Roma 1-0 Leicester: 3 Things FoL learned from Rome

Ademola Lookman is not the solution to our “right-sided problem”

Although this may seem obvious to some, and in fact Rodgers did finally realise this half-way through the season. That is after continuing to try and shoehorn the Nigerian international onto the right-hand side, in order to play him and Barnes at the same time. Lookman has clear abilities as an attacking forward, yet on the right-hand side his game becomes too predictable. He continuously backs into his marker to either play a wall pass and spin off or to simply roll his defender.

This was a constant theme in his first half performance in Rome, Ibañez frequently had locked the winger in front of him giving the centre half a much simpler task than the first leg. In which the loanee stretched the Brazilian by making runs beyond him from inside the two centrebacks, not on the outside where it is easier to manage.

Lookman inconsistencies to have an impact on the game is the reason why he can’t be relied upon to play down the right-hand side, despite having immense ability. The 24-year-old needs a more defined role in the side, like it had been for the last few months as competition for Barnes on the left or as a super sub, like when the winger came on to score the winning goal in the 1-0 victory over Liverpool, at the King Power earlier in the season.