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Should Jamie Vardy be dropped at Leicester?

By Joshua Holland

LEICESTER, ENGLAND - JUNE 23: Jamie Vardy of Leicester City (Photo by Andrew Boyers/Pool via Getty Images)
LEICESTER, ENGLAND - JUNE 23: Jamie Vardy of Leicester City (Photo by Andrew Boyers/Pool via Getty Images) /
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Leicester City’s Brendan Rodgers (Photo by PETER POWELL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Leicester City’s Brendan Rodgers (Photo by PETER POWELL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /

Rodgers’ dilemma

Following the 1-0 FA Cup dumping of Chelsea last weekend, Brendan Rodgers spoke about his striker and claimed the singling out he receives is “unfair”. Before Iheanacho’s lucky strike against Everton, Leicester had only scored one goal with Vardy only mustering four shots on target.

Sat on 19 Premier League goals, it seems teams have stiffened the threat that Vardy offers. Playing on the shoulder of the last defender has been more difficult for Vardy, with Brighton and Watford both setting up in two deep blocks of four.

With Vardy failing to deliver, it is fair to see that is partly why the Foxes have their Champions League qualification up for grabs. In Dominic Well’s article about the striker, Vardy has a combined xG (Expected goals) of 0.25 from the three league games already played.

Against Watford, he had a 0.18 xG, a 0.07 xG and a dreadful 0.00 xG against Everton. This shows that he has seen a drop in his influence since the opening game against Watford.

The decision to drop Vardy would cause a subject of conversation for Blue Army supporters, with the striker being many Leicester City fans’ favourite. But right now, the opportunities are dry for him. Against Everton, 35 crosses were attempted for Vardy to feed on against Michael Keane, Mason Holgate and Yerry Mina. You won’t be shocked to be told only three crosses were successful.

In the second-half, there was a number of different occasions where the ball was at Maddison’s feet in the pocket between Everton’s defence and midfield, something Vardy strives off. However, the ball just didn’t come. Is this Vardy’s fault? No.

Even when the striker is banging in goals left, right and centre, he rarely touches the ball often. With the fact that opposition teams are succeeding in nullifying Vardy’s presence, the option to introduce him against tired legs may be the better one.