Rodgers has given Iheanacho more playing time this campaign having found the back of the net seven times and provided nine assists in all competitions
By Kehinde Okeowo
Leicester City gaffer, Brendan Rodgers has praised the confidence and versatility of Nigerian striker, Kelechi Iheanacho in front of goal, he however knocked him for missing chances and urged him to improve his goalscoring stats for the club.
The 25-year-old has been offered more playing time in recent weeks since the first-choice striker, Jamie Vardy, suffered a knee injury a few weeks ago but he has had mixed results.
Iheanacho was the club’s highest goalscorer last season with 19 goals across all competitions, but he has played second fiddle behind Jamie Vardy this term, although Rodgers seems to trust him ahead of his African compatriot, Paston Daka.
The Nigerian international has performed decently, but scored just once in his last five starts – the 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford last week.
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His manager, however, felt he should have scored more during that period, given the goal-scoring opportunities he had in The Foxes’ last three games against Brentford, Man United, and PSV Eindhoven.
But Iheanacho was not clinical in front of goal, as he dinked the balls over the goalkeepers on each of the occasions and failed to hit the target.
Brendan while speaking to Leicester Mercury praised Iheanacho for his confidence and having variety in his finish but prompted him to remember the golden rule of strikers, which is to put the ball at the back of the net.
“You need to have variety in your finishes, of course.
“I saw him this afternoon with the chiropodist, getting his feet done, and I asked her to shave a bit off his toe, just so he could bring it down a little bit.
“He’s shown that he can score goals. I love that confidence. I love that ability to be able to do that. But of course, you want them to hit the target. That’s the golden rule as a striker, to hit the target.
“He’s been in a couple of those positions, and it just went wide on the Brentford one, the one at Man United nearly went out of the stadium, and the one last night (against PSV) just went wide. He knows that himself. It’s great that they have the variation now. You have to have that variation as a striker.” Rodgers said.
Iheanacho has found the back of the net seven times and provided nine assists in all competitions for Leicester City this campaign.