Howe tips Foxes to break into top six
How on earth can the Foxes top that incredible achievement of 2016? But it is a role Brendan Rodgers is “embracing”.
Claude Puel never won over the Leicester fans or players but his successor Rodgers has.
He has the club’s powerful dressing room of title winners behind him after City rallied to come ninth last term.
His man-management and tactical acumen have seen them buy into his vision, with respected assistant Chris Davies also playing a vital role.
Leicester are unbeaten in fourth ahead of Bournemouth’s visit today with Cherries boss Eddie Howe wary of Rodgers’ revolution.
Howe, 41, said: “Leicester are one of the teams that can break Leicester first went top on the opening day of the 2015-2016 season, after beating Sunderland 4-2 on August 8.
PL 2015-16 Days top Leicester 149 Man City 100 Arsenal 27
Man United
Leicester were top of the Premier League from January 23 until the end of the season.
into the top six. They’re vastly improved. He has transformed their style of play.”
So while there may have been few takers at 300-1 this summer for another title, Rodgers could yet guide Leicester back into Europe or land silverware, with Luton next in the Carabao Cup.
He has done well to get exciting talents such as Youri Tielemans, Dennis Praet, Ayoze Perez and James Justin on a net spend of just £14million this summer after Harry Maguire left for Manchester United in a world-record £85m deal.
But old favourites like Jamie Vardy and Kasper Schmeichel continue to set high standards.
The club’s homegrown players Harvey Barnes, Ben Chilwell and Hamza Choudhury are thriving too under Rodgers.
And James Maddison is hitting new heights, his form rewarded with an England call. Rodgers said: “The mentality we have created since we came in is that we want a belief that we can get a result anywhere.
“When the club took me on they wanted me to evolve the playing style. We have become an aggressive team.There is still a lot of work to do. To sustain attacks we need to have longer periods with the ball.
“But it is gradual – we have gone from a counter-attacking team that hardly has the ball. The next couple of years will be about then being able to do everything. Having experienced the Champions League and Europa League in the last couple of years, they’re the competitions to be in.
“The challenge of the Premier League makes it very difficult but it is why I came to embrace that.”
The midweek cup win at Newcastle was Rodgers’ 500th game as a manager. He added: “My aim was always 1,000 games. I remember at my first LMA [League Managers Association] event 10 years ago seeing guys getting introduced into the Hall of Fame for 1,000 games. I thought that showed passion, consistently and love. I’m halfway there.
“The game is evolving and I enjoy it. Perhaps players need a cuddle a bit more now and managing the pressure of it is critical. But I’ve been lucky and I hope I continue to be.” KICK-OFF: 3pm By MANAGING Leicester after their amazing 5,000-1 title triumph would be a daunting challenge for many. LEADING THE PACK 8