Leicester

Kate Blakemore
Fan writer

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The monkey is finally off Steve Cooper's back - for now.

A hearty performance saw us hold onto our first win of the season after a moment of brilliance from Facundo Buonanotte. First rule of loan players; do not fall in love with a loan player. I think I missed that memo.

It wasn't without error; what game is? At one point, it appeared that Wout Faes had seen enough of Bournemouth overloading James Justin on the right-hand side, that he angrily gestured to the bench appearing to ask for help. Read into that what you will. We rode our luck during the game but that’s often needed in these tough moments.

We’re a newly promoted team and something we must possess in abundance is grit. We will suffer; it'll be hellish at times, but over the last few games we’ve seen this grit emerge, and I’m hopeful that this result will galvanise the team further. Grit promotes character, which promotes culture, which promotes standards.

Many are still disgruntled about our style of play and cautious approach, despite the first W on the board.

Pragmatism is needed. Cooper has won a huge personal battle this weekend with his first win in 19 league matches but the war is not over and won't be for a while. He needs to utilise his strong attacking players and push more players up the pitch. We rarely had more than three attackers in the final third at any one time, an obvious consequence of that being we had no corners in the match. But if Leicester can roughly average a point a game, then we survive; it's simple maths. Seven games, six points – we’re on target.

It's a results business and I'd take winning ugly over losing pretty any day of the week.

Find more from Kate Blakemore at Leicester Till I Die, external

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Former Leicester City winger Matt Piper has admitted he was wrong to write off Victor Kristiansen before the start of this season, adding that he has seen the Foxes defender show "real progression" in the first seven games.

Speaking on the When You're Smiling podcast, Piper said: "Coming into this season, I made my opinions clear on Kristiansen.

"I wouldn't have stuck with him in the Premier League, but he is one player that has actually had a real progression.

"He has really grown, due to the manager sticking faith in him and keeping him in the team.

"After the couple of lacklustre performances we got in the early parts of this season, I think a couple of the players - like Kristiansen - are really stepping up now."

The Denmark international has been speaking to BBC Radio Leicester about cementing his place in Steve Cooper's starting XI: "I'm a more experienced player now, compared to when I arrived.

"It was difficult for everyone before I went out on loan [to Bologna], but it is a new beginning for me, the team and the club.

"It is good to be back."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

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A VAR related question was put to chief football writer Phil McNulty on Monday's Q&A.

@nubiblue on 'X' asked: Is the new improved VAR working? To me it continues to favour certain clubs.

Phil answered: First of all, I don't believe VAR favours certain clubs and quite honestly, I've not noticed too much difference or huge improvement.

Maybe a little less interference but I confess I lost a lot of faith in VAR after initially being a strong advocate.

I would be happy with semi-automated offside and line technology.

Steve Wyeth
Final Score reporter at King Power Stadium

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Yes, victories are transformative, but perhaps even more so the sense your luck has changed.

When the full-time whistle on Saturday signalled the end of Leicester's winless start, relief would have been an understandable reaction.

Instead, the King Power was consumed by jubilation - a triumphant response that lingered a fraction longer than it might have done.

It offers Steve Cooper further encouragement and is an indication there is a belief that momentum has shifted.

Let's not pretend Leicester weren't a little fortunate. The volume of chances Bournemouth created in pursuit of goals supported a case they deserved a point - perhaps more.

However, winning under such circumstances, having scored when they were the side in the ascendancy, felt exactly like the pendulum swing Leicester so desperately required.

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Leicester and Bournemouth.

Here are some of your comments:

Leicester fans

Nigel: Great win. Faes was outstanding. A positive result which hopefully the team can now build on and climb the table. Well done the whole team and Stevie Cooper.

Vin: Excellent first half and deserved lead for Leicester. Baffling second-half display and were fortunate Bournemouth didn't get back into it. Not enough closing down and tackles put in and playing out from the back encouraged Bournemouth to press. Must have a full 99-minute display, Mr Cooper.

Pravin: A win is a win for the Foxes. Rode our luck second half but three points and a clean sheet is a plus. It will be a game to build, hopefully. Cooper needs to get a first XI in his mind to start every game.

Trev: OK, a win - but nowhere near good enough. Like someone said last week, Cooper was a bad decision. The sooner he is replaced the better chance we have of staying up. Leave it much longer and it will be too late.

Bournemouth fans

Steve: Weak up front again - not taking chances when on top. It is frustrating because they do play with some style.

Jon: Evanilson isn't Solanke. We need the players to realise that and start playing to his feet rather than smash it up there and lose the ball because he hasn't got the physicality of Dom. When they realise that we will create more chances and might even score.

Chris: Appreciate that the forwards we have could be great once they have settled in, but we could have done with a recognised striker in there and now to replace Solanke. But, in Iranoi we trust. Still a long way to go.

Richard: Toothless without a goalscorer. Long season ahead, methinks.

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Former Leicester coach Mike Stowell says the Foxes were "fantastic" and "tactically very, very good" in Saturday's 1-0 win over Bournemouth.

The Foxes recorded their first victory back in the Premier League and their first league win under Steve Cooper with a resolute defensive display after Facundo Buonanotte's fine early strike.

"So important to get a result going into the international break with other teams around us losing," Stowell told the When You're Smiling podcast. "Fantastic. Dug deep. I said at the beginning of the programme I'd take three points over a performance.

"But don't take anything away from this performance. It was tactically very, very good. Maybe at times it wasn't the best to watch or the best to look at, but it was a hard-earned three points and they deserved it.

"It's so pleasing for the lads. This was an in-form side coming here and it was a good performance - a win playing good football. They've had to defend with their lives for so long and they ride their luck a little bit, but what a great win.

"I'd have taken a 1-0 ugly win but it wasn't that ugly. The goal was a work of art. Some of the rest of it was digging deep and good old fashioned football; lots of blocks, lots of headers, lots of clearances. They were disciplined when not having the ball.

"We won and that's the most important thing. Southampton have lost, Crystal Palace lost, Ipswich lost, and Leicester have won."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Man City 3-2 Fulham

• Everton 0-0 Newcastle