₦airaland Forum

BascoVanVeli:
The Increased Importance of Kelechi Iheanacho at Leicester (Will Grow the More He Plays)


By Ewan Murray
10 JAN 2020

Not too long ago, Kelechi Iheanacho looked like he was on his way out of Leicester. His dwindling influence for the Foxes, alongside his significant cuts in game time, left the Nigerian in a very difficult position, seemingly with a club that deemed him as surplus to requirements.

Fast-forward a few months and he is in a very different situation.

Arriving in Man City's youth system as a teenager, the youngster found himself ousted from the Etihad following the arrival of Gabriel Jesus in 2017, forcing the striker to seek a career away from Manchester in the following transfer window. Arriving in the east Midlands with a sizeable price tag over his head and a damn good goalscoring record, expectations were high.


But, as is the way for so many young and talented ​Premier League players, things failed to materialise on the pitch. All the excitement surrounding the former City starlet soon dissipated, replaced with a sense of unbridled anger at the small fortune that was spent on a 'flop'.

Under Claude Puel, ​Iheanacho looked disinterested. Perhaps merely short of confidence, or lacking faith in his boss, the 23-year-old seemed unwilling to exert a morsel of effort as soon as he stepped over the byline. His goal tally suffered, leading many at the King Power to ponder if his days with the Foxes were coming to an end before they had even really started.

However, Brendan Rodgers' arrival spelled a new chapter for Iheanacho, and ​Leicester. Riding the wave of the Foxes' current success, the striker – like so many others around him is thriving under the tutelage of his new manager. Suddenly, the forward has his swagger back and his clinical nature in front of goal has resurfaced.


Most recently scoring a crucial leveller in the Carabao Cup semi-final against Aston Villa, Iheanacho's influence is growing rapidly. Goals against Luton Town and Burton Albion got him going, and further Premier League strikes against the Villans, Everton and West Ham means the Nigerian has been directly involved in eight goals in as many games.


But there is more to come from Iheanacho. While it is futile to try and displace ​Jamie Vardy from the Leicester side, there is certainly still a place for the forward in Rodgers' team.

Either as a 'super sub' or a partner to Vardy operating more toward the left flank, Iheanacho can help Leicester continue their fine season. His hold-up play and decision making are improving, and his ability in front of goal is unquestionable. More than anything, Rodgers has got him running again and, while he will never be as ferocious and industrious as Vardy, he can certainly support the ageing 32-year-old.


Iheanacho's place in the squad is now assured, but the new five at the back system Rodgers has implemented in recent games may impact the striker's minutes on the pitch. At only 23 years of age, Iheanacho could be the heir to Vardy's throne - despite being a very different player indeed - and, as a result, needs to hone his craft now and not simply when Vardy retires.

With an electric pair of shooting boots and a presence in the box, one thing is for sure: Iheanacho has all that is needed to succeed at Leicester. It all now hinges on how much Rodgers trusts him to help guide the Foxes in to a new and exciting era.

https://www.90min.com/posts/6534285-the-increased-importance-of-kelechi-iheanacho-at-leicester-will-grow-the-more-he-plays

What a smug writeup

Danielnino00:
We have endured too many years of being mocked. this is one time to shine !



See them haters..
.

Kaiiiiiii

Can you imagine??

Na wa ooo

andrewbaba44:
He plays mostly as a winger sir

Wesley morales of Aston villa played as a striker in the whole of last season and Dennis got better stats than him

But he is in the Epl now with Aston villa

So Dennis is good enough

Its transfermarkt that listed him as primarily a CF ooooo

Subzero047:
Dennis has 16 goals in 62 games in the Belgian league

Facts don't care about your feelings, Cc Andrewbaba44

Not good enough as a centre forward

andrewbaba44:
Forget carzola bro ,dude is a legend

Chuks is not bad but my point is that he is not bigger than Villarreal and it’s very clear

And yes peeps here do overrate him saying Villarreal is not playing to his strength as if he is their Cr7 or the best player there

Exactly

I'm not saying chuks isn't good. But he doesn't worth all the degree of hype.

Chukwueze: 3 goals and 3 assists

Cazorla: 6 goals and 4 assists at 35 years of age

Yet, Chukwueze is bigger than Villarreal.

I laughter . Isn't this fallacious and preposterous?

Cc thesupernerd, andrewbaba44, thegoodjoe Icon4s tbaba1234

charlesemeka85:
and your opinion sucks!

I don't trade insults.

Good day.

charlesemeka85:
he lacks all this and still playing week in week out in the best league in the world? wow! never knew villarael are doing chuks a huge favor even when he is as bad as you said via the bolded. #ndiobiamusu

Bro

I repeat, no insults abeg.

Na my opinion oo and I'm entitled to it

Chuks starts because there's no one better.

If he was in Leicester, he'd be on the bencb

[quote author=charlesemeka85 post=85652784][/quote]Emmanuel Dennis isn't ready for the Premier league. There's thus strong feeling I have and can't shake off.

He should remain in Belgium for at least one season

andrewbaba44:
Yes I agree about chuks

Osimhen deserve the hype ,Ndidi own Na sure banker ,ekong is somehow underrated sha

Yes chuks is overrated and it’s by some people here and not the media ,imagine people saying he is bigger than Villarreal

Very big gaffe. Don't mind them.

So he is bigger than Cazorla?

A winger that can't cross and can't direct his shots or that doesn't know when to pass, how is that a winger?

Some coaches would've glued him to the bench by now.

Olulong:
God forbid.

Mr Darkelf don't start this your pessimism this new year o. Lol

TheSuperNerd:
Nope. Not happening. Your fart must keep that trademark smell that knocks out people like this....

[img]https://media1./images/57dfd380b81ea59eb221646ff981f81e/tenor.gif?itemid=10954057[/img]

Okay ooo

TheSuperNerd:
Even Science has shown that there are pills you can take that will make farts smell like roses and chocolates.

But no thank you... That Earthquake must come.

Wow, I'm interested.

Please post a link

TheSuperNerd:
Tell that to Ligue 1 media on Osimhen and to La LIGA media on Chukwueze.... Tell that also to the likes of Gary Lineker, and others in the British media on the obvious long known super talents of Nacho.
If you are scared to speak out on the obviously huge potentials of our young lads, then it is fine. Just allow us, the bold ones, do the talking afterall we no dey do am with your mouth, data or fingers....

And talking up the positive potentials of a player is not gonna affect their progress. Those with strong mentality will keep soaring and not let the fair praises get to their head... and a good positive feedback on a player of high yield potentials never hurts anyone. Merci.

Osimhen deserves all the hype. Ndidi deserves all the hype, Ekong is underrated. But Chuks is overrated in my opinion. Very overrated

Icon4s:
Na so we go hear finish. Next EPL game now him no go make match day squad. Some of these coaches sef

Exactly what I said about Rodgers.

He doesn't seem sincere

TheSuperNerd:
The League of the Extraordinary Hitmen.... Hahahahahahahaha.... [b]With Osimhen, Nacho, Chukwueze, Kalu... And couple more like Bonaventure, Maja, Ejuke, Dessers, a revived Onyekuru, etc all coming in.... Oh there's an Earthquake coming. A big scale Earthqua[/b]ke.

We are the new rising awesomes.... Hehehehehe....

And if NFF dirty politics prevails, your earthquake may end up becoming a FART.

jargooflife912:
By @GFFN on twitter

Newcastle United have submitted an offer for Club Brugge attacker Emmanuel Dennis, according to @ManuLonjon.

I'm not sure this guy is ready for the EPL yet

Subzero047:
All this your like, hate players, I'm his fan bla bla bla

Nobody hate SE players so don't claim to love them more than anybody else

Exactly.

daveP:
Farce is soft... Circus is better.

Even as an LFC fan, I'm not in support of Matip's selection

I'm thinking politics played out here and the Cameroon FA may have a hand in it as a means to lure him back to the team

gustav25:
On a certain Sunday , it rained tears and the rather ubiquitous loud mouths were forced Shut. It was a gloomy evening for them , but for me , it was A Bliss . According to my Camaraderie here , the Lord's work was done

Happy new year bro

kendrick93:
Goan sit down...
Your opinion would have been valid if there were no competitor...
Hakimi and even Chikwueze are more qualified to win

Hakimi was more qualified than the other two.

Chukwueze's only argument is that he started more games for us at the AFCON. Apart from that, I rate Osimhen above him

TheSuperNerd:
He didn't. It was Enyeama. I can show you.

You may be right. The details of that match seems hazy to me now

ChrisKels:
HOW EBERE EZE SPARKED DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN ROHR AND NFF PRESIDENT PINNICK


The cold war between President of the Nigeria Football Federation ( NFF) Amaju Pinnick and coach of the Super Eagles Gernot Rohr was fueled by a disagreement over inviting QPR midfielder Ebere Eze, Owngoalnigeria.com understands.
Pinnick is a big fan of the 21 year old and sincerely believe he will bring the much needed creativity and flair that is missing in the Super Eagles if called up by Rohr.


Rohr on the other hand is not so keen on the QPR forward as he believes his present options in midfield are in a way suitable to the present style of play of the team although he made a u-turn and spoke via proxy to the player before the Super Eagles last round of games in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.


After growing frustrated over Rohr's snubs, Eze decided to honour a call up to the England U21 ahead of Nigeria which means he will now require a clearance from FIFA before he can play for Nigeria and that infuriated Pinnick who had pushed for him to be called up earlier as it takes a whole lot to get a player cleared by FIFA after playing for England.


The NFF supremo however didn’t give up on the talent and travelled to London where he had dinner with the player, in the process revealed that Eze is still keen on representing Nigeria.
That didn’t go down well with Rohr who always want things done outside the attention of the media after the failed attempt to lure Tammy Abraham before the World Cup 2018 in Russia. Pinnick is however not on same wavelength with the German coach because he felt Rohr was too slow to act, otherwise the boy wouldn't have been capped by England to subject Nigeria to the long process of clearing a player they already had in their hands.


Furthermore speaking with Cyriel Dessers behind the coach and posting his switch of allegiance speech on the official website of the NFF somehow undermines the authority of Rohr who believes he should be the one to speak with Dessers not the President.


Pinnick’s action has placed the coach under pressure to call up the forward who has been in good form for Dutch side Heracles Almelo. Rohr is however not fully convinced that the forward is needed now in the Super Eagles.


The two issues has further dented the frosty relationship the duo have been trying to patch since the end of the World Cup 2018 in Russia where they both disagreed on the reason behind the group stage exit of the Super Eagles.

Sorry bros, what's the source?

TheSuperNerd:
Lol.... Correct Sir Goodjoe. You know, I just decided to do a quick check back on that tournament and check all MOTM winners.

Mikel was indeed our Highest MOTM winner. He won it against Burkina Faso twice. In the first game and in the final. That makes two.
Against Zambia that would have been Three as he was the best on Nigeria's side but Kennedy Mweene was Man of the Match.

Victor Moses never even won MOTM. But we cannot deny his influence alongside Mikel who was obviously the biggest influence and best on that team.
Against Ethiopia, it was Enyeama that even won it. Shocking how these guys forget that.

Mikel was our best at Afcon 2013. The records are there to back it up.

You sure?

I think VIC Moses won the MOTM in our final group game of AFCON 2013 where he caused and scored both penalties

ChrisKels:
Wenner and Osimhen are two big for a mere back up role, besides, neither of the two can be acquired lower than £50m

Exactly.

They will come in and bench Tammy

TheSuperNerd:
Plus those asking "How many has Osimhen scored??"

I never doubted his goal scoring prowess if you must know

But Hakimi deserved that award

Danielnino00:
Clubs have their own preference for certain players...it doesn't mean the players they snub are bad.

Gueye played with Ndidi in the premier league and he wasn't better than him.
Ndidi has been among the best defensive midfielder in the world since he moved to Leicester.. the stats speak for him....

Ndidi barely edged gueye in tackles and you know that

So, they just picked who plays in a better team. Na so we see am. Next time, make our guys perform indisputably better. Then, no one would "rob" them are some are already implying

Subzero047:
Hakimi had more Champions league goals from fullback than Osimhen, played all games in the Afcon, Is performing in a better team in a better league and is in the Afcon team of the year

How is that for a stat?

Gbammmmmm

Your head dey there bro

I said same thing however with too much story

TheSuperNerd:
Answer my question first naa... You dey dodge?

How come one is playing at a lower level compared to another? Afterall, Bundesliga is below the La liga?

Okay, yes , LA liga is a better league

HOWEVER,

Let me rephrase, Dortmund will school lille as well in a competitive match.

Hakimi deserved this thing. Scoring in Belgium or ahow boasting in Villarreal can only take you so far as evidenced by this award. CAF duly rewarded consistency