Matchday Live Talking Points: City's Tactical Masterclass & A Fantastic Feeling
- Leicester City sealed the Club's first win at Arsenal in 47 years on Sunday evening
- Jamie Vardy's 80th-minute header was enough to book City's third consecutive away league victory
- The Foxes are up to fourth in the Premier League table, one point adrift of leaders Everton
- Tony Cottee, Matt Elliott and Gerry Taggart analysed the result on Matchday Live on LCFC Radio
Speaking during LCFC Radio's Matchday Live programme - providing the Blue Army with over four hours of matchday coverage - the former Foxes dissected the Club's first win at Arsenal since 1973.
Jamie Vardy's 80th-minute header, following excellent work from Youri Tielemans and Cengiz Ünder, sealed City's third consecutive away Premier League win to put them fourth in the table.
Speaking afterwards, Cottee, Elliott and Taggart were full of praise for manager Brendan Rodgers and the players who executed the Northern Irishman's game plan...
Vardy comes up trumps
Gerry Taggart said: “It’s an unbelievable three points. First and foremost, for me, that’s a managerial masterclass from Brendan Rodgers. Yes, the players have to go out and carry out the instructions of the manager, but from minute one, the players tried to do that. They’ve all bought into what Brendan was trying to do. Brendan played his ace in the pack – Jamie Vardy – exactly when he needed to and yet again he came up trumps.”
A long time coming
Tony Cottee said: “It’s been a long time. It was 1973 since Leicester have won at Arsenal. We had a few goes at it and came close a few times, but it is such a tough place to come to. You’re playing away at one of the top football clubs in the country, it’s a wonderful stadium. If we’d have had the pleasure of having dinner with Brendan last night and he’d have talked us through his plan for today, he’d have said it was to keep it tight and not concede in the first half and then hopefully nick one. I just felt Leicester were coming into the game and it proved to be.”
City's collective effort
Matt Elliott said: “There weren’t too many outstanding individual performances, it was very much a collective effort. [Wesley] Fofana does catch the eye, doesn’t he? You can’t help but be impressed by him. His all-round game, his athleticism and his know-how for someone of his age is very impressive. Tielemans did very well too. He looks fit and he’s an artist with the ball. He can pick a pass, like James Maddison, and as well as working hard, closing down and putting a shift in, he had the quality when it was needed.”
A mammoth result
Gerry Taggart said: “That’s why Jamie Vardy was on the bench. That’s why he came on when he did and that’s why Brendan made the other changes when he did. We’ve seen it in the past with Brendan and tonight we have seen it again. That was just world-class coaching that we saw tonight in front of us. Is anyone really surprised that Jamie Vardy scored the winner? Every player on that pitch should be immensely proud because that was a mammoth result for the Club.”
Fantastic feeling
Tony Cottee said: “Yes, they rode their luck a little bit in the first half with a few crosses and the disallowed goal, but in that second half, it was much more controlled. Arsenal looked a little bit tired and Leicester were getting more and more possession and it was just that final ball which was letting them down, but I’ve got say it was an absolutely superb goal. To be here and witness it, all you hear is the cheer of the Leicester players and the staff here, and there was a real roar from everyone when the goal went in and it was a fantastic feeling.”
Professionalism pays dividends
Matt Elliott said: “Cengiz Ünder came on and perhaps needs a bit of time to get match fit and after an auspicious touch earlier on, fair play to him… when it mattered, he got his spin right and, with his weaker foot, he set up Jamie Vardy for the big moment. Lots of players were well worth a mention, but it was a good, solid all-round performance. Leicester were very professional with the plan that was put in place. They’ve seen it pay dividends before and they’ve got a belief and a confidence to approach games that way. It worked a treat.”