Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers has singled out Kelechi iheanacho for praise following Leicester City’s 1-0 win over Leeds United on Saturday.
Iheanacho, who came in as a substitute in the game set up Harvey Barnes for the winning goal in the 67th minute.
Speaking to LCFC TV after the game, Rodgers acknowledged the fact that it was a tough game and he commended Iheanacho for his contribution.
“It was a really tough game for us today,” Rodgers said.
“We know Leeds physicality and how they run and how they work, but I thought the players showed a great amount of courage.
“Again we had to adjust the players, playing out of position.
“Hamza came in to play at right back, but we kept fighting,we kept working. Kasper made some good saves,we missed some chances, but then we showed a real moment of quality in the game to win.
“I thought collectively, the players defended well when they had to.”
“Kels (Kelechi iheanacho) does really well, because he offers himself for the bounce pass and then Harvey does what he does greatly.
“He’s really becoming a good finisher, and he finished it really well.”
22 Comments
Kelechi will be good as a sub in Ghana. That is all I have to contribute for now.
I fully align with Kenny, Nacho makes better inputs as a sub than when he starts. I think he’s problem is that he easily tires out.
Since we have options I’m every department, it would be good for the coach to play capable forwards.
Osimhen and iheanacho are the logical options but iheanacho plays like a second striker, ighalo can replace one of them. In the latter stages, putting ighalo and osimhen together might not be a good ideal because the two players are doing the same function, but if the coach chooses ighalo and osimhen it’s good
Good point @Mayans..fans also questioned the invitation of Etebo over in form Bonke not knowing that Bonke and Ndidi play similar roles.
Nigeria needs a ball carrier a central midfielder a role Etebo has played for the super eagles so well and in big tournaments alongside Ndidi and both could start against Ghana.
Ndidi’s deputy is Frank Onyeka.So it’s either Bonke or Onyeka but the coaches prefer one they have worked with recently because of how important the games against the black stars are.
Against Ghana in the first playoff, SE would be needing early goals to dictate the pace of the game. Odion and Osimhen who are prolific goal scorers till now, are ideal pairs for a match of that nature. Reason been that the coaching team can’t afford to leave any stone unturned because any mistake in Ghana could cost us much. These two have been banging in goals and their job in Ghana is simply to score goals. Besides the two strikers, coach Egu should ensure that whoever is selected right from the midfield to the forward line are scorers and not necessarily one who is searching for who to assist just like Iheanacho is mostly good as rendering assistance. Though the coach has the final say, but if we could get Aribo, Amoo and Etebo spearheading the midfield to support Odion, Osimhen and Moses Simon upfront, the Black Stars should be having a handful because all the aforementioned are goal bangers in their own rights.
You are right, we need scorers in all the departments. I hope Ekong will be fit, that guy coming from the defense, scores.
Well hello Babylon, top marks bro. We do need sharp strikers
That’s a [email protected]/Iheanacho/Dennis for striking role. Ighalo should play from the bench.
Our Midfield is most important here. There should be a proper link btw d midfield and attack without necessarily going through the flanks. We don’t need a disconnect in any position.
Mind you, Etebo can’t bench the No 1 DM in the world (Ndidi).Try it and see fire from Ghana midfield and attack.
No much talk, the Eguavoan – Amunike Coaching crew will figure everything out. So let’s chill. It’s their call.
What formation should he play to accomodate both..? If he’s going to use the wings, i advice he plays simeon at the left and Denise at the right; Osinmehen lone striker; Aribo as 10, play maker; in front of Indidi and onyeka; calvin Bassey and Balogun or bassey Ekong in CB, while Aina and Sanusi, right and left..
Its back to the bench with iheanacho as rodgers plays his preferred attacking players.
Kels needs to leave Leicester and go to a club where he will play regularly.
@Nosa, your being overemotional is understandable but try to understand why most of us are in support of what @Alphonsus Gbefumu is saying.
I don’t see any thing to argue about here. Well, if you were observant enough, you would see that the Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers, that’s Iheanacho’s coach mostly deploy him as a sub in most of the time, that’s his current form…
Iheanacho was a huge risk that didn’t pay us in the last nation’s cup in Cameroon. Coach Eguavoen didn’t have too many options and had to rely on Iheanacho and co as strikers but we all saw the poor result afterwards. Now that we have our main players back to the team, wisdom dictates that the coach will deploy them to get the needed result in Ghana, -result and not who plays-. Mind you, this is a double-header and we are playing away, So it doesn’t make any soccer sense to leave your prolifics and start playing some player who don’t even have confidence in trapping ball in front of goal(SEE VIDEO CLIPS OF AFCON21), …You do that the Black Stars hurt you.
@Pauli… How many goals did Osimhen-Ighalo produce vs CapeV in Lagos? A match Nigeria almost lost. Pls save your deceitful & pretentious emotions to yourself.
See truth talk am. A static Ighalo wey no fit run again (wit big buttocks like a w…).
As I said earlier, the coaches should decide. It’s their call.
Iheanacho provided a very crucial assist for leicester win, congratulate him first.
That delicious left foot strike that sank Salah’s Egypt with the delicious assist to Umar at the AFCON were world class!
Iheanacho had been very instrumental to SE WCQ success thus far, he sank Liberia in Lagos for Nigeria with a brace and won a penalty away.
Man@Pauli.. don’t let jealousy kill you ooo!!!
Obviously you don’t live a trash can, do you?
Haba! Upon all the matches the Super Eagles played you could only picked the Teslim Balogun stadium, Nig vs Cape verde for your assessment? It means you’re such a messy eater then. It’s like watching the Cookie Monster stuff his face because besides the stadium being too small, the pitch was in a terrible state. I don’t think any sane mind would argue about that.
Going through the thread, you would see that Nigerians are more concerned about the current form and not necessarily who scored one or two goals under former coach Rohr. Otherwise I shouldn’t be reminding us that Odion Ighalo was the highest goal scorer in Africa Cup of Nation 2019 and he is still scoring goals as we chat.
The point being made is that the Super Eagles need to score quick goals against the Black Stars in Cape Coast, so, it becomes expedient to throw in our 1st eleven especially that they are good game.
The major essence of a football game is goal scoring buh that’s not saying those who are good at assisting are not also welcome.
You hypocrite@Pauli… Continue deceiving yourself,.. didn’t CAF approve the Teslim Balogun stadium or have we not played in worse stadia home (Asaba, Benin) and away?
How many tons of goal did Ighalo score vs CapeV in Lagos (“Ighalo practically sacked Rohr with his sorry sluggish bysmal play that day”).
Our most reliable forwards in SE list remain: Osimhen, Iheanacho, Dennis and Umar. Ighalo should play from the bench maybe in the second leg.
@ Nosa, so you were not aware that Teslim Balogun Stadium has been banned from hosting any CAF / FIFA matches until further notice? Learn to be current bro
Ighalo didn’t score against Cape Verde but he is still highly relevant in the SE and better than Sadiq and Awoniyi put together
Even his coach Rogers uses him sometimes as a substitute and other times he is kept on the bench. So why should coach Eguavoen play a bench warmer in place of a regular team player who keeps scoring goals. Sometimes, we just have to work with facts on ground.
As an aside, I would suggest these players for the match…..
Uzoho in goal,
Defenders…Omerua(if Ekong is unavailable), Balogun, zaidu and Aina
Midfield… Amoo, Aribo and Etebo
Forwards… Moses Simon, Idiom and Osimhen.
With the aforementioned players, there’s no how Ghana will not collect at least 3 goals to nothing in Accra.
We should think Nigeria first instead of being tribalistic.
Correction: Forwards… Moses Simon, Odion and Osimhen.
@Monday, ooho o!
@Monday you are a hypocrite, you said “So why should coach Eguavoen play a bench warmer in place of a regular team player” but then you chose Uzoho in goal ahead of a regular GK Maduka Okoye………….see yourself o
@Banks, CAF/FIFA ban of TB stadium is medicine after death; all our WCQ home games were played there.
That’s the more reason we need dogged strikers like Osimhen, Iheanacho and others who can perform both in smooth and rugged pitches becos they both scored goal (s) in that same Teslim Balogun.
Not the old and sluggish Ighalo who is currently playing retirement football at Saudi.
Let’s allow the coaches do their job plsss.
Biggest hypocrite is that DR Banks aka Dr Drey’s ass licker! You mean a sunday sunday league player at 32 (when CR7 and Ibrahamovich are still banging in goals in top 5 leagues) is better than AWONIYI who is the top scoring African for back to back seasons in the bundesliga? You must be high on expired codeine mixed with rephynol! If Ighalo is good, let him come play in a top 5 EUROPEAN LEAGUE!
I laugh when confused bunchs are throwing around their possible 11s leaving out the balance of the team. Imagine ETEBO, AMOO, ARIBO in midfield! Where is NIGERIA’S best holding midfielder NDIDI?
Also pairing an out and out jaded and tired legs of IGHALO with another out and out OSIMHEN. Which sane coach plays such stupid formatiom even in a 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 (which remains the only formation you may contemplate such)
If EGUAVOEN deploys 4-4-2 it will be IHEANACHO and OSIMHEM up front to be flanked by any of SIMON/DENIS and CHUKWUEZE/LOOKMAN with ARIBO or AMOO as AM! Of course NDIDI will screen the back 4!
4-4-2 will be suicidal against a physical GHANAIAN midfield that wull probably feature PARTEY, KUDUS and MUBARAK WAKASSO! For me caution should be the word since we have the advantage of SECOND leg at home. Play a Double pivot of NDIDI and ETEBO (if he’s fit o or NDIDI and ONYEKA/SHEHU..I dont like him, but SHEHU can do a job beside NDIDI sitting deep if ETEBO is a risky proposition). Then ARIBO gets the nod in AM!
So my 4-3-3 will be:
OKOYE..will rather die than concede a cheeky goal. More active than UZOHO and AKPERE
AINA OMERUO BALOGUN ZAIDU (too soon for BASSEY and AJAYI though calmer than OMERUO has not played more African games and lightweight against physical African oppositions)
NDIDI ETEBO/ONYEKA/SHEHU ARIBO
SIMON OSIMHEN CHUKWUEZE (too soon for DENNIS and LOOKMAN to start)
Should they get the job done hopefully (WIN/DRAW) we may throw in DENNIS OR LOOKMAN and or ETEBO from the go in ABUJA because by then, they would have had more training sessions.
Goodluck SE!