leicester played with more desire and determination, and indeed deserved the victory of the day. But saying that the victory wasn't a surprise for you - well that's rubbish. It was a surprise for everyone else, there is little doubt that Norwich were far from their best and considering you're a middle-table Championship side, it was most certainly a surprise. As far as the ticketing debacle goes, it's nothing personal against Leicester City - and as for your comment regarding the Foxes' large travelling contingent...I've attended the last 5 matches at Carrow Road between Norwich and Leicester - they have NEVER made as much noise as they did on Saturday, not usually even a peep. However I do commend the travelling support on Saturday, undoubtedly helped spur on the players. Anyway, good luck for the rest of the season.

Report this comment

OzzyCanary

Monday, February 20, 2012
Time to go home now

Report this comment

Swiss Canary

Monday, February 20, 2012
sounds very sour grapes jimbob!!!, lcfc fans have kept very calm in victory as it was not a suprise to us. The only thing league 1 about the game on saturday was Carrow Road and the way that the tickets was distributed to away fans. The plan to limit lcfc fans at the ground appears to have backfired as this was never a high risk fixture as the statement read. Norwich fans and lcfc fans have no grudges, so only one conclusion reached, that norwich realised that lcfc travel in numbers and did not want the atmosphere created by that. Justice served against the authorities in the boardroom who clearly influenced a police decision, we all want to just support our team whatever your colour of shirt and when we travelled to our near neighbour and hated rival Forest in the previous rounds with 8000 fans, there was not one single arrest? Best of luck in the Prem, Norwich.

Report this comment

Plmfox

Monday, February 20, 2012
or two footed tackles from mr ward should not be allowed

Report this comment

fox

Monday, February 20, 2012
Boring game...certainly learned my lesson in cup games once more. It was league 1 standard. Either lambert wanted to score 5 goals or lose, there was nothing in between. Nigel - just a word of note. You can't run around punching players as long as you're watching the ball. Granted, it would make for a very entertaining game but it's not an argument.

Report this comment

JimBob

Monday, February 20, 2012