One of the most noticeable change in the Leicester City set up is the decision of the new coach of the team Enzo Maresca to play Nigeria international midfielder Wilfred Ndidi in a new role, higher up the pitch than his previous role just in front of the defence, OwnGoalNigeroa.comreports.
Maresca experimented the idea in all of their pre season games and not many thought he will take it into the new season especially with the future of Ndidi uncertain with just one year left in his deal at the club.
The manager who took over the team following their relegation from the English Premier League has gone about the task of helping them gain promotion back to the English top flight, by leading them to a win in their first championship game against Coventry.
Ndidi played higher up the pitch in an advanced number 8 role tasked with making box to box run making him more of a goal threat to the opposition than a barrier to his team conceding. He struggled in the role but on Wednesday against Burton in the League Cup he showed better understanding with a goal.
While Ndidi is getting used to a new role, it has worked out well with his teammates at club and national level Kelechi Iheanacho. The new style of the team’s attack suits his skillet better than team’s talisman Jamie Vardy.
In the two games this season, Iheanacho who has a goal and and assist against Burton in the League Cup has been on the pitch for the period they have scored all four goals this season. An impact recognized by the manager.
“Very good. Even against Coventry, he was inside in the second half and he was very good. He helped us a lot against Coventry to come back in the game”, he said of the forward whose future is the same as that of Ndidi and cloud yet leave before the close of the transfer window.
“We have three strikers with different skills, Vardy is one of the best inside the box. Kele probably gives us something different. And also Pato (Daka). All of them, they are very good”.
It’s only a matter of time before he decides to bin the fan’s favorite for Iheanacho who is perfectly suited to his idea of having a striker, who holds up the ball and bring others into play. Something that isn’t the strength of Vardy, who likes to run off the shoulder of the last man.
Mohammed Mowiz Suleiman