Perez wins praise for efforts in No.10 role
‘MULTI-FUNCTIONAL’ FORWARD HITS FORM IN CENTRAL ROLE CITY NEWS
AYOZE Perez has been “excellent” in what could be a vital role in Leicester City’s success over the final four games of the season.
Perez has been operating as City’s number 10 in recent games with James Maddison out through injury.
England international Maddison has a hip problem that is set to rule him out of the starting line-up for a fourth straight game, meaning Perez is expected to once again sit in behind Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho at Bournemouth, provided Brendan Rodgers utilises the 3-4-1-2 set-up from the games against Arsenal and Crystal Palace.
How to get the best out of £30 million signing Perez has been a talking point throughout the season, with the Spaniard spending much of his time on the right wing, a role he says he is still adjusting to.
Now in behind the strikers, there is greater responsibility on the 26-year-old’s shoulders as he has to connect the midfield and forward line, but Rodgers has been impressed with how he has coped.
“I think he’s much better as a wide player,” Rodgers joked after he was questioned on the importance of Perez’s role.
“I think he’s done very well, hence the reason we’ve played him in that position.
“He’s multi-functional, he can ‘AGAINST ARSENAL HE WAS STRONG AND AGGRESSIVE’: Ayoze Perez battles for possession with Dani Ceballos at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday
He’s clearly not an outand-out winger, but he has been asked to rotate.
play in a couple of positions along the frontline. He’s clearly not an out-and-out winger, but he has been asked to rotate. “When he has played on the side, that triangle of him, Ricardo Pereira or JJ, and the midfield player inside, there’s a lot of rotation goes on. But since we’ve flipped the system and he’s played in that 10 position, he’s done very well.
“I thought he was excellent in the last couple of games.
“Against Arsenal he was strong and aggressive and picked up some really good positions and we know he can score goals. He can play in that position really well.”
Perez’s debut season at the King Power Stadium has so far resulted in seven goals and five assists across all competitions, but he has not added to either tally in his last 11 outings, and will hope to change that at Bournemouth tomorrow.
Brendan Rodgers on Perez