Variety show as Rodgers makes right calls again
ATTACKING SUBSTITUTES EARNED THE DRAW
VARIETY is the spice of life and also key to making attacking substitutions work. For the second successive European game, Brendan Rodgers’ changes had a positive impact and helped Leicester City get a result they more than deserved.
Against Roma, it was Harvey Barnes who made the difference, his forward thrust adding something new to the attack.
Within 10 minutes of coming on, the winger burst into the box and crossed into the six-yard area where Ademola Lookman forced Gianluca Mancini to turn into his own net.
Kelechi Iheanacho, who had replaced Jamie Vardy, also looked a threat after a wobbly first few minutes, and put himself about to play a part in the goal.
Rodgers says he is helped by the fitness of the squad, which has not always been there this season.
“Harvey came in and did great,” he told his post-match press conference.
“Kels, once he got his feet sorted out, he was better.
“To go deep into competitions, you need to have a squad of players.
“Thankfully for us, we’re starting to get that now.
“We’re missing Wilf Ndidi, who is a huge miss for us.
“But in the main, there is a nice group of players there now that can affect the game.
“Our idea was that we could freshen it up.
“The guys coming in did very well and kept that rhythm and kept that momentum in the game.”
The substitutions and the qualities of the players coming into the game were also an important reminder of the best way to approach squad-building and transfers.
City’s success with substitutions has not just been because of the fitness of the players, but also because those players have different qualities and styles.
There is a temptation to have like-for-like back-ups in key positions.
Rodgers has a defined way he would prefer to play, so it may seem like it makes sense to have two players of similar qualities for every position – so that if one is injured, the team’s style does not have to change.
That seems to have been the approach with Patson Daka and Vardy, with the Zambian coming as a younger, more raw version of a very similar player. It means Rodgers has been able to keep pace at the top of the pitch, even in spite of the number nine’s injury issues this term.
But actually, variety in styles is a huge plus.
No two opposition sides play the same way, and having different players to exploit that is important.
It was why Lookman started ahead of Barnes.
The loanee is better in tight spaces and when receiving the ball to feet, which is helpful against sides who sit deep and are aggressive in their press.
Barnes, meanwhile, has the pace and acceleration, and also knows when to use it, which is great against more open defences.
Explaining his team selection, Rodgers said: “With a back five and when you’re trying to spread the game and have the wingers on the pitch, that allows their wing-backs to press, they can be really aggressive in the pressure, in the back five they can do that.
“Ade’s arguably our best winger at dealing with pressure when there are balls into his feet.
“When there’s no space in behind, you’re going to take it into feet a lot of the time.
“Barnesy is more about space, like you see in the goal. That was the idea.”
But what it also means is that when making substitutions, there is something completely new for defenders to deal with.
The best back-lines adjust to the attackers they are facing, but by introducing a different type of player, they can be flummoxed, and it can cause momentary lapses in concentration and organisation that can then be profited from.
City have variety on the other side too, in an old-school winger in Marc Albrighton, keen to deliver early crosses, and Ayoze Perez, who drifts inside into goal-scoring positions and links well with attacking full-backs.
They also have Iheanacho up front, who has proven to be effective.
His game is so different to Vardy’s in the way he drops deep, links play with the wingers, but also shoots from range.
The club are on the hunt for a winger this summer and there will be plenty of things to weigh up before City make their move.
They will consider their quality on the ball, their work-rate off it, their threat, their efficiency, their goals and assists tallies.
But it is also worth bearing in mind the styles of the wingers they currently have, and whether the transfer targets can provide something unique for the squad.
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