Brendan Rodgers
Brendan Rodgers told Hamza Choudhury he wanted to make him Leicester City’s own Javier Mascherano after the defensive midfielder was forced to fill in at centre-back. With injuries decimating City’s squad, Choudhury was entrusted with a place in the defence for the 4-1 FA Cup victory over Watford on Saturday. Choudhury did an excellent impression of the former Liverpool and West Ham man, with Rodgers describing his performance as “sensational”.
Brendan Rodgers said: “Yesterday, I said I was waiting to hear from our medical team on Timothy (Castagne) so we had to leave it to the last minute,” Rodgers said, explaining his choice to play Choudhury in the defence. Yesterday evening I get the message that he’s going to struggle to play. He’s got bleeding on the thigh. He’s had a dead leg but it’s a bit more than that. The reason he was going to be playing at centre-half was because I like speed in at least one of the centre-halves. When he can’t play, I was thinking: ‘Who is the next player that can go in?’ Hamza is someone who has played in a back three or in a back two in training, and played it very well, so I rang him up and said: ‘Tomorrow, you’re going to be the new Mascherano for Leicester!’ We talked through it, and talked through it today.I thought he was sensational in the game. Sometimes it happens like that for a midfield player stepping back. He was defensively quick, making interceptions and blocks, his recovery speed was incredible and that’s why you always have quick players, especially how we play, squeezing the pitch. His passing was excellent in the main as well, so I’m delighted for him.”
With City still short on defenders, Choudhury may have to fill in there again, but Rodgers was coy over a long-term future for the academy graduate in the role.
Brendan Rodgers added: “He’s a very flexible player for us and he’s played against a Premier League team with really good players. So it shows that he can, if he’s needed in there.That’s what Hamza brings to the group, he can play in a few positions. You see the education in his game improving all the time, where he can slot in and play against a Premier League team to that level.We’ll always look to have players play in their positions, which is important, but to have someone who can play in a number of positions is very important to the squad.”
Choudhury’s performance was one of the highlights of a very good day for City, in which the youngsters stepped up and the remaining senior players showed quality to secure the club’s place in the fourth round.
Brendan Rodgers said: “Performance and result, I’m thrilled by it. We had eight senior players, but the academy players came in and did exceptionally well. It was a really good test, playing against a Premier League team. To play as well as we did, I was delighted.”
