Dean Smith Manager
Jamie Vardy will be fit to lead the line for Leicester City every week for the remainder of the season, with the striker to get plenty of rest in between the crucial final four games. Vardy produced his best performance of the season in Monday’s draw with Everton, in which he scored for the second game running, and went close on a couple of other occasions. Having struggled for much of the season, he has become integral to Dean Smith’s team, particularly with Kelechi Iheanacho injured. Now 36, Vardy’s fitness does have to be managed if City are in a gruelling run of games, but with just one fixture a week for the remainder of the season, Smith has said the number nine won’t need his legs managing over the decisive final month.
Dean Smith said: “All players like to get in that rhythm and like to be playing but you have got to be producing to stay in the team as well. It’s a week’s run up to games and he’s firing now. There is a week in between games now so there are six days’ recovery, he is fine. People will have seen in his last few performances the hunger, the desire, the work-rate, and that his legs are still there and his brain is certainly still there. We’re really pleased he’s scoring goals for us. He’s in a good place at the moment.”
Vardy had not scored a Premier League goal for more than six months before his recent back-to-back strikes but Smith said that such a drought had not affected his self-belief. With more runs and more balls to finds those runs, he is looking back to his old self.
Dean Smith said: “I don’t think we’ve had to rebuild (his confidence). I think we’ve had to play more to his strengths when he’s playing. We know he’s very intelligent at making runs, but he needs balls into the areas too. It was a fantastic ball from James Maddison for his goal against Everton, and another good ball for the run he makes when he hit the bar as well. If you put the ball in the right areas, he will make those runs and he will make things happen. It’s twofold. We have to have a supply line to him, and he has to make the runs as well. He knows as well as anybody as a centre-forward, and with his record, that he will be judged on goals. He probably hasn’t had the pitch time to earn the goals or chances. He is in a good vein of form at the moment, which is what we need with only four games to go.”
