Once again, West Ham raced into a three-goal lead in a Premier League game, thanks to their star man Jesse Lingard. For the second time in a row, they actually held on after conceding two, for a second successive 3-2 win. It was Leicester City who were on the receiving end, as the Foxes suffered a second defeat on the bounce. On another grim occasion for Brendan Rodgers’ side, one man continued his upwards form, in Kelechi Iheanacho. The Kelechi Iheanacho Leicester City career continues to rise.
Kelechi Iheanacho Leicester City Career: Future is Now
Kelechi Iheanacho Reborn
For Kelechi Iheanacho, it is a continuation of a rich vein of form. The kind that earned him a Player of the Month award for March. Despite Leicester’s tepid display at the London Stadium, Iheanacho bagged a double to reduce the deficit for the Foxes.
That brace means he’s now scored nine goals in the last six games. It also takes his tally for the season overall to 14, joint-top scorer at the club (Jamie Vardy, the other, has played three more games, and over a thousand more minutes). It’s also more than what he’s registered in any of the past three seasons at the King Power. But that’s just not all for the Nigerian.
Iheanacho Leicester Career: What’s Changed Between Then and Now
It’s not just that Kelechi Iheanacho is scoring more than he has done at Leicester in his career. Even though his earlier years were not great. His first season saw him score eight goals, which was both underwhelming and deceptive. His second season – in which he only scored twice and was known for that miss in that famous Manchester City Vincent Kompany game – was more reflective of his form.
It wasn’t that his form was bad. It was that his attitude was worse. For many who saw Kelechi Iheanacho dominate with Nigeria at the U17 World Cup in 2013, goals are only a part of his game. A goal drought wouldn’t have been alarming, except he also looked lost. He looked like a man defeated.
The Impact of Brendan Rodgers
The improvement of Kelechi Iheanacho can also be attributed to the arrival of Rodgers. First, there’s the fact that in Rodgers’ first full season, Iheanacho finally reached double figures for the Foxes for the first time. Then there’s the fact that Rodgers has adapted his tactics over time.
Iheanacho has been completed by players around him, not least Jamie Vardy when he’s in form. Iheanacho isn’t the quickest forward and the most energy-busting player. Instead, he’s a subtle and steady man in attack, and it helps to be surrounded by runners – both in front and beside him.
The Future With Leicester City
There’s no denying the fact that Jamie Vardy’s time as Leicester’s leading man is coming to an end. His slump in form and fitness of late is a grim reminder of that reality. In the past, there would be a worry about Leicester’s direction and the succession of Vardy in the Foxes’ attack.
But things are different now. Kelechi Iheanacho looks to have finally found his feet, his confidence, and his smile again. For the man whose middle name is Promise, the future looks bright again.
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