Was that Jamie Vardy’s greatest Leicester performance ever?

[davieG]

https://www.football365.com/news/opinion-jamie-vardy-greatest-leicester-performance-ever

 

Date published: Friday 17th July 2020 7:32

harvey barnes jamie vardy brendan rodgers
There is something engrossing about watching an elite finisher play the sort of passes they themselves would thrive on. That inversion of roles carries with it a perverse charm, like a prolific actor making their directorial debut, or a superhero helping their long-suffering sidekick save the day instead.

You can’t help but watch. It challenges perceptions and self-imposed boundaries. The very principles of typecasting can be shattered in 90 minutes.

Jamie Vardy is a striker. Not a centre-forward, in the mould of Roberto Firmino or Dennis Bergkamp, but a striker. A ruthless, cold-blooded, single-minded goalscorer. A destroyer, not a creator.

Picture him. What do you see? A tireless run off the shoulder of the hapless last defender to latch onto a long ball over the top, followed by a low, driven finish and a celebration in front of the opposition fans who have dedicated the entire game abusing him from the stands. It is simple but effective; predictable yet unpreventable.

It does not even have to be a vivid memory of a particular goal. His most renowned of 103 in the Premier League came against Liverpool in February 2016 and offered a slight variation on the tried and tested method. Vardy was still galloping behind Mamadou Sakho, chasing Riyad Mahrez’s 50-yard ball into a wide-open space on the right. But it was the finish that was so striking: a sensational dipping effort that clashed with the net but also our collective idea of what Vardy is capable of.

Yet his most instructive, iconic goal came in April 2018. Mahrez, again, spotted the run and obliged with a pinpoint pass from behind the halfway line to the edge of the penalty area. Vardy accelerated beyond Craig Dawson and, before the ball could even bounce, struck a perfect volley past Ben Foster without even looking at the net, sprinting at full speed and with his weaker foot.

It required absolutely sublime technique, control and timing, and perhaps aware that he had strayed too far from the safety of his own script, Vardy proceeded to congregate at his favourite corner of The Hawthorns to honour the moment with his favourite West Brom supporters.

He has always been a more complete footballer than he is given credit for, but old foes Sheffield United, and maybe even the unabashed praise of Chris Wilder, brought perhaps his finest, most rounded top-flight performance of all.

It started as most would expect, Vardy hitting the post when played through by Youri Tielemans. But from there, finisher became facilitator. One raking Ryan Bennett pass was turned into a wonderful assist for Harvey Barnes, who could not beat Dean Henderson. Minutes later, Wilfred Ndidi slid Vardy in behind again but he waited, occupied the thoughts of both John Egan and Jack O’Connell and created space and time for Barnes once more.

He missed.

Vardy simply doubled down: leading a counter-attack from which Ayoze Perez ought to have added to his opener; opting to ignore the offside Barnes before playing a wonderful ball for Tielemans to waste the opportunity instead; then collecting a fine Jonny Evans pass to square for Demarai Gray’s goal. The variation in his delivery was breathtakingly effective. The right decision was made every time.

Between the 51st minute and the 79th, Vardy hit the post and created five chances – including the goal that secured Leicester three crucial points – with six passes. In one fell swoop, he proved himself greater than just a goalscorer.

That is, of course, a misnomer in itself. The 33-year-old does not just score: he stretches defences, creates confusion and panic and opens up space. He is typically there for goals but does so much more.

But he reached a different plane on Thursday. This was irrefutable proof, a prime example of Vardy allowing Danny Ings to close the Golden Boot gap while still making the most telling contribution of the midweek, just when Leicester needed him. It was Harry Kane in Spain – just with an imperious Batman flanked not by Raheem Sterling or Marcus Rashford, but a clumsy Barnes.

Matt Stead

[eddylcfc]

No

[AKCJ]

 

[Number 6]

No. But he gets my vote for man of the match.

[Guest ttfn]

Top 5 Vardy performances (for me):

1) Man United 5-3 - a goal and 4 assists

2) West Brom 3-2 (title winning season) - in the midst of his 11 game scoring run, gave West Brom an absolute chasing and scored a vintage breakaway goal.

3) Newcastle 3-0 (great escape season) - probably the first time I knew he was going to make it as a PL striker

4) Man City 4-2 (hat trick)

5) Derby 4-1 - absolutely humiliated the Derby defence.

 

I wasn’t at that game at Barnsley where the highlights made it look like he was playing on fast forward - maybe that would be up there too?

 

He was excellent yesterday and demonstrated yet again that there is more to his game than scoring goals.

[bmt]

Just now, ttfn said:

1) Man United 5-3 - a goal and 4 assists

This - end thread

[Guest ttfn]

Also I would add that yesterday’s game is further proof that the problem for him from January to recently was not just a lack of supply. He looked sluggish, his touch was poor, the chances he was getting he wasn’t taking. 
 

None of that makes him a poor player, he was just in poor form. It happens. Vardy’s been through at least 4 prior prolonged spells of poor form since he’s been here and each time he’s bounced back.

[Wolfox]

He was excellent…. I like the sentiment of the article and yes as we all know there is far more to his game than rush and shoot and yesterday was a very fine example of that…

 

I think the title is to encourage you to read it…. Which it did…. If it said ‘Vardy - really quite good at other parts of the game’ it may not have caught our attention as well!

[Bourbon Fox]

 

'Vardy proceeded to congregate at his favourite corner of The Hawthorns to honour the moment with his favourite West Brom supporters' 

 

[shailen]

Without doubt, his debut against United was his greatest performance. They didn't know what hit them and that performance was everything Vardy was about at the time, pace, aggression, work ethic, finishing ability, etc. 

[TeamRocket]

Maybe weird but get the feeling BR is trying to make him a CAM but cos he's our top goal scoring machine having someone ahead  of him would be daft. Dunno maybe am wrong but if we had 2 of him yesterday we would have distorted them and everyone else. 

[StriderHiryu]

Not his best, but it was up there. Shame he didn't take his chance, but his support play was outstanding. It's a shame many of our players couldn't score in a brothel, because that could and should have been a 4 or 5 nil win. 

[StriderHiryu]

1 minute ago, TeamRocket said:

Maybe weird but get the feeling BR is trying to make him a CAM but cos he's our top goal scoring machine having someone ahead  of him would be daft. Dunno maybe am wrong but if we had 2 of him yesterday we would have distorted them and everyone else. 

Not a CAM, but think Aguero at Man City. He's not just a target man, he makes tons of goals for the likes of Sterling, Mahrez and Sane before he left. Vardy is often underrated in the Premier League and considered as nothing more than a pacy striker. In truth he has so many dimensions and facets to his game, and there's a reason why he is clearly our best ever player. Even comparing him to Lineker say, I would have Vardy in my team over Lineker every day of the weak. Lineker was a poacher and a bit of a goal hanger, Vardy does everything, stretches the play, defends from the front, links up play, plays in others and can finish. 

[TeamRocket]

1 minute ago, StriderHiryu said:

Not a CAM, but think Aguero at Man City. He's not just a target man, he makes tons of goals for the likes of Sterling, Mahrez and Sane before he left. Vardy is often underrated in the Premier League and considered as nothing more than a pacy striker. In truth he has so many dimensions and facets to his game, and there's a reason why he is clearly our best ever player. Even comparing him to Lineker say, I would have Vardy in my team over Lineker every day of the weak. Lineker was a poacher and a bit of a goal hanger, Vardy does everything, stretches the play, defends from the front, links up play, plays in others and can finish. 

couldn't agree more with this! Spot on defoe for me too so glad he stayed with us and plays for us. Gonna be hard for us when he hangs his boots in 10 years time ( want him for ever to be honest) and hopefully we have in the back room staff teaching the kids.

[davieG]

8 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

Not a CAM, but think Aguero at Man City. He's not just a target man, he makes tons of goals for the likes of Sterling, Mahrez and Sane before he left. Vardy is often underrated in the Premier League and considered as nothing more than a pacy striker. In truth he has so many dimensions and facets to his game, and there's a reason why he is clearly our best ever player. Even comparing him to Lineker say, I would have Vardy in my team over Lineker every day of the weak. Lineker was a poacher and a bit of a goal hanger, Vardy does everything, stretches the play, defends from the front, links up play, plays in others and can finish. 

Heads the ball and scores with it.  

[foxfanazer]

no chance. He was brilliant though and incredibly creative. Not even MOTM due to Youri turning into prime Vieira last night

[CosbehFox]

Yesterday there was a touch of the old Vardy there too. He worked the channels really hard when our defence had to lump it. Put their back three on their toes. Win throw-ins, getting us up the pitch. None of this instruction not to move from the centre. The reverse ball for Tielemans was superb technique. 

[Charl91]

His link up was great yesterday, and had others been able to finish he might have had at least 3 assists.

 

He's lost quite a bit of pace though. He's still got a sharp mind, which allows him to steal a few yards on the defenders, but he certainly can't burst past people at pace anymore, and I think he realises this; there were a lot of opportunities where Vardy of old could/would have just blazed past the opposition, but instead he held the ball up and waited for back up. He's still not slow, but not lightning quick like he used to be.

 

He is 33 and a half though, so it's not a great surprise, but we can't rely on Vardy forever. No idea how we're going to replace him for less than 100m though. He's going to finish the season as top scorer after all - how much does buying a potential Golden Boot winner cost?

 

[mod hero]

He also created 2 massive chances at the Emirates don’t forget.

 

POTY

[davieG]

One of the big differences last night was the number of direct passes he received direct from the middle of the park instead of the wings from the midfield and backline, Bennett fed a number of really good balls through to him.

[foxfanazer]

I really hope he does get our player of the year this season. Madness that he's never won it despite being our best ever player imo

[RumbleFox]

I mean it wasn’t his best performance by a long way but he had an amazing game. That ball to Tielemans was incredible. As the article notes, he’s a much better footballer than other fans give him credit for and he has a great footballing brain. I know it’s been said many times but he’s our greatest ever striker and it’s a pleasure to see him every week. I hope he retires here and then becomes the new Birch. GOAT. X 

[Sampson]

Nah.

 

It was great. But it won't be remembered like his 5-3 vs ManUtd, 4-2 vs ManCity or 3-2 vs WBA will though.

 

Can only agree on the above. He has to win our POTY this year finally.

[FoxesFourLife]

  

THIS!

[Ted Maul]

He's been absolutely ridiculous since he got that 100 goal monkey off his back. Iniesta would have been proud of some of the passes he's made in the last 2 games.

 

Get planning that statue.