Barcelona, Pep, total football: Brendan Rodgers’ influences, system explained

Leicester City fans have certainly been treated to a more exciting style of play since Brendan Rodgers took over. We all know his style is dynamic but what are the real influences and fundamentals of his general system?

Claude Puel would have kept Leicester City alive as a Premier League entity. Yet that is not enough anymore for this ambitious club. And, by extension, its fan base of loyal Foxes. Europe beckons from a reachable position next campaign; even this season, technically. There lies the East Midlands side’s true aim.

Enter Brendan Rodgers, as the Leicestedemise of Puel is predictably realised. Now the ever upbeat Northern Irishman takes the helm; expectations are immediately lifted. The forecast automatically becomes rosy for the faithful with a ‘big name’ significantly installed.

Brendan Rodgers’ influences

£9 million is a huge amount for a club the size of Leicester City to pay in order to obtain a manager. In fact the amount still seems a lot for a player to some observers struggling to come to terms with the astronomical fees now paid and received. That’s life. That’s the game.

Why Rodgers commands respect and a hugely substantial price is that he has a great record, pedigree in the sport and a will to win. Fundamentally his style has an eclectic influence of tactics but has tendencies to be rather gung-ho on occasions.

Among the current Foxes gaffer’s footballing influences are: Barcelona’s style, Pep Guardiola in general, the Dutch master Johan Cruyff and total football.

With respect to Guardiola, Rodgers has said his work at Manchester City is “incredible”, per Leicester Mercury. At Barcelona, Guardiola was a protegé of Cruyff, himself a student of Rinus Michels’ philosophy. That total football ideology led Blaugrana to dominate European football through the model, which naturally enriched their renowned academy.

Yet it is extremely unlikely Leicester will be an analogue of Barcelona in England, though they can force themselves into the top six with Rodgers at the helm employing this ingeniously methodical mechanism. What this means is hyperactive youthful football, with a weight of intellect behind it:

"“When you are a coach you invest yourself into a way of working, that’s your life. That’s your model, that’s your intensity, that’s how you practise.”– Brendan RodgersVia LCFC Live"

BR’s Leicester City tactics

If you’re interested in watching graphical tactical explanations of football visually, then Foxes of Leicester recommend Tifo Tactics on YouTube.

What the channel said of the 46-year-old manager’s style, along with how it will be implemented with the King Power outfit, is telling: “Rodgers seems a good fit… with  his strong track record of youth development, which began at Chelsea under Jose Mourinho playing attractive possession based football… There are elements of pragmatism too, perhaps influenced by Rodger’ time at Chelsea: his 4-2-3-1 often uses fullbacks who can play high, a screening midfielder… and inverted wingers… A striker who looks for crosses and runs in behind as well as participating in passing moves.”

So we deduce this analysis truly appears to fit the personnel available and the faithful’s modus operandi. There was even mention of late arriving midfielders – think Youri Tielemans and/or James Maddison – developed from Rodger’ time at Swansea with Gylfi Sigurdsson.

Not to mention the effective 4-3-3 at Liverpool which almost won the boss the division. The pragmatical switch between increasing or decreasing defensive efforts; even formation interchanges make Leicester’s chief particularly adaptable. Speed, youth and adaptability are certainly attractive elements which will no doubt combine very well with these aspects.

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• Predicted Leicester City starting XI vs Southampton

With regard to Leicester, it is vital that Rodgers strikes a balance as he doesn’t have the upper echelon roster and funding of Celtic in the Scottish Premier League, or Liverpool in the English Premier League. This summer’s transfer window is crucial to the ongoing transformation: outgoing surplus stock removed and the correct incomings.

The Foxes are, well not welcomed, but contested at Etihad Stadium on Monday evening. Guardiola’s team lost to the East Midlands club when they met on Filbert Way earlier in the campaign. Although Man City pretty much always cope with the threat in recent history. Delicate approaches have not worked, therefore let Rodgers’ squad take the game to them! We predict a surprising 2-2 draw, which will derail the North West outfit’s title dream.