Should Jamie Vardy be dropped at Leicester?

Iheanacho solo or with Vardy

Since Rodgers arrived in England from Celtic last February, he has favoured 4-1-4-1, meaning playing a lone striker. Like stated above, teams have began to counter how Rodgers prefers his side to play.

Against Everton, when Iheanacho and Maddison were introduced, Rodgers opted to a diamond formation, with only one winger. With Maddison playing as a roaming playmakaer and handed a free roam across the midfield, it provided Iheanacho and Vardy with the chance to play together.

The Nigerian’s goal came from a Vardy flick-on and against Aston Villa in December, the pair worked extremely well together to dismantle the team in claret and blue. Although it didn’t happen against Everton, playing with Iheanacho, Vardy is more likely to find himself with a chance due to the aggressive attacking style of play.

However, with Vardy continuing to be isolated, could Iheanacho be handed a start as the single striker himself? In my opinion, yes. In Merseyside, the striker demonstrated his dribbling prowess along with his determination by often playing short passes before running onto the pass played into space.

With the creativity being short in midfield at the moment, Iheanacho has the ability to play as a deep-lying forward. Rodgers has the option to start with him and Maddison, with the space behind the striker being open for Harvey Barnes and Ayoze Perez to run behind.

Saturday provides almost the perfect test for the two wingers. In their 1-0 defeat to Burnley, Palace lined-up with Joel Ward, Scott Dann, Gary Cahill and Patrick van Aaanholt in their defence. With van Aanholt’s ability to venture forward, this will leave Barnes to take advantage of the slow-legged Cahill and Dann.

Their midfield three of Luka Milivojevic, Cheikhou Kouyate and James McArthur will mean Iheanacho coming deep with assisting the likes of Maddison and Youri Tielemans to break past the midfield line and provide through balls for the Leicester City wingers to run onto.