Rodgers reborn: Leicester boss proves he can reinvent team
By Ethan Henson
The one shining light from the summer switch season was the arrival of Wout Faes from Stade de Reims, who has been nothing short of a revelation. The Belgian has forced himself into the starting line-up, and proven that not only can he be immensely disciplined, and strong in the air, but very assertive against opposition target men.
This was clearly evidenced in his assured handling of Dominic Calvert-Lewin on Saturday evening, which was Leicester’s most complete performance of the season. The England World Cup hopeful was left wondering what he had to do to hold the ball up, as countless time his frizzy-haired opponent nicked in front of him to pinch the ball fairly and legally.
If City’s previous four fixtures clean sheets against Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers were regarded as lucky, or a flash in the pan, then last weekend’s slow and deliberate dismantling of the Toffees on their own patch was enough to put that theory to bed. This wasn’t a counter-attack strategy, or a contain and pounce system, it was a controlled demolition.
Nearly everything that Brendan Rodgers had planned was executed perfectly. From Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s relentless pressing, to James Maddison‘s seamless shifts in momentum to progress the ball, the result never looked in doubt.