Share

Rodgers looking for Foxes improvement

Cape Town - Manager Brendan Rodgers was pleased with Leicester's display against Wolves in their Premier League opener against Wolves but has pinpointed aspects they must improve on.

The Foxes played out a goalless draw with Nuno Espirito Santo's men at King Power Stadium on Sunday in a game which lacked sparkle and creative intent.

Things are hardly likely to get any easier, with a trip to Stamford Bridge to take on Chelsea next up on Sunday for the East Midlanders.

Leicester have made some quality signings over the summer and there appears an air of confidence that they might be about to challenge the top six during the current campaign.

They will certainly need to make progress to do that, something that Rodgers acknowledged when talking to reporters.

"What's most important for us is we got the point on the board and we take that," he said. "It's a clean sheet for us, so defensively that was good.

"We just need to improve with the ball and take more care with our passing. That then allows us to affect the final third that bit more. Overall, I was pleased."

Breaking the stranglehold of the top six will not be easy as it has been an exclusive club for many years, making Leicester’s title-winning exploits in 2015-2016 all the more incredible.

While it is unlikely that will ever be replicated, finishing ‘best of the rest’ to grab a Europa League spot will certainly be on the agenda.

Wolves took that honour in 2018/19 and, along with Everton, will probably be one of the teams knocking on the door once again next May.

There are similarities between Nuno’s men and Rodgers’ side and, with the West Midlanders having already got plenty of game time under their belt in this season’s Europa League, the former Celtic chief was not too concerned that his charges were unable to penetrate their defence.

"If you look at Wolves' record last year in the Premier League, it was one of the best, so that tells you that they don’t concede too many goals and they defend really deep," added Rodgers.

Frank Lampard's Blues were hammered 4-0 by Manchester United in their first fixture and it is open to debate as to whether it is a good time to play them.

There may be a hangover from that result or a backlash, with the Blues are in action on Wednesday night when they face Liverpool in the UEFA Super Cup.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1472 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2251 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE