Bargain of the century
At £1m is Vardy the best value striker the Premier League has ever seen?
THERE had been some debate at Leicester about Jamie Vardy’s total number of goals for the club before kick-off. Some had it at 99, others 98.
Vardy scored against Manchester United in the 2016 Community Shield but the club didn’t count it officially. Pity the person who had to have that conversation with him.
So Vardy did the honourable thing and scored a brace against Fulham to reach a century of Leicester goals either way, and also see Brendan Rodgers to victory on his first home match in charge.
There were a few nerves in the King Power Stadium when Fulham equalised out of the blue early in the second half. Scott Parker’s side suddenly had some enterprise about them and Leicester, having been so fluent in the first-half with Youri Tielemans scoring his first goal for the club, became a little frayed. But the home side kept t heir composure, managed to create two chances for Vardy and he took each expertly.
What a signing Vardy has been. Has £1million been better spent in the Premier League? Surely not in this era of mega-money moves.
At 32 he is still going strong and looks like being reinvigorated by having a manager who trusts him and plays a game that appreciates his abilities.
‘We’re trying to win the ball back as quickly as possible,’ Vardy said. ‘It’s benefited me but there’s a lot more hard work to come.’
Rodgers was thrilled with the win after a traumatic week that began with a burglary at his Glasgow home while his wife and young stepdaughter slept. Yesterday he had to contend with the great discomfort of one of the intruders, wearing a balaclava, posting a selfie from inside his house on social media.
He was happy to focus on football. ‘This is a club with huge potential and days like today make it worth that,’ said Rodgers. ‘ They are trying to implement my ideas, pressing with intensity. Jamie is one of the best around.’ After beginning his reign with a backthree system at Watford, Rodgers switched to Leicester’s familiar shape here. Demarai Gray replaced Wes Morgan to offer an extra attacker and Rodgers instructed his players to try to win the ball back high up the pitch.
It was a strategy that worked repeatedly in the first half with Fulham frail defensively and offering space to Vardy in behind. In the 21st minute Fulham paid the price. Wilfred Ndidi was in sharply on Calum Chambers in midfield and seized the chance to slip Vardy through. Vardy drew Sergio Rico and saw Tielemans’ run in his peripheral vision, rolling the ball square. Tielemans side- stepped Tim Ream and passed into the net for a classy finish.
‘Sign him up,’ sang the Leicester fans. Tielemans is on loan from Monaco and any summer fee would need to top £40m, as per the French club’s January demands. Leicester continued to create without finishing and Fulham looked there for the taking. But Parker made a switch at the break that had instant success. Floyd Ayite replaced Ryan Sessegnon and six minutes later he levelled.
Havard Nordtveit hit a terrific pass to the wing and Ayite went past Ben Chilwell with his first touch. Ayite kept going into the area, checked inside Harry Maguire and then benefited from a deflection off the England defender. It had not been a good shot but it suddenly wrong- footed Kasper Schmeichel and dribbled over the line.
Concedi n g so unexpectedly affected Leicester and tension crept into their play.
Harvey Barnes did draw an excellent save from Rico with a curling effort but Fulham had chances of their own, notably a header from Aleksandar Mitrovic that Schmeichel got fingertips to.
Ultimately, Fulham shot themselves in the foot 12 minutes from t i me. Nordtveit t ried another expansive pass from defence but this time it was poor and James Maddison intercepted. Head up, he played it to Vardy who whipped a superb shot beyond Rico.
Vardy got his official 100 with four minutes left. Barnes kept in a kick by Schmeichel and muscled past Denis Odoi. Into the box he prodded the ball square to Vardy who slipped a first-time finish in with his left, making it look a lot easier than it was. LEICESTER (4-1-4-1): Schmeichel 7; Ricardo 6.5, Evans 7, Maguire 6.5, Chilwell 7; Ndidi 7.5; Gray 7 (Okazaki 72min, 6), Tielemans 7.5 (Ghezzal 72, 6), Maddison 7.5 (Mendy 81), Barnes 8; Vardy 8.5. Subs (not used): Morgan, Iheanacho, Ward, Fuchs. FULHAM (4-2-3-1): Rico 7; Odoi 6, Nordtveit 6, Ream 6, Bryan 7; Chambers 6, McDonald 6 (Vietto 82); Sessegnon 4 (Ayite 46, 7), Cairney 6, Babel 5 (Seri 68); Mitrovic 6. Booked: Babel, Bryan. Subs (not used): Le Marchand, Christie, Anguissa, Fabri. Referee: D Coote (Nottinghamshire) 7.