Ricardo facing a fight to get place back from Justin
VICTORY OVER BRIGHTON
OF all the members of the Leicester City squad, it may be James Maddison who carries the heaviest burden.
The most difficult aspect of football is creating chances.
City know that as well as any side, having frequently been stifled by sides coming to the King Power Stadium with the sole intention of shutting Leicester out.
And while football is a team game and there is pressure on every player to help the side fashion opportunities, it is at the top of Maddison’s list of priorities.
He has to be the man that makes something happen, to produce the moment of genius that bamboozles the opposition. That’s not an easy task.
So when City fall short in their attempts to break down the defence, the blame can sometimes rest at Maddison’s feet.
And he knows this. Last weekend, he registered his first Premier League assist of the calendar year when sliding Jamie Vardy through to score against Sheffield United.
He knows that’s a considerable drought. Last season he was talking about dropping himself from his fantasy team unless his numbers picked up.
Even though he provided that assist, his corners were poor and, on the whole, he had been outshone by Ayoze Perez.
This only added to the Maddison discourse online. Were City better without him in the team?
The answer, as confirmed by Sunday night, is clearly no.
Only a few players in the Premier League could score the second goal as Maddison did, dipping and twisting to throw off the defender to create the space for a shot, and then bending it exquisitely into the top corner.
Added to his opener on the evening, and Maddison is now up to a combined eight goals and assists across all competitions.
That’s two-thirds of his tally from last season in less than half of the games.
Given the fact the first few of his runouts this season were off the back of a long injury, that’s mightily impressive.
He is on course for his best season at City so far. He is making light work of that heavy burden.
But it was not Maddison who left the field with the most chances created on Sunday evening. That honour belonged to James Justin.
Lots has been said about Justin this season, and rightly so.
He has played more football than any other City player, and that’s a credit to his reliability, versatility – “he’s played about 150 positions for me,” Brendan Rodgers said – and his improvements.
He was playing in League One just 18 months ago, and that is always worth remembering.
And on Sunday, we saw a first performance from the 22-year-old that was a true tribute to his injured team-mates Ricardo Pereira and Timothy Castagne.
When moved across to rightback, there was space for Justin to exploit and an opponent in Dan Burn who looked uncomfortable.
Justin didn’t let that opportunity go amiss.
He bombed forward in every attack and made it count too. He crossed to the right players, with pinpoint accuracy, showing awareness to cut the ball back if that was the better option.
He provided the ball that led to the first and second goals, finishing the game with four created chances.
Previously, it seemed a given that Justin may have to sit out as soon as Ricardo, below, returned.
This was the first display that prompted question marks over how inevitable that is.
What helped Justin, Maddison, and City to achieve their victory was the change in formation.
The set-up has been a big talking point over recent weeks, with the back-three system leaving City blunt in attack. Rodgers started second half, there was very little to with it on Sunday, but changed to note of negativity. And then Jonny a back four after only 15 minutes. Evans got booked.
However, it was because of defiIt’s the defensive unavailability ciencies at the back, rather than in crisis that never eases, with the attack. centre-back now out of tomorrow
City’s wing-backs were being night’s game against Everton overwhelmed with Brighton surbecause he has five yellow cards to prising Rodgers by playing 4-4-2, his name. leaving them two-to-one on each Thankfully, City have already flank. answered the question: how do
City changed to a back four and they cope without their defensive quite quickly produced 20 minorganiser? They managed pretty utes of their best football all seawell without him against West son, scoring three goals and Brom, Burnley, and Leeds. wrapping up victory. However, in those games, the
While many fans will hope that likes of Caglar Soyuncu, Wilfred kills off the back-three system, an Ndidi, Wesley Fofana, Christian experiment never to be tried Fuchs, and everyone else who again, it may still make a comeplayed at centre-back all stepped back. up and produced outstanding
Rodgers clearly feels more performances, above their usual secure at the back with three cenlevel. That will be required again. tral defenders. It’s not often Manchester City,
He recognised it wasn’t working Manchester United, Chelsea, Livon Sunday because of the overerpoo, Arsenal and Spurs all fail to loads on the wing, but he will win on the same weekend, but compact the heart of his defence then again, this is not a normal again if teams play with a more season. narrow system. Thankfully, City took advanRodgers is pragmatic, and that tage. A home loss to Brighton means quelling the would have been incredibly diso p p o s i t i o n ’s appointing but perhaps doubly so threats as much knowing that it was a missed as it means findopportunity to take advantage of ing the best sysothers stumbling. tem to help City But they held their nerve and break through they are back towards the top their opponents. again.
Given the proIt’s far too early to think about fessional who is and who isn’t in the title display race, but at least City can be satis
of the fied with their work so far.