VARDY STILL PARTY KING
Rodgers hails his golden oldie
JAMIE VARDY has had plenty of King Power Stadium parties – and on the evidence of this stunning opening-day display there are many more to come.
Despite being nearly 35, Vardy was the best player on the pitch and helped Leicester’s fans enjoy their return home with a majestic first-half winner.
Vardy, one of the few Foxes players remaining from the 2015-16 title win, sunk to his knees in exhaustion at the finish after his energy ran Wolves’ defence ragged.
It was the perfect start for the Community Shield winners’ bid to make the Champions League after two straight fifth-placed finishes – and the worst for new Wolves boss Bruno Lage.
And boss Brendan Rodgers said: “Jamie was instrumental – attacking and defending. He was outstanding.
“He timed his run superbly for the goal, it was a sublime finish and he was a threat all game.
“Jamie is in great condition, he looks after his body, he’s the ultimate professional.
“We had a good chat over pre-season, he has two years left on his contract and we will manage him to make him as explosive as he can be.
“When he’s in that form, with that level fitness and hunger, he’s very, very difficult to play against.
“There are lots of outstanding strikers in the Premier League but he’s up there with them.”
Leicester were without Ryan Bertrand after a positive Covid test while new signing Jannik Vestergaard came off the bench in the second half to help the Foxes home.
Rodgers also confirmed James Maddison, constantly linked with
Arsenal all summer, went off with a back problem and will have treatment this morning.
But this was the Vardy show. Long after retiring from the international scene, Vardy is showing no signings of stopping from club football.
He fired straight at Jose Sa early on before being denied by an offside flag after finding the net.
Vardy then saw a deflected shot just miss the target while Maddison could not get a proper connection on Luke Thomas’ cross.
Vardy saw another left-footed effort go straight at Sa while a cheeky backheeled attempt did not quite come off.
Outplayed Wolves should have taken the lead as Adama Traore stormed through from Joao Moutinho’s pass. But he painfully missed the target. It was a costly moment as Leicester took the lead four minutes before the break.
Ricardo Pereira’s persistence down the right allowed him to cross with
Vardy cleverly flicking home on the volley with the outside of his left foot.
It proved to be a deserving winner on the strength of Leicester’s first-half dominance.
The second half was slightly different as Wolevs gave it a good go.
Moutinho, new boy Francisco Trincao and Raul Jimenez, on his first league match of 2021, all went close. Lage though was fairly content. He said: “It was my first game and the way I want us to play. I’m confident with the players. I think this team can grow up and our game can improve. But I’m disappointed with the result.”
LEICESTER: Schmeichel 6; Pereira 7, Amartey 6, Soyuncu 7, Thomas 7; Tielemans 7, Ndidi 7; Perez 6 (Vestergaard (62nd) 7), Maddison 6 (Soumare (62nd) 6), Barnes 7 (Iheanacho (72nd) 6); Vardy 8.
WOLVES: Sa 6; Saiss 6, Coady 6, Kilman 7 (Silva 90th); Hoever 6, Neves 7, Moutinho 7 (Dendoncker (66th) 6), Marcal 6; Trincao 6 (Gibbs-White 86th), Jimenez 6, Traore 7.
STAR MAN: Jamie Vardy
REF: Craig Pawson
Leicester’s next game: West Ham, Aug 23 (a)
Wolves’ next game: Spurs, Sat (h)