Rodgers: First Class Foxes
- Brendan Rodgers says victorious Leicester City learnt from their loss at Tottenham Hotspur last season
- The Foxes beat Spurs 2-0 in north London on Sunday thanks to Jamie Vardy’s 11th Premier League effort of 2020/21 and Toby Alderweireld’s own goal
- Rodgers applauded Vardy for converting his penalty while under pressure
- City will sit second in the table on Christmas Day
The Foxes were superb at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where a Jamie Vardy penalty and Toby Alderweireld’s own goal saw City move up to second in the Premier League after 14 games played.
Rodgers believes his side were excellent from minute one, and displayed good balance in their play to beat a Tottenham side that has earned plenty of plaudits already in 2020/21.
He told LCFC TV: “I’m so pleased. Right from the first whistle, we took the initiative in the game. We wanted to impose our way and show confidence.
“But I think what was pleasing is how we learnt from the last time we were here. We were 3-0 down and they played on the counter-attack.
“So, this was a game strategically where the players were first class in how they blocked off the space.
“We didn’t give away too many counter-attacks and we showed really good balance in our game.”
Rodgers praised striker Vardy for his composure to convert a penalty in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time against a talented shot-stopper in Huge Lloris.
When asked about Vardy’s clinical nature from 12 yards, he said: “He always does, against Lloris as well, who’s a very agile goalkeeper and good on penalties. He practices those.
“It’s always difficult under the pressure situation, but yes, he stuck it away and that was obviously important against Tottenham.
“If you go a goal behind, it can be very difficult for you, but thankfully, we got the goal and played with even more confidence.”
Rodgers felt for attacking midfielder James Maddison when his fine touch and finish was ruled out by VAR for offside after the break, but City were soon 2-0 up anyway after Alderweireld bundled the ball into his own net.
“It was so unfortunate, really,” Rodgers said of Maddison’s effort. “From the images that I’ve seen, it must have been so, so tight, and I don’t think anyone would have argued if it was a goal.
“But we regained our composure, having had a goal disallowed, got back in again I think we controlled the second half without the ball, while carrying a real threat when we did have it. We showed a real maturity in managing the game today, which was really pleasing.”