Brendan Rodgers reverts to old habits with Kelechi Iheanacho

The fixture that pitted Leicester City against Arsenal over the last weekend was one of the most exciting of this round of fixtures. Not just because it was the opening fixture of the weekend but because of the recent history of both teams. 

The two sides were coming into this match after having overcome adversity in the opening fixtures of the season. Both are vying for the tightly contested European spots and they were both level on points. 

The moment the ball got kicked, both teams stopped being so equal. Arsenal took the game to their hosts right from the start with the first phase of attacking play by the Gunners requiring a goal-line stop by the dependable Kasper Schmeichel. 

The visitors did not relent until the Foxes were already two goals behind and that's when Leicester started to get into the game again. The closest the hosts came to scoring after the visitors early spell came through none other than the unrelenting Iheanacho. 

The Nigerian struck a fine shot that was curling into the side of the net save for a fingertip save from the imperious Aaron Ramsdale, who was determined to not give anything up on the day. 

By halftime, Brendan Rodgers hooked Iheanacho and Daniel Amartey for Harvey Barnes and Ademola Lookman. A change in personnel would mark a return to the formation that served the team until recently. 

As it has occurred many times this season already, the return to that shape could not get the goal that the Foxes required to salvage anything from the match. That quick change in shape however may have put some doubt in the Nigerian forward's mind about his manager's trust in him. 

If he could so willingly take him off when he had been one of the team's better performers in the first half then maybe he would need to find someone else who believes more in him and his abilities. 

The striker who is in his prime has shown good form to bail the team from some hairy situations recently and should probably have been most deserving of a spot to carry on after that shambolic showing by the Foxes in the first half.

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Seye Omidiora is a passionate football writer and pundit whose deep appreciation for the beautiful game exceeds the usual. He is currently a columnist for Goal Africa and has previously written for Vital Football UK, IBCity Info and Opera News.

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