Jamie: Puel style so Vard for me
but we’re making the transition to a different style of play.”
Puel gambled on resting the former England striker for the Carabao Cup clash with Manchester City.
That backfired as Leicester missed out on a semi-final spot with a miserable penalty shoot-out performance. Vardy didn’t even make the bench but Puel (left) insists all he’s trying to do is protect his prize asset. The striker is desperate to ignite his stop-start season, which included a three-match ban for being sent off at Wolves.
Puel said: “We need Jamie. I think he will be ready for Chelsea and also Manchester City on Boxing Day.
“I hope we can find him with that aggressiveness and intensity that makes defenders fear him.
“The decision to rest him was made with him, the medical staff and myself. We have to manage him.
“When Jamie is 100 per cent, he’s a fantastic player. He can make us press strongly and he is clinical. He has that fighting spirit.” Vardy returned from Russia having told Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate he didn’t want to be considered – emergencies apart.
Puel added: “It was difficult to come back from the World Cup without any pre-season.
“Then he had a long suspension and a couple of injuries. It’s difficult to give your best.
“We need Jamie, but he has to be ready. We want him ready to fight. He is a valuable player for us and we need him at his best.”