Blame it on me, blasts Rodgers after changes bring criticism
BRENDAN Rodgers defended his decision to rotate key players after Leicester City were held to a 1-1 draw by Crystal Palace.
James Maddison was not even part of the squad at Selhurst Park while top goalscorer Jamie Vardy was only on the bench, with seven changes made to the team which drew 2-2 with Manchester United on Boxing Day.
In the end the Foxes were indebted to Harvey Barnes, one of four players who started 48 hours earlier, to salvage a point with his fine 83rd-minute equaliser cancelling out Wilfried Zaha’s opener early in the second half.
While Leicester have moved up to second, the general feeling at full-time was they had let points slip in the race to catch
leaders Liverpool, who visit Newcastle on Wednesday.
“James Maddison wasn’t fit. Jamie Vardy is managing an issue so to start him was always going to be really difficult, but we tried to get him into the game for half an hour,” Rodgers explained.
“If we felt we could play all the same players all the time and the team that played at the weekend, we would have done.
“The performance should have been enough to get the result and win. It didn’t, and we accept that. If there is any blame, it is on me because I pick the team.”
Kelechi Iheanacho was the man tasked with replacing Vardy and he squandered the chance to open the scoring in the 19th minute when he had a penalty saved by Vicente Guaita.
Rodgers added: “Ironically, yesterday because Jamie wasn’t starting, him and Ayoze Perez were the two designated penalty takers and Kelechi got five out of five penalties. Great penalties and different types so it was a great opportunity but he seemed a little bit hesitant with it.”
After a dogged defensive display in the first half, Palace showed more intent after the break and were rewarded when Zaha brilliantly volleyed them ahead in the 58th minute following an inch-perfect Andros Townsend cross.
Barnes ensured it was not a return to winning ways, but after shipping 10 goals in defeats to Liverpool and Aston Villa, it was a step in the right direction for boss Roy Hodgson, who admitted strong words from assistant Ray Lewington at half-time had the desired effect.
He said: “I wasn’t at all happy with the first half, and Ray Lewington at half-time was almost apoplectic in his criticism with what we were doing in that half, but luckily it produced the required effect.”