We need to talk about Jamie Vardy's role at Leicester City - before it's too late
Jamie Vardy has started all 20 of the Premier League games he's played this season but after another blank in front of goal, is it time to take the club legend out of the team?
When Leicester City were relegated in 2023, Vardy played 37 of the 38 games but only started 19. He scored three goals. Last season, under Enzo Maresca’s stewardship, he made 35 appearances in the Championship with 18 starts. In the 2021/22 season, he started 20 games. Each of the last three seasons has seen his league starts gradually decrease.
At 38, that's understandable. The excellent condition the striker is in and the way he conducts himself to maintain his physical appeal is nothing short of spectacular. But the fact he's on course to play more than he has in the last three years is problematic.
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Of Leicester's first 22 Premier League games this season, Vardy has started 20 of them. He missed the defeats to Manchester United and Liverpool due to a knock but apart from that, he has been first-choice under Steve Cooper and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
After goals against Tottenham, Crystal Palace, Southampton and Nottingham Forest in the first nine games of the season, Vardy scored in Van Nistelrooy's first two games in charge versus West Ham and Brighton. Since then, six games and 546 minutes have passed and he has missed a handful of big chances.
It must be stated, Vardy isn't the only problem in Leicester's attack. Since Bobby De Cordova-Reid's late leveller against Brighton, Leicester have failed to score in four straight home games despite having 49 shots. After scoring in every one of their first 10 games of the season, Leicester are now struggling to find the back of the net at all.
The five goals scored in Van Nistelrooy's first two games in charged have been followed by just two in the following seven games. Compound that with the 18 goals conceded, the Foxes' goal difference is the second-worst in the Premier League.
Back to Vardy and a closer look at the numbers reveal the problem for Leicester. In his first 14 league games this season, the striker bagged six goals in 18 shots. But in his last six, he has taken 19 shots and scored zero. In these six games, there have been some big misses, ones that have impacted the outcome of matches.
The Wolves game saw him miss two good chances, albeit unfortunate and the damage was done at the other end. In the defeat to Manchester City, he was denied by Stefan Ortega from close range after a defensive mistake before missing from point blank range at 1-0.
In his defence, his miss from close distance against Aston Villa led to Stephy Mavididi's goal and was a world-class save from Emiliano Martinez. More chances came his way against Crystal Palace with a particular one nearly a carbon copy of goals in years gone by, but his effort was smashed straight at Dean Henderson after sprinting clear of the defence.
And on Saturday, another smashed effort from a tight angle failed to beat the goalkeeper. In the last six games, Vardy has struggled for the conviction we are so used to. It happens and strikers go through this sort of form all the time, but question marks over his place in the starting XI are now becoming stronger.
Van Nistelrooy is short of options. Patson Daka is the obvious choice and we'll get to the Zambian soon. Behind is Odsonne Edouard and the summer signing hasn't had a look in under the Dutchman. A new striker is reportedly being eyed in the January transfer window but a number of factors could determine that.
So it leaves Daka. The striker has come off the bench in recent games and has hardly excited. A shot against Palace which should have done much better was the best he could muster and against Fulham, he was non-existent. But can you really judge a striker who has only started one game in the league this season, against league leaders Liverpool at Anfield?
Daka could not be the answer. He hasn't reached the level of quality Leicester would have hoped for when they paid £23million for him in 2021 in the past so there's little optimism about his ability to come in and improve the efficiency going forward. However, a run in the team could be exactly what he needs to get firing.
There is proof that Van Nistelrooy is a fan of the 26-year-old. The Foxes boss admitted early in his reign that he scouted Daka when he was firing goals in for RB Salzburg. “He’s probably the player that I’ve seen the most of,” van Nistelrooy said. “Also at a younger age, when he was at Salzburg, I was following him already. I was very interested in him when I was PSV manager, to be honest.
“I think he’s got great potential. That’s what he showed in Austria, scoring a lot of goals, assisting a lot. It’s something that I saw in him. He’s only going to get better, I think, developing him on a daily basis. He’s got a lot of potential.”
If Daka isn't the successful route, they are left with two options. They pull the plug on Tom Cannon's imminent permanent move away from the club and give him a go in the Premier League. Or they dip into the transfer market and sign a new centre-forward.
Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez could be available after being on their radar in the summer. Van Nistelrooy isn't a stranger to his ability with the Mexican netting 15 Eredivisie goals in 32 goals during his time at PSV.
Ange-Yoan Bonny, Fotis Ioannidis and Andre Silva are all names Leicester fans may be familiar with due to reports in the media linking them with a move to LE2.
Whatever happens, Leicester need to find a solution. Vardy's time to drop out, even briefly, is the best route at the moment. Everyone knows what he is capable of but his barren run isn't helping their survival hopes. Time for Daka? Over to you, Ruud.
