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Midfield: N’Golo Kante and Danny Drinkwater vs. Wilfred Ndidi, James Maddison and Youri Tielemans
The biggest difference between these two Leicester sides comes perhaps in the way that their midfields are deployed. Interestingly enough, Claudio Ranieri’s Foxes didn’t use what could be described as a traditional playmaker – a #8 or a #10 – instead focusing on a breaker in the form of N’Golo Kante and an underrated, metronomic passer in the form of Danny Drinkwater.
Essentially, Kante would either break up opposition play or intercept the ball before feeding Drinkwater, who would find a quick pass forward to allow Leicester to hit opponents on the break in rapid fashion through Riyad Mahrez or Jamie Vardy.
Both men were fantastic in these roles throughout 2015-16; Drinkwater averaged a high 56.7 passes per game, while Kante averaged a remarkable 4.7 tackles and 4.2 interceptions per game – stats he’s never come close to replicating since.
Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester meanwhile operate somewhat differently. Wilfred Ndidi plays a similar role to the one filled by Kante in the title-winning side – breaking up opposition play before feeding the ball forward. In fact, his current stats – 4.3 tackles and 2.8 interceptions per game – aren’t too far off those registered by the Frenchman.
However, where the Foxes once looked to catch sides quickly on the break, Rodgers’ other first-choice midfielders – James Maddison and Youri Tielemans – play a far more creative role than anyone did in Ranieri’s team. Both men are capable of both scoring and making goals; Tielemans has 3 goals and 3 assists while Maddison has 6 and 3, and their offensive statistics are both high, with England international Maddison averaging 2.4 key passes per game.
Ranieri’s duo was certainly an effective one, but largely, they only worked the way they did because of the individual brilliance of Kante and the fact that Leicester’s system essentially bypassed a classic midfield. Rodgers’ Leicester meanwhile are much more effective in the centre of the park, and therefore, they get the advantage.
Advantage: Rodgers’ current crop
Forwards: Jamie Vardy, Shinji Okazaki and Leonardo Ulloa vs. Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho
Jamie Vardy enjoyed a truly fantastic season under Claudio Ranieri in 2015-16; he broke the record for goals scored in consecutive games in Premier League action (11), broke into the England squad, and finished the season with a total of 24 league goals.
Vardy was largely supported up front by Japan’s Shinji Okazaki, and while he didn’t score nearly as many goals as his teammate – chipping in with 5 in the Premier League – they were all important strikes and he was certainly a useful foil, linking play and dragging defenders out of position in order for Vardy to find openings. Leonardo Ulloa meanwhile was a solid deputy, chipping in with 6 goals in the league.
If Ranieri’s Foxes were a side practically built to get the best out of Vardy, then despite all their differences, Rodgers’ side at least have this in common. In 2019-20, the former England striker has usually been deployed as a lone wolf up front, supported by either Ayoze Perez or Kelechi Iheanacho.
Where Ranieri’s Leicester looked to break at speed to feed Vardy, Rodgers’ side rely on the creative talents of James Maddison, Perez, Youri Tielemans and Harvey Barnes to provide their striker with chances. And thus far, it’s worked brilliantly; Vardy has scored 17 goals in just 23 appearances, and if he keeps up his form, he should end the season with a better total than he did in the title-winning campaign.
Is the Vardy of 2019-20 better than the Vardy of 2015-16? There’s an argument to be made either way, but the truth is more likely that he’s the same player he always has been – a fantastic finisher from any position who will score plenty of goals if he’s given the chances.
However, it must be noted that Leicester’s current system would probably suit another striker too if Vardy were to be absent – as we saw in December’s win over West Ham, when backup forward Kelechi Iheanacho led the line and scored the Foxes’ first goal.
Essentially then, it’s a tie between the two sides when it comes to their forwards, basically because Vardy is as fantastic today as he was 4 seasons ago.
Advantage: None
In conclusion...
In terms of a straight comparison, we’ve got two victories for Ranieri’s title winners and two for Rodgers’ current crop, with two areas being equal as both sides basically deploy the same players. So does that mean the two sides are essentially equal, too? Well, perhaps.
Ranieri’s Foxes had the more outstanding individual players – Mahrez, Kante, Vardy – and arguably a tougher spine in the form of Morgan, Huth and Drinkwater, whereas Rodgers’ side are arguably easier on the eye due to the creative talents of Maddison and Tielemans, and the swashbuckling style of Pereira and Chilwell at full-back.
The main difference between the teams, however, is in the strength of the opposition against them in the Premier League. Ranieri’s title winners won the Premier League title in a season in which Manchester City struggled for consistency under outgoing boss Manuel Pellegrini, Liverpool and Chelsea were largely in disarray, and the Foxes’ nearest challengers – for the majority of the season – were an inexperienced Tottenham side who eventually fell apart at the last hurdle.
Rodgers’ Leicester meanwhile are up against two of the greatest Premier League sides ever in the form of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. To even be keeping pace near them at the top of the table is a massive achievement in itself.
