Evasive politician Brendan Rodgers refuses to scrap set-piece approach

Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers is essentially refusing to alter or replace his very inept set-piece approach, whilst acting like an evasive politician.

You may say in retort to the title: ‘but Brendan Rodgers isn’t a politician, he’s a football manager’. And yes, you’d be correct in the literal sense; though I am talking figuratively in order to make a highlight a problem with the Foxes gaffer.

And that point is now an objective assertion that Rodgers is in the area of ridiculous obstinacy, denial or incompetence for not altering or deviating from a hybrid zone. Leicester have now conceded the most goals from set-pieces in the Premier League; an embarrassingly poor statistic for the gaffer, along with his hapless defence, I hesitantly suppose.

Although those defenders – even seemingly first choices Jonny Evans as well as Caglar Soyuncu – were not, and are not, capable of executing the method efficiently or proficiently. For the Northern Irishman at the Foxes helm to therefore continue with a zonal system is inexplicable – and borders the bizarre.

Unbelievably, the east Midlanders almost levelled a game versus Manchester City at Etihad Stadium after falling 4-0 behind as LCFC fought to back to a scoreline 4-3 in the second half on Sunday. However a couple more simple finishes were afforded to the Citizens via corners. They duly took advantage, eventually winning the contest with relative ease.

Is Brendan Rodgers still the right man for the Leicester City job?

Believe it or not, Foxes of Leicester remain of the view that there are not many better candidates to help the King Power club continue evolving than Rodgers. Though his reluctance or refusal to change the zone or admit there was even an issue until recently is indefensible.

FoL has urged journalists with weekly access to the former Liverpool boss to specifically ask him why he hasn’t dropped the complex technique which is undoing his brilliant overall work with Leicester City. The question has not yet been asked directly, possibly because the unnamed reporters do not want to upset Rodgers and risk banishment, like Ian Stringer with Nigel Pearson.

But the 48-year-old did offer this typically ambiguous explanation and promise about the future of his failings following the latest concessions vs Pep Guardiola’s men. That is despite Rodgers indicating that he would disregard the process following Aston Villa exploiting it a few weeks ago.

"When he was asked whether he has mashed to change style, Rodgers said this: “If you look at our last few games, we have changed it. I think against Liverpool we had to defend 15 corners and we were very strong and aggressive in that.“Obviously we had changes of personnel today. It was disappointing to concede the way we did, but it’s something we have to continually look at and work on.”– Brendan Rodgers, Leicester Mercury"

OK Brendan, you carry on with the most diminutive Foxes marking the tallest opponents who are great in the air, while having the larger Foxes defenders standing still and see where it gets you.