Russell Martin's high-possession philosophy is proving a difficult sell to Leicester City supporters, according to former Fox Matt Heath, who says the approach carries risks that are painfully visible when it breaks down in the third tier.

A historically low position

The context could hardly be starker. Leicester sit 18th in League One following a 4-0 home defeat to Oxford United on Saturday, a result that left the club in the lowest league position in its 142-year history. Two successive relegations, from the Premier League and then the Championship, had already tested supporter patience to its limit. A thumping at home to one of the division's other prominent clubs has done nothing to ease that tension.

Heath, who spent several years as a centre-back at the King Power Stadium, told BBC East Midlands Today that he has been "surprised and underwhelmed" by what he has witnessed so far. His former team-mate Matt Piper was equally blunt, describing Martin's method as "passing teams to death."

The risk-reward argument

Heath is careful not to dismiss the model outright. He acknowledges that high-possession football, when executed well, produces genuine dominance, and he points to its widespread adoption among elite clubs across Europe as evidence that the idea itself is sound.

But he draws a firm distinction between those environments and the one Martin currently occupies.

"The big caveat is that Leicester is a team in League One that have players that are League One standard," Heath said. "It is a high risk and high reward style. When playing out from the goalkeeper to the centre-halves in the penalty box, the risks are there to be seen. So, on the occasions that it doesn't work it really does look bad."

That is precisely the point that will resonate with supporters who watched Oxford punish Leicester's build-up errors on Saturday. Inviting pressure inside your own penalty area is one thing in a controlled, high-quality training environment; it is another entirely when the opposition are pressing hard and the margin for error collapses.

"To try to win the fans over, who are very disgruntled with the seasons they've previously had with two relegations, and play such a high risk style of play is probably not a good recipe really," Heath added.

Players back the manager, for now

Inside the dressing room, the picture looks different, at least publicly. Foxes defender Jayden Joseph has stated that he and his team-mates believe in what Martin is asking them to do. That kind of solidarity is not unusual in the early weeks of a season, and it is worth noting that Martin has already faced down one wave of criticism, which this site has covered separately.

The question Heath is raising is not really about belief. It is about whether the style is suited to the division, and whether it can produce results quickly enough to keep supporters onside. League One crowds are not known for extending long ropes to managers whose teams are losing at home by four goals, whatever the underlying philosophy.

What Oxford's win tells us

Oxford, of course, deserve credit here. They arrived at the King Power Stadium and executed a game plan that exposed Leicester's defensive vulnerability in the build-up phase. That is relevant not just as context for Heath's comments but as a signal about where Oxford themselves stand: they are currently sitting sixth in the table, and a result like this will do their confidence no harm at all.

For Leicester, the pressing issue is whether Martin can find a way to make his system robust enough to survive the physicality and directness that characterises much of League One football. Heath's scepticism is grounded in experience of the division rather than hostility to the manager, and that makes it harder to dismiss as mere punditry noise.

The international break arrives at a convenient moment. Martin has spoken before about using pauses in the calendar to work on the training ground. He will need that time, because the evidence on the pitch so far suggests there is a significant gap between the theory and the results it is producing.

Frequently asked

Why are Leicester City fans unhappy with Russell Martin?
Leicester supporters are frustrated by the club's poor form in League One, including a 4-0 home defeat to Oxford United, and by Martin's high-possession style which can leave the team exposed when it breaks down. The club has also suffered back-to-back relegations, so patience among fans is already thin.
What did Matt Heath say about Russell Martin's style?
Former Leicester defender Matt Heath said Martin's approach is 'not a good recipe' to win over disgruntled fans, arguing that playing out from the goalkeeper in the penalty area is a high-risk strategy that looks particularly bad when it fails in League One.
Where are Leicester City in the League One table?
Following their 4-0 home defeat to Oxford United, Leicester are 18th in the League One table, which is reportedly the lowest league position in the club's 142-year history.