What’s gone wrong for Leicester City’s Islam Slimani?
By James Lassey
While the January transfer market approaches, Leicester City striker Islam Slimani has been linked with what feels like every bottom ten top-flight side Europe has to offer.
How can a player who has been so side-lined with his current employer allure so much interest from club’s let alone in the same league but also abroad.
Slimani is reportedly on the shopping lists of West Ham, Watford, Stoke City, Sporting Lisbon and I even read from an untrustworthy source that Chelsea were looking to get amongst the action. All these and this is just to name a few.
Related Story: Report: Islam Slimani on his way out of Leicester City
The only person that doesn’t want a bit of the Slimani pie is current manager Claude Puel.
Since his £29 million transfer from Sporting last year, the Algerian has found his game time in the Premier League difficult to come by.
During his 15 month-long spell he has managed to start a total 14 games despite showing goal-scoring capabilities.
He converted 55 times in 114 appearances for his previous side Sporting, plus another seven for Leicester and if you only account the league games he has started for the Foxes, he has a Premier League goal ratio of 0.48. This equivalates to a goal every other game.
He even hit the ground running by scoring two in his domestic debut which saw Leicester overcome Burnley 3-0.
Yet somehow, he has still made more substitute (18) appearances than first team starts leading us to ask the question as to why.
Well he claims the biggest misfortune by being part of a side that boasts two of the best wide players the league has to offer.
Admittedly this has not always been the case as Demarai Gray and Riyad Mahrez have only just become hot again following cold starts.
But, under Claudio Ranieri, Craig Shakespeare and now Puel, the duo have occasionally been favoured in a 4-2-3-1 formation meaning that there is only room for one up top or the chosen one so to speak.
While it could be argued Jamie Vardy is the main reason behind Slimani’s tough Leicester City career, as he is seen as the main man and has been since Slimani’s arrival on the last day of August in 2016.
This is to no discredit to Slimani. He comes up against a player who fits the style, philosophy and work ethic that the previous three managers have looked to encourage.
Had Sam Allardyce taken over, I am sure his first team opportunities would have picked up.
Yes, he shares some of what makes Vardy so desirable such as his work rate and determination but he seems to lack an attacking edge.
The ability to turn defence into attack all on his own. With Slimani he acts as the hold up man, a striker who needs the support of his midfield, should he be left to lead the line.
In his final year at Sporting he played alongside Teofilo Gutierrez, who contributed 12 goals to Slimai’s eye-catching 28, Gutierrez acted as the catalyst behind his success.
This is not to say that given the chance, he could not rekindle the form showed in Portugal. But, the biggest problem Slimani faces is that when the manager in question opts for a 4-4-2 or for a false nine in behind Vardy, their are many faces ahead of him.
Take Shinji Okazaki, a fantastic technically good player who seems to possess this innate capability to play off Vardy.
Then there’s Kelechi Iheanacho who despite having made more first team starts than Slimani looks to be on his way out after Puel admitted earlier this week to the possibility of him leaving.
Unfortunately for Slimani, Puel seems to have a thesis in place, a theory where he needs a particular type of player and is in no mood to negotiate with footballers who offer strengths he does not require.
The fact that neither Iheanacho or Slimani made the substitute bench last time out against Southampton despite the busy fixture list highlights that their Leicester City days are numbered.
Although for all the limited chances and the missed opportunities, you cannot help but feel the 41 international capped striker did not get a fair stab at the King Power Stadium and if sold, could come back to haunt the Foxes.