Brentford display shows Iheanacho importance to Leicester City

The latest round of fixtures in the Premier League saw Brentford host Leicester City on Sunday. 

For the Foxes, it was definitely not going to be an easy match. The reputation of the Premier League new boys had preceded them. Having gone toe to toe with some of the league's top teams, Leicester were looking forward to a tight contest and that is exactly what they got.

Prior to the match, Brendan Rodgers' players were just coming out of a rut of their own making. Still looking for their second clean sheet in the league since opening day, performances have not really been consistent. 

The prospect of facing a Brentford side that has proven so irrepressible since they came up was always going to be a daunting proposition.

For all the expectations that came, the game mostly delivered. The hosts started to dominate proceedings really early before a wonderful strike from Youri Tielemans handed the visitors an early lead against the run of play. 

The atmosphere became even tenser with Brentford upping the pressure and that culminated in a headed goal by Zanka from a well taken corner at the hour mark.

The gung-ho nature of Brentford's play always meant they were vulnerable to well timed counter attacks. Their efforts to seal a winner while pressing the cornered Foxes high up the pitch was their undoing with a player like Kelechi Iheanacho still on the pitch and he made them pay. 

A rare clearance by Leicester got the Nigerian striker on the ball and his physicality meant defenders will always struggle to get the ball off him. 

He drove the ball further into Brentford territory, held up play for his teammates and slipped Patson Daka through on goal before the Zambian squared the ball to a free James Maddison who rolled the ball into an empty net.

Iheanacho's grit and aggression on the ball has meant that he isn't as prioritized by his manager when compared to the more technical forwards at his disposal but it is those qualities which make him unique on the team and has helped to bail them out of some hairy situations lately. 

Hopefully we get to see more of him on the team now that he has proven his value beyond doubt in the last few games.

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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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