Vards and the big looming hill

[Cala Bona Fox]

I think that under Brendan Rodgers we will see a change in his all round game due to a playing style that won't just rely on his pace and I wouldn't be surprised if he became more like Kevin Phillips. If so he could well still be playing until his late 30s. 

[Dan]

4 hours ago, mikey54 said:

Jezza Corbyn 

I can't unsee this. **** sake.

[inckley fox]

One of the reasons that I'm a little more conservative with my expectations for this season is that there's a good chance the years will start to catch up with Vardy. Pace is such a crucial element of his game, and he's so central to ours that it's going to cause a major headache sooner or later.

 

My gut feeling is that we will, at some point this season, realise that life after Vardy is rapidly approaching. It could be an injury, a clear loss of pace, or of form - and it won't necessarily mean his time is up - but it'll come. I'm sure the Perez signing is an indication that the club have one eye on this, without wishing to replace Vardy, or add further competition for a single role in the side. But if respectable bids came in for Iheanacho / Slimani I wouldn't be surprised to see a pacy young centre forward plucked out of nowhere a week or two down the line.

 

We certainly don't want to get to the January window and find ourselves scouring the market for a striker.

[fuchsntf]

3 hours ago, Costock_Fox said:

Play him till he’s 50, **** it.

Sir S.Mathews did it..

[ozleicester]

9 minutes ago, fuchsntf said:

Sir S.Mathews did it..

in ankle high boots and kicking a ball that weighed two and a half tonnes when it got wet

[AyewJoking]

10 hours ago, jeffschlupp said:

Glenn Murray is 3.5 years older than him, and first made it into the Football League at the age of 21 (Vardy obviously 25 in comparison).

 

Murray has just done 13 and 12 goal seasons for one of the lowest scoring surviving teams this league has ever seen.

 

I think he's got 3, even 4 years at the top left at least, but as others say we have to start looking for an understudy soon enough, if Iheanacho isn't going to be up to it.

Murray doesnt rely on pace though.

 

I think vardy will be fine for a while yet as long as he stays injury free.

[UPinCarolina]

5 hours ago, Beliall said:

Good job on not reading the rest of the thread and just jumping in with a post full of nonsense 

Bit harsh.

Vardy might have a few things in his corner but Father Time is undefeated and never gets tired. Even Vardy will run outta petrol at some point. The question really ought to be whether his game can adapt to the inevitable loss of pace that will occur as he continues to age.

[Dahnsouff]

12 hours ago, PaulW said:

He's good for years yet.......the picture in his attic is in a hell of a state though.

Bit of cul-cha - like it 

[ithuriel]

For a second there I thought this was the title of some picture book he had released 

[blue blood]

Why are we even talking about when Vardy will stop playing? ?

 

These thoughts just make me realise Jamie Vardy is the greatest Leicester City player of all time. 

 

What a time to be alive! 

[z-layrex]

Imagine life without Vards 

[Stoopid]

5 hours ago, ozleicester said:

in ankle high boots and kicking a ball that weighed two and a half tonnes when it got wet

It was 1964, not 1954. Probably a fine distinction in your mind, but by the mid-60s things like high-ankled boots & cement balls were pretty much history

Saw Matthews play at 50. It was my first game at Filbert St. He was ok - not amazing - but his obvious football brain still made him a threat. Think same applies to Jamie. He's a better player than just the raw pace-merchant he's usually characterised as. We'll see...

[HighPeakFox]

It's something I would imagine that, as a collective fan-base, we're all dreading. The trouble is, who is to say what and when? I find that it is often a small, innocuous incident that signals 'the end', rather than something more obvious, such as a bad injury.

 

It's a bad comparison, but I was still playing club cricket and bowling half-decent medium pace into my mid-40s, started one particular season, and.....nothing happened! I bowled the ball and it landed (most of the time), but there was no zip, no grip, no menace any more. I couldn't tell you what caused this, other than a subtle passing of time. So although it's not all that analogous, it does make the point that it can happen almost unnoticed or in a very subtle way. 

 

Fingers crossed it's a while yet, I know I'll find it very hard to enjoy LCFC quite so much without Vardy leading the line.

[blueharmie]

I think he plays smater now and has changed since his sprinting days with us.

He's still got that pace and is pretty deadly Infront of goal. Will be fine for years yet.

Best striker we have ever had and he likes us?

[PaulW]

5 hours ago, Royston. said:

Murray doesnt rely on pace though.

 

I think vardy will be fine for a while yet as long as he stays injury free.

We are already seeing a change in his game, and that is supported by the changes in style from the team as a whole.  We're seeing far less of the long ball for Vardy to race onto leaving defenders floundering in his wake, & far more examples of him taking up clever attacking positions in order finish off, or contribute to, flowing attacking moves.

[ozleicester]

1 hour ago, Stoopid said:

It was 1964, not 1954. Probably a fine distinction in your mind, but by the mid-60s things like high-ankled boots & cement balls were pretty much history

Saw Matthews play at 50. It was my first game at Filbert St. He was ok - not amazing - but his obvious football brain still made him a threat. Think same applies to Jamie. He's a better player than just the raw pace-merchant he's usually characterised as. We'll see...

I was playing kids soccer in Oz in the early 70s and there were still a few ankle boots on the pitch... very common in the early 60's and cement balls have hit this head long into the 70s

[Monk]

I think he will adapt his game. He’s a much more intelligent and well rounded footballer than, say the day we beat Utd 5-3.

 

That day he had so many breakaways from near the halfway line, but even last season his runs off the last defender were over a much shorter distance. I’d say acceleration is now more important than pace to his game. 

 

Ive no idea how much longer he’s got at the top - I want to say 2-3 years but that could be rocked by an injury or burn out. 

 

Hope we are saving up for the replacement as it will cost a lot more than £1m next time!

[mancunianfox]

3 hours ago, blue blood said:

These thoughts just make me realise Jamie Vardy is the greatest Leicester City player of all time. 

I agree with that. Two league winners medals, the catalyst for the great escape and if you put together a list of the best ever City goals he would be featured more than anyone else. The longer he plays for us the bigger the gap gets between him and every other player. I was ok when Kante left and although we were a lot less exciting to watch without him I was happy enough for Mahrez to move on after serving us so well. Vardy though...I genuinely cannot imagine watching us without him anymore. Legend.

[Jack1993]

I don't know when he will retire but I think he will join the PL 100 Club this year

[Gwyn]

Nice article this, answering all our questions 

 

https://www.planetfootball.com/trending/hands-up-who-thought-jamie-vardy-would-still-be-brilliant-at-32/?fbclid=IwAR2DvpzUcGBpNSFFt78IKL-Po1vMwPkVZxF-FICKCHeFPbndkla3hRhBJmo

 

And Michael Owen ffs.. 

[Stoopid]

1 hour ago, ozleicester said:

I was playing kids soccer in Oz in the early 70s and there were still a few ankle boots on the pitch... very common in the early 60's and cement balls have hit this head long into the 70s

Yeah - well I was playing in ankle boots for my Junior school team round then - but my point is that in the pro game things had moved on by the mid-60s. Adidas boots were becoming pretty widespread and lighter balls  (without laces).

Fair enough, for oiks like me (and you, presumably) change was slower, though it's hard to imagine Australia wasn't right in the vanguard of fashion!

[ozleicester]

5 minutes ago, Stoopid said:

though it's hard to imagine Australia wasn't right in the vanguard of fashion!

you are correct ...

[Stoopid]

4 minutes ago, ozleicester said:

you are correct ...

Brilliant...

I've never been to Australia, but the more I learn about the place the more I realise what an aching void that omission has created in my life!

[TJB-fox]

18 hours ago, StanSP said:

As long as he gets to 100 Premier League goals I'll be happy. 

 

If I'm right in thinking, he only needs 20 more goals in this league to reach that figure. Phenomenal considering there's bound to be more experienced strikers in this league who started their careers earlier haven't even reached that figure.

 

I think he's got a good 2-3 years left in him at this level but obviously has to look after his body even more. Luckily we have a great sports science team at the club so they're bound to keep one of our prized assets in good condition.

Good word to describe him. We will never, ever, ever have a player like Vardy again - not in our lifetime anyway. Don’t even want to contemplate having to replace him one day.

[srex9]

I honestly feel Vardy could have 3 or 4 more good years. He's become a far more accomplished finisher in recent times and has started to use very short bursts of speed with precise timing. A couple of years ago he would constantly harass and press and be a nuisance...but now with the team doing that as a whole he can pick and choose his moments more wisely. Athletes like Roger Federer give me hope for Vards being effective until his late 30s, and I wouldn't worry too much about his pace. He might lose an edge but some sprinters still compete at the top level over the age of 35. His positioning, timing and finishing ability is pure class. Plenty more to come from this wiry legend!