Rodgers enjoys Vardy dividend
Striker bags brace for Leicester century
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. 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 their composure, managed to create two chances for Vardy and he took each expertly.
What a signing he 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 utterly trusts him and plays a game that appreciates his abilities.
‘We’re trying to win the ball back as quickly as possible,’ said Vardy. ‘It’s definitely benefited me, but there’s a lot more hard work to come.’
Rodgers was thrilled with the win. ‘This is a club with huge potential and days like today make it worth that,’ he said.
‘They are trying to implement my ideas, pressing with intensity. Jamie is one of the best around.’
After beginning his reign with a back-three 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 sharply in on Calum Chambers in midfield and seized the chance to slip through Vardy. He 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.
Leicester continued to create 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 got Fulham level. Havard Nordtveit hit a terrific pass to the wing and Ayite went past Ben Chilwell with his first touch, in a rare lapse for the Leicester left-back.
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.
Conceding 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.
Fulham shot themselves in the foot 12 minutes from time. Nordtveit tried another expansive pass from defence but this time James Maddison intercepted. Head up, he played it instantly to Vardy, who moved clear and whipped a superb shot beyond Rico.
Vardy got his official 100 with four minutes left. Barnes did brilliantly to keep in a kick by Schmeichel and muscle past Denis Odoi. Into the box he prodded the ball square to Vardy, who slipped a first-time finish in with his left foot.