Claudio Ranieri's pocket, but the Italian hopes for more
of the same at West Brom.
Claudio Ranieri is more than happy to keep footing the bill if his
promise of rewards helps Leicester City maintain the kind of
spirit that has served them so well in the Premier League when
they face West Brom on Saturday.
Leicester - who were knocked out of the League Cup on
penalties by Hull City on Tuesday - have been the surprise
package this term and sit fifth after losing just once in their 10
league matches.
One area of concern, though, was Leicester's leaky defence with
the team conceding 17 league goals.
That led to Ranieri's now famous promise to buy the squad
pizza for keeping a clean sheet, something they finally achieved
in last weekend's 1-0 win over Crystal Palace.
The Italian was happy to stump up and says the unity in the
team is key to Leicester's success.
"I think the most important ingredient is team spirit. The second
most, is enjoyment. So that when they come training, they work
hard, but they enjoy it," he said ahead of the trip to The
Hawthorns.
"And maybe on the top - a little bit of luck. I think they deserve
this pizza. It's good to get together for something good. This
could help to make a very good team spirit for each other. I pay,
so they are happy.
"I have offered rewards before in the past at other clubs and it is
a good opportunity to sit down together. It helps the team
bonding."
The Hawthorns holds happy memories for Leicester as Jamie
Vardy's 90th-minute winner in a 3-2 thriller last April sparked a
famous great escape from relegation.
But West Brom enter the fixture in good form themselves having
recorded back-to-back 1-0 wins against Sunderland and
Norwich City.
Salomon Rondon was on target at Carrow Road last weekend,
but the Venezuela striker paid tribute to the crucial role played
by defensive midfielder Claudio Yacob in West Brom's recent
success.
"Obviously I was very happy to score against Norwich on
Saturday," he told West Brom's official website.
"My job as an attacker is to score goals but I am happy to have
Claudio in my team to stop other sides scoring, I love playing
with him."
West Brom, who still have doubts over the fitness of James
Morrison (ankle), will have to cope with the Premier League's
top goalscorer Vardy.
The in-form striker has netted in each of his last seven
Premier League appearances, and aims to equal Daniel
Sturridge and Ruud van Nistelrooy's mark of eight, with the
latter holding the record after scoring in 10 successive matches
for Manchester United in 2003.
Vardy scored the winner against Palace to take his tally to 10,
form that has seen him linked with Real Madrid and United this
week.
Leonardo Ulloa could partner him after shaking off a knock that
saw him miss the Palace game, while Jeff Schlupp is in
contention having sat out the Hull encounter through
suspension.
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