Fan's View: Kelechi Iheanacho, A Man In Form
When I look back at the month of December for Leicester City, one man stands above all others for me. That man is the excellent Kelechi Iheanacho.
It began on the first of the month, when things were not looking good for Leicester against Everton. The Toffees had taken a lead in the 23rd minute through Richarlison. Leicester weren’t creating a great deal and didn’t look at their best. At least this was the case until Brendan Rodgers tried to change things up, bringing in a player who hadn’t played in the Premier League so far this season.
It's the 62nd minute: the substitute's board is held up. No.17 in red, no.14 in green. The game changer has arrived.
Personally, being at the game, there was a warm reception to the return of Iheanacho. This was a new season, a new start.
Immediately, you can see a change in the tempo of the game, and Iheanacho is at the centre of it. He’s quick, constantly trying to link up play. In very fancy fashion at times too. He must’ve done about three back-heeled passes in those first few moments. And only six minutes after he came on, he tasted the first fruits of his labour, gliding a ball across the goal for Jamie Vardy to comfortably slot in. 1-1.
The game went on; a cagey affair but Leicester the better looking of the sides, creating more with the change of shape that was influenced with the Iheanacho substitution.
We're into the fourth minute of added time: Ricardo Pereira tackles, laying it on to Youri Tielemans, who turns around, quickly bringing the ball forward, then sending a through-ball back to Ricardo.
Ricardo picks up the pace. Looking up, he sees the run of Iheanacho and plays a brilliant ball though to him. Now it’s Iheanacho on the edge of the box, picking up the ball with his right foot, then dragging it onto his left. He takes it with his left and GOAL... until the linesman's flag is up.
We now see the notorious purple of the VAR check up on the screens.
Finally, after what feels like an eternity, the goal is given! I went mad with joy. I think we all did, I was hugging some random guy I’d never met in my life. Watching the whole team celebrate with Brendan was a special moment. Khun Vichai would’ve loved this.
Over the course of the month, Iheanacho would go on to keep this excellent form. He bagged another goal and an assist in what was a brilliant 4-1 victory over Aston Villa. And with Vardy being out due to the birth of his daughter (congratulations Jamie!), Kelechi also led the line and scored against West Ham United.
Not at all a bad way to end the year, let alone the decade. Going into 2020, I am so excited about where Leicester are going, and hopefully Iheanacho will be a big part of that.
He’s magic you know…