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‘He’s At The Top Of His Game’- Rodgers In Awe Of Iheanacho’s Impact In Win Against Man United

‘He’s At The Top Of His Game’- Rodgers In Awe Of Iheanacho’s Impact In Win Against Man United

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has nothing but kinds words for Iheanacho after the forward steered the Foxes into the last-four of the Emirates FA Cup, reports Completesports.com.

The Nigeria international scored twice and bagged an assist as Rodgers’ men recorded a 3-1 win against Manchester United at the Old Trafford on Sunday night .

Iheanacho has now scored seven goals in his last four appearances for the Foxes.


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“Kelechi has always contributed. Maybe his confidence was lower but he works so hard every day and always comes in and gives his all. You see his confidence now. He’s at the top of his game,”Rodgers told BBC after the match.

“It’s a different structure [up front]. Kelechi is probably best with someone up there with him. Those two are working very well.

“Our solidity and intensity of press was very good. When we dropped into our shape we denied them space. To beat Manchester United 3-1 you have to be complete in all aspects of the game and the players did that.

“[The semi-final] is a way off yet. I told the players they were three games from history. Now it’s two. We’re making the right steps, we’re on the right path. We’re very ambitious to be the best we can be. That’s the challenge and it’s the test we’re enjoying.”


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COMMENTS

WORDPRESS: 9
  • Kelechi is best when he plays behind a number 9…in the u17 wc he played behind success and later behind awoniyi when success got injured… now that Rogers has figured it out you guys should be prepared to see the best of nacho…I pray Rhor figures it out too because nacho is a very potent weapon that we have underutilized for a long time in international football….his kind is very rear and I am happy he is playing for us

    • Asset 3 years ago

      The guy na asset, no be lie… sad that he’s been a kind of “hidden, background asset” for Leicester all this while, all owing to Vardy’s hitherto goalscoring prowess. Well, like a phoenix, he’s now slowly but surely rising from his own ashes, and blooming so beautifully like a fresh morning flower… Really pleasing to see

  • Obidee 3 years ago

    Kudos My Guy and more of this.. it’s ur time so take it and make good use of it

  • Oakfield 3 years ago

    God at work

    • pompei 3 years ago

      Just 3 words. But you said it all. Nothing more to add really.

  • OmoEsan 3 years ago

    Kelechi’s strengths right from his U17 days has never been that of an all out striker, but unfortunately all the coaches that have worked with him after Manu Garba have not played him in line with his strengths, hence he has always been underutilized.

    Talk about a player with a great sense of positioning that makes goal scoring look easy, then Kelechi perfectly matches that description.

    With a main striker playing in front of him and most of the time taking attention away from him, he finds the space he needs to shoot at goal with his extremely dangerous left foot.

    Kelechi isn’t the type of striker that wants to run at defenders or take-on defenders skill for skill or grit for grit, but he’s the type who sees the needed space and plays-in another attacker with a decent pass to do the running and probably score.

    So in Kelechi, a coach could have a support striker that assists effectively and also gives a good number of goals, provided the coach keeps coming up with a formation that sooths his (Kelechi’s) strengths.

    With Isaac Success and later Taiwo Awoniyi playing as main striker at U17 level, Kelechi was directly involved in almost 80% of the goals the team scored, hence he emerged MVP. Kelechi also had his best games at Manchester City while Sergio Aguero played as main striker and now he has appeared to be more dangerous to opponents when he plays behind Jamie Vardy.

    Going by Kelechi’s antecedents, his strengths are obvious but for how long will he have to wait for his managers or coaches to play to his strength?

    Will Rodgers continue to play to Kelechi’s strengths by the time he has a full compliment of his strikers?

    Should Kelechi rather ride on his current form to move to another decent club where he will feature regularly and the team will play to his strengths?

    The near assurance of Champions League action next season is enough to make Kelechi hang-on at Leicester, if you ask me, but I sincerely hope that Rodgers by now knows Kelechi’s true worth. Seven goals in four successive games in English football is no child’s play.

  • pompei 3 years ago

    I am just patiently waiting to see what Rodgers will do when Maddison and Barnes are back. Let me see whether he will dare to bench Iheanacho again!
    Sometimes I wonder why these managers are so highly paid. Some of us that know next to nothing about coaching (including my humble self) already knew what will take Leicester to the next level – play Vardy and Iheanacho together. Vardy’s pace and aggression will create opportunities for Iheanacho. They will feed off each other with that partnership. If not for the absence of Maddison and Barnes, Iheanacho for still dey chop bench today!
    Again, let me see what Rodgers is going to do when the English boys come back.

    • @Pompei, it’s near to impossible to see Rodgers benched Maddison for kels if he’s fully fit, you know the British connection, however the coach can still figure out a way of making sure kels makes the starting squad. Because I believe only a stupid coach without ambition that will bench a player that’s making a difference for him.

      A central midfielder might be the victim or a positional change or switch. Let’s see how Rodgers works out his tactics on this, but I forsee a 3 man combination of Vardy kels and Maddison in perhaps a 433 or 3421 or 353 depending on whichever he chose

  • JimmyBall 3 years ago

    @pompei… Very good question. Let’s what to see Mr Roger’s body language… Even if a player as good as Messi is not given time to play on the pitch, a striker from Eswatini who plays will have better stats than him. Let’s wait to see if Brendan Rogers will begin to play Maddison and Barnes,and relegate Iheanacho back to the bench… I will advise Iheanacho to leave that club if he is not made an important starting squad member still at the end of this season. There are several clubs who want him and RB Leipzig made enquiries strongly the last time.

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