{"id":373662,"date":"2019-03-02T09:56:35","date_gmt":"2019-03-02T14:56:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonfootball.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=373662"},"modified":"2019-03-02T09:56:35","modified_gmt":"2019-03-02T14:56:35","slug":"brendan-rodgers-already-impressed-leicester-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/football\/2019\/03\/02\/brendan-rodgers-already-impressed-leicester-city\/","title":{"rendered":"Brendan Rodgers Has Already Impressed at Leicester City"},"content":{"rendered":"

Brendan Rodgers<\/a> is yet to take charge of a game as Leicester City<\/a> manager, yet the change around the club is profound. Claude Puel brought great stability and progress to a struggling Leicester side prior to his departure<\/a>, but Rodgers has already shown he can take the club to the next level.<\/p>\n

Brendan Rodgers Impressing Already<\/h1>\n

Intensity<\/h2>\n

Claude Puel\u2019s entire reign as Leicester City manager was built around slow, methodical football. This translated into training, with many players reportedly unhappy with long training sessions, largely focussing on tactics. The end result was a struggle against weaker sides at home, with Leicester\u2019s slow, patient football not enough to break teams down.<\/p>\n

Brendan Rodgers has instantly changed this, according to numerous reports. Ben Chilwell spoke<\/a> earlier this week about the high intensity of training sessions and the difference to those under Puel. This is a significant change. Puel\u2019s approach alienated many of the club\u2019s key players and led to apathy in the fan base.<\/p>\n

Fan Connection<\/h2>\n

There has been a huge disconnect between Leicester City fans and the club over the last year. This generated a toxic environment at home matches, with every slight error jeered. Towards the end of his reign, Puel\u2019s substitutions were often met with groans and negative chants. Many players spoke of how this affected their confidence. This low confidence, in turn, led to mistakes and unfortunately more fan reaction.<\/p>\n

The atmosphere during Tuesday\u2019s win against Brighton & Hove Albion<\/a> was the most positive The King Power Stadium has seen this season. Mere hours after Rodgers\u2019 appointment, there was a palpable excitement within the stands.<\/p>\n

The King Power Stadium was a fortress during the title winning season and home form is essential if Leicester are to compete for European football. Brendan Rodgers\u2019 appointment has already gone a long way to repairing the divide which Puel\u2019s reign had created.<\/p>\n

Squad Morale<\/h2>\n

Several of Leicester\u2019s young talents have been linked with bigger clubs, including Harry Maguire<\/a> and James Maddison<\/a>. Most heavily linked has been full back Ben Chilwell<\/a>, who is enjoying a sensational season<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It was significant, therefore, when Chilwell spoke<\/a> about the excitement of the squad at the appointment, telling Sky Sports, \u201cI\u2019ve never seen it so energetic around here\u201d. He also said that there is no reason for any player to want to leave, now that the club have \u201cone of the biggest managers in the world\u201d.<\/p>\n

Retaining key players is something which Leicester have struggled to do in recent years. N’golo Kante, Danny Drinkwater<\/a> and Riyad Mahrez<\/a> have all left, but this trend may now be bucked.<\/p>\n

Main Photo
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>