Iheanacho stars at King Power as The Foxes won a wonderful come back!
For the past couple of weeks, Kelechi Iheanacho has been providing Leicester City as a team and her fans with many reasons to smile. The 24 years old Nigerian has score in all his last 4 appearances for Leicester City in all competitions which is very much impressive. He as had 20 league appearances for Leicester City this season and had scored 10 premier league goals which is the most he has ever scored in the premier league per season. Iheanacho has scored 12 goals for Leicester City in his last 10 appearances in all competitions, this stats has actually brought him up to the bigger picture for Leicester City this season, and I am quite convinced about him winning the Leicester City's player of the season, he has done so much to acquire that already.
IHEANACHO + VARDY
In the EPL recently, I've only been seeing Kane and Son of Tottenham as the best duo the league has but having to watch Vardy and Iheanacho in these recent weeks and months, I've having to ask myself so many strong questions about the duo Rodgers (Leicester's Manager) has found himself in the combination of Vardy and Iheanacho.
Rodgers hadn't been playing much of double attackers until Vardy went on an injury break and came back and yet couldn't bench Iheanacho immediately. Rodgers often play Vardy upfront and have three men right behind him which wasn't that bad until Maddison seems not to available too due to injury.
Iheanacho is still quite young and I believe he could succeed Vardy at Leicester City but then, Vardy doesn't appear a bit tired yet, he still has this unbelievable sense of agility which I've found in some other players that keeps surprising me, players like Cavani and Ibrahimovic still surprise me with their power and responsiveness on pitch which doesn't bright up any age effects at all. Even if Iheanacho doesn't get to succeed Vardy at Leicester City, the duo are currently doing just great as partners.
PALACE VS FOXES.
Just in the first 12 minutes into the game, Crystal Palace had a chance that led to their goal due to the sloppy mistake made by Tielemans. The mistake was quite expensive and Zaha seized the opportunity to bag his 10th league goal for the season. Seeing the match and the goal, I could say Zaha didn't really do much by scoring the goal for the major and crucial job and move was made by Eze who gave the beautiful and final pass to Zaha which no player should miss for anything.
The early goal form Palace drove Leicester City nut and they began to play more of physical football. They were so unlucky in the first half as they decided to play majorly through Maddison and Thomas. Maddison was beautiful choked up by Riedewald, Milivojevic, and Kouyate. These three players played Maddison out of his comfort till he was quite frustrated, and Leicester City also played heavy support from Thomas' flank but the 19 years old couldn't deliver with so much confidence just like the team needed. Personally, I would say the boy (Thomas) played wonderfully well but it was more like him being not too physically strong enough to take control of his territory, and I loved what Rodgers did as a good Manager, he substituted both Maddison and Thomas in the second half to have Albrighton and Perez who are really offensive in their attacking sense. Having Thomas for this match tonight wasn't bad at all, but with what I watched, I feel it would have been better right from the beginning if only Rodgers had started Ricardo Pereira in the place of Thomas.
Leicester City dominated the first half but couldn't secure and equalizer due to the fact that their creative midfielder (Maddison) was locked up in the middle of the pitch, but the beautiful thing was Leicester still holding more of the ball even when creativity was less vivid. Immediately Maddison was let out, the calls for Leicester turned from the midfield solely to the flanks where Castagne and Perez got to feed Vardy and Iheanacho with many close passes, and to crown it all Vardy and Iheanacho had so many agreements with this touches and positioning.
Iheanacho first of all made it a hopeful night for Leicester City by creating the chance for Castagne to score the equalizer in the 50th minute. The early goal in the second half bought Leicester with so much hope and their attacking force became more fierce with Vardy and Iheanacho cutting ties on many occasions inside Crystal Palace's goal post. Unlike the equalizing goal from Castagne, the winning goal from Iheanacho was really a wonderful and powerful strikes, I felt so shocked seeing the manner at which Iheanacho chooses to strike the ball, a manner I've been enjoying this season from the likes of Mason Greenwood and Rashford.
Crystal Palace didn't get to impress me tonight at all. They played the usual traditional style of football, since they had an early goal, they played with the intentions to hold down Leicester's creativity in the midfield and solidify their defense well but unfortunately for them, Leicester changed their play pattern to the flanks in the second half. Palace lost this night, and then I still feel they would lost woefully in the their next league match as they'll be hosting Manchester City. And on the other hand, Leicester would be visiting Southampton who they've defeated twice this year already, and that alone should make it difficult for Leicester City to have a win again even though Leicester City can't afford to lose any league matches anymore so as to seal their qualification to the UCL for next season, but then, if they happen to lose against Southampton, it's likely they end up forfeiting their space in the top 4 list this season but then, it's still very much possible for them to lift a trophy this season as they'll be taking on Chelsea in the FA Cup finals!
All pictures are screenshots on my mobile phone.
Cc. @cryptoandcoffee