Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Rodgers facing a hard juggling act
BRENDAN RODGERS headed into the busiest month of the season hoping his injury woes would be ending.
He should have known better. A packed fixture schedule during December has forced the Foxes’ chief to double down and shuffle the pack even more carefully.
The campaign began badly with a broken leg for outstanding young centre-half Wesley Fofana – injured during a pre-season fixture against Villarreal – and has careered downhill ever since.
Rodgers was already working around a lengthy lay-off of rightback James Justin and, with foot and hamstring injuries nagging away at stalwart Jonny Evans, the defensive solidity upon which his success at the King Power
Stadium has been based has been seriously eroded.
A shut-out against Newcastle United was their first in 17 matches and gave fleeting confidence that normal service had been resumed. However, just one week later – ravaged by Covid cases and an assortment of ongoing bumps and bruises –
Rodgers (right) found himself in a position no
Premier League manager ever wants to be in.
Welcoming Spurs to the King Power, he was without a single recognised centre-half.
With the north
Londoners’ visit postponed, there was a brief respite.
But it looks like being a grim wait until Rodgers has a full complement available to
BY him. Vardy, (hamstring) Caglar Soyuncu, (hamstring) Ricardo Pereira (shin) are all doubtful for the trip to Manchester City, while Evans (thigh) is 50-50 and Timothy Castagne is still being assessed.
And with further European commitments, a defence of the FA Cup and upwards momentum to build in the Premier League, the former Liverpool and Celtic chief has his hands full.
“The good thing is, we’re still in a position where we can challenge, and we do that knowing that we will make an improvement throughout the season.” said Rodgers.
“The key for us is not to give away what we would consider ‘simple’ goals.
“Of course, we want players like Wesley and James Justin back among us.
“But we can’t expect them to hit the ground running, due to the extent of the injuries they’ve had.”
For now, Rodgers is happy that lay-offs to Youri Tielemans and Harvey Barnes, among others, are behind him.
He is hoping that improved gamemanagement might help the Foxes start picking up a few more points.
Rodgers added: “Asking players to go for the whole 90 minutes is very hard. There are just some periods where you have to see the game through.
“We did that particularly well recently against Legia Warsaw when we were 3-1 up and we controlled the spaces well. Against Watford, too.
“But you come under pressure, home and away in the Premier League.
“The games are upon us thick and fast. We have to accept it – but be better at the same time.”