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Jamie Vardy on course for remarkable feat – because the Leicester City queue has emptied
Jamie Vardy defies logic. That is so well-established at this point that the Leicester City captain cannot be analysed on the same terms as the average Premier League player.
But even viewing Vardy’s career through a different lens, one where the usual expectations and rules don’t apply, he is on course to surprise this season. At 37 years of age (soon to be 38), and as the third oldest outfield player in the division, it would be remarkable if he kept it up.
He proved last season that he still has his finishing touch, netting 20 times in all competitions. This term, he’s already scored four goals from 10 games, surpassing his tally of three from 37 outings in the relegation campaign.
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But perhaps even more eye-catching is the number of minutes he is playing. At Ipswich, he completed 90 minutes for the sixth time this term. That matches the number of complete games he played in the whole of the relegation season two years ago. In the Championship, he played 90 minutes just once.
In fact, Vardy has played 94 per cent of City’s league minutes this season. That really does buck a trend. Because of selection, but also an injury here and there, he’s not managed above 55 per cent of minutes in any of the previous three seasons. The last time he was averaging more minutes was in 2017-18, when he was 30/31.
Can he keep that up without sustaining an injury? Everyone will hope so, but it does remain an unknown. Some questions will be answered when City play midweek Premier League games next month. So far, Vardy has not even been on the bench for any of the cup ties, so as to be saved for league matches.
It’s not that he’s obviously doing less on the pitch either. Running data isn’t readily available and he’s certainly not tearing around like he was in his 20s, but he’s averaging 18 touches per 90 minutes, which while that is his lowest in the Premier League, it’s only marginally so, with the number nine sitting somewhere between 20 and 24 touches per 90 minutes in all previous seasons.
He’s not noticeably been less effective as the games have gone on either. His deft assist for Jordan Ayew’s 94th-minute equaliser at the weekend showed that.
How is he managing to still feature so often, and to make an impact? Steve Cooper said: “It’s on him more than anybody else. He prepares really well for games and he’s never going to lose that amazing talent he has of scoring goals.
“He’s been able to take chances. We’ve seen different types of goals from him already: a penalty, being in the right place at the right time, and even a run in behind against Crystal Palace. That’s very typical of what Jamie’s done over his career so it’s just showing it’s more than still there.
“It’s down to his preparation, his hunger, and his motivation, which he knows more about himself than anybody else. We’re supporting him and if he can keep where he’s at in terms of goals tally, and even improve it, it will be really helpful to us, so let’s hope that continues.
“It’s just about working together with him and the physical performance team. It’s about sitting together and planning and trusting in terms of what he needs. We have to involve him in the process.
“You can see he still enjoys his training. He still wants to be the one who scores the most goals and he wants to win in training, like at the lads do. At the same time, he’s very experienced at knowing what it takes for him to be ready on a matchday. We’re working with him constantly on that. He’s obviously in a minority of players of his age playing at the top level, but he’s not on his own. It’s showing it does exist now.”
But there is another side to this. Maybe City just don’t have the options they previously had. For a long time, Kelechi Iheanacho was there as Vardy’s deputy, and someone who could be called upon. Last season, the Nigerian shared the striker berth with Vardy for the first half of the campaign.
Patson Daka has been there too for a few seasons, playing in fits and starts. But with Iheanacho leaving on a free transfer and Daka injured all season, neither of them have been there for Cooper to turn to.
Odsonne Edouard was brought in on loan on deadline day but has so far not impressed, to the point where he didn’t even make the bench at Ipswich. Ayew, then, is the back-up for now, but he plays as a winger or attacking midfielder too and has often been needed for those roles, rather than as a replacement for Vardy.
Iheanacho once spoke of being in a queue at City, one that Vardy was always at the front of. Now, that queue has disappeared.
With City chasing a result in a lot of their fixtures too, there won’t have been the same consideration to bring Vardy off, even for a midfielder. That doesn’t ever feel like a sensible move when the team need a goal.
But Daka is now back in training and when he gets properly up to speed, that may change things for City, Cooper and Vardy. It will give the manager a chance to preserve his star striker and ensure he can keep making an impact through the season.
Or maybe he won’t feel he has to. Maybe Vardy can keep playing as much as he is doing, and can keep contributing along the way. Remember, the usual logic does not apply.
