Leicester City’s Sharp Decline Under Brendan Rodgers
Excerpts of the following article by Luke James / @LukeJames_32 from January 16, 2022 is courtesy of Breaking The Lines: https://breakingthelines.com/opinion/leicester-citys-sharp-decline-under-brendan-rodgers/.
Football is a relatively simple sport; it’s why it’s so revered around the world. After all, all you need to be able to play the beautiful game is an object to kick, a handful of other competitors, and some markings that vaguely hint at where the goals should be. Jumpers, if you will.
That said, football has been honed and mastered as a craft over the course of the last century. It is now highly advanced and features some of the world’s best athletes and brightest minds. And although the game is still played at its simplest level on every corner of the globe, there is a universe of difference between how football works on Hackney Marshes and at the Etihad Stadium.
Regardless, we speak and think about all kinds of football in the same way. If an amateur team conceded 17 set-piece goals in as many games, they would be called soft. An identical conclusion would be drawn if the fact applied to a Premier League club.
It’s just how football works.
And, amid a precipitous decline under Brendan Rodgers, softness just so happens to be a term that accurately describes Leicester City. After a bright start to the Northern Irishman’s tenure in the East Midlands, things are starting to turn south for the Foxes. Here’s why.
The Brendan Rodgers Era
In February 2019, Rodgers arrived at the King Power Stadium having repaired the reputational damage he suffered at the end of his reign in Liverpool. He did so by leading Celtic to the first double treble in Scottish footballing history, a feat that also included a 69-game unbeaten run.
Although Rodgers was unable to deliver Celtic success on the European stage, his domestic record spoke for itself and was enough to win him a seat back in the Premier League with Leicester. He took over from Claude Puel, who had become a toxic figure due to his defensive style of play, with the club eight points above the relegation zone and on a downward spiral.
Despite losing his first game in charge, Rodgers helped Leicester rebound to end the year. The Foxes won four straight as March turned into April and closed out the season with positive performances (if not results) versus Arsenal, Manchester City, and Chelsea.
Rodgers’ early impact at Leicester was based on his flair for man-management and ability to revive a flatlining attack. He continued to have the same influence through the following two seasons, with the Foxes finishing fifth in the Premier League twice in a row before hoisting the FA Cup.
For the rest of the opinion piece by Luke James / @LukeJames_32 from January 16, 2022 in Breaking The Lines, please go to: https://breakingthelines.com/opinion/leicester-citys-sharp-decline-under-brendan-rodgers/.