Kelechi Iheanacho bids a classy farewell to Manchester City

[iworo]

Watch: Leicester City new boy Kelechi Iheanacho bids a classy farewell to Manchester City

[iworo]

Leicester City: What should they do with an influx of strikers?
Posted by: Andrew Dowdeswell August 5, 2017

Leicester City already had four established strikers in Jamie Vardy, Islam Slimani, Shinji Okazaki and Ahmed Musa. They have now added a fifth in Kelechi Iheanacho. They say you can never have too many centre-forwards but it looks as though the Foxes have exactly that. How should they handle their eclectic group of goal-getters?



They say you can never have too many strikers. Goals, after all, are what matter most, and scoring them is far harder than kicking a ball into a net may presuppose. But Leicester City seem to have taken that mantra to a new level with their latest dealings. The Foxes were already blessed in the striking department after Jamie Vardy spurned Arsenal’s advances and Islam Slimani decided to take the Premier League plunge in a reported £30 million deal. But now they have only added to their attacking riches with Manchester City odd-man-out, Kelechi Iheanacho.

The Nigerian international was considered an un-needed youngster at City, with Pep Guardiola preferring the relentless exuberance of Gabriel Jesus as his leading man. There were, reportedly, several clubs interested in signing Iheanacho, but after months of rumour and conjecture, it was Leicester who sealed his signature in a £25 million move. That may seem steep for a player that has never been the featured striker in the Premier League, but given his age, 21, his talent, and the state of the current market — Neymar just fetched £200 million –, it isn’t all that bad.

Where my doubt with the addition enters the fray is the strength of the Leicester squad at the position already. With the aforementioned Vardy and Slimani leading the line already, alongside Ahmed Musa and Shinji Okazaki, was there really a need for another striker? Well, perhaps not. But what is undeniable is that Iheanacho may be a significant improvement over all of them, including Vardy.

I dug into the statistics of Iheanacho, Vardy, Musa, Slimani and Okazaki from last season. Every number quoted is per 90 minutes, as that is the best measure of a player’s success given that it averages out over the number of minutes, not just the games, played.

Last season, Iheanacho scored 0.64 goals per 90 minutes. Of the five players, that was the highest. Slimani was second with 0.49, then Vardy with 0.42, then Musa with 0.24 and finally Okazaki at 0.11 (Okazaki is a slightly forgivable figure because of the slightly deeper position that he plays and the differing purpose that he is played for). But more than mere goals, Iheanacho actually created more chances per 90 minutes than any other, at 2.08 chances per 90 minutes. The only other player over 1 was Slimani. That is a marked difference. As expected, given that he created the most chances, Iheanacho also boasted the most assists per 90 minutes, at 0,48. Again, the only person within 50% of that figure was Slimani at 0.28.

Now, Leicester were far worse than their title winning season two years previous. But compare Iheanacho’s numbers to Vardy’s from that season, and he still stacks up favourably. In the 2015/16 season, Vardy scored 0.69 goals per 90 minutes, just 0.05 above that of Iheanacho. He created 1.32 chances per 90 minutes, nearly a chance less per 90 minutes than Iheanacho, and he made 0.31 fewer assists per 90 minutes than his new striker partner. Moreover, in the only statistic that Vardy is ahead of Iheanacho (goals per 90 minutes), if his five goals from the penalty spot are factored in, then Vardy’s goal scoring rate drops below Iheanacho’s (0.64 open play goals per 90 minutes vs 0.55 open play goals per 90 minutes).

It is also a fair assumption to make that there will be departures. Okazaki, while an industrious and useful player to have as depth, is the wrong side of 30, and Musa has hardly been used after being signed last summer and is being linked with a move to West Brom. So while signing an ‘unneeded’ player for £25 million may seem like a waste at first glance, Iheanacho’s impressive statistics perhaps suggest that, although Leicester had strength in numbers, that strength was relative. The Nigerian enters the King Power as the most prolific of all their attacking options in the Premier League, and that is a very exciting prospect indeed.

http://www.itsroundanditswhite.co.uk/20 ... -strikers/

[niyi]

He was playing as a second striker yesterday. He dropped even deeper than that sometimes and was almost a 10. I'm happy to watch his true potential in his natural position.

[Undertaker]

Watch: Leicester City new boy Kelechi Iheanacho bids a classy farewell to Manchester City

Who knew him in Manchester? 50 million euros buy back clause?

[kalani JR]

Watch: Leicester City new boy Kelechi Iheanacho bids a classy farewell to Manchester City

Who knew him in Manchester? 50 million euros buy back clause?

David de Gea when he scored against him last season.

[bret- hart]

Are all these farewell videos necessary? It's a job. do it and move on.

[Chief Ogbunigwe]

Are all these farewell videos necessary? It's a job. do it and move on.

Fans are very emotional, and need to hear things like this to make them feel happy....Arsenal fans, I am talking about you guys in particular

[mcal]

Are all these farewell videos necessary? It's a job. do it and move on.

...this is 2017 social media era.
Back in the day you'll call a press conference, now you do it with your own camera, in your own living room, post it (for free) for the world and friends to see

[kalani JR]

Are all these farewell videos necessary? It's a job. do it and move on.

Wouldn't you have liked it if all the girls who dumped you in college at had least sent a video instead of via text as was the case.

[bret- hart]

Are all these farewell videos necessary? It's a job. do it and move on.

Wouldn't you have liked it if all the girls who dumped you in college at had least sent a video instead of via text as was the case.

I guess

[Igugu]

Watch: Leicester City new boy Kelechi Iheanacho bids a classy farewell to Manchester City

I hate recordings dubbed with " back ground sounds " that are more than being at the back ground. I could not hear what was important, which was what the man was saying. The same thing happens when you watch Nigerian Movies. All you hear is music instead of dialogues. Nigerians using music video producers for movie making. We never try to learn.

[felarey]

That's nice but not sure how I feel about it. He didnt quit, they sold him for good profit and slapped a buyback clause on him like eagle eyed businessmen. Why did he tell Gov. Rochas that he was poised to regain his position at Man Shitty?

Btw, is anyone in Nigeria getting a cut of this 25m?

[bully12]

There is something confusing about this buy out clause. Hopefully, someone here will clarify my confusion to me . Assuming when Liecester decides to sell him but his value is far more than 50 million dollars are they obliged they must sell him 50 million dollars to Man city ?

[felarey]

There is something confusing about this buy out clause. Hopefully, someone here will clarify my confusion to me . Assuming when Liecester decides to sell him but his value is far more than 50 million dollars are they obliged they must sell him 50 million dollars to Man city ?

Yes if Shitty trigger the clause, they are obligated to sell to Shitty for 50m. Leceister would have to reach an agreement with Shitty if he's worth more and they want to sell to someone else, such as making a payment to take off the clause.
For Leicester they are getting a player they may not have been able to get and stand to make 25m on him.

[kalani JR]

There is something confusing about this buy out clause. Hopefully, someone here will clarify my confusion to me . Assuming when Liecester decides to sell him but his value is far more than 50 million dollars are they obliged they must sell him 50 million dollars to Man city ?

In England the buyout clauses are not exactly legally enforceable sometimes it really means starting negotiation price.

[Rawlings]

why are we Africans so forgiving?
Man City did not treat Nacho well
His strike rate was the best for the past two years and yet they let him go
Man City can go screw themselves

[fabio]

Are all these farewell videos necessary? It's a job. do it and move on.

Wouldn't you have liked it if all the girls who dumped you in college at had least sent a video instead of via text as was the case.

Dump him! the Olodo Atole was always playing 3rd fiddle to other guys.... the girls dumping him, was only a matter of time.

[marutimon]

There is something confusing about this buy out clause. Hopefully, someone here will clarify my confusion to me . Assuming when Liecester decides to sell him but his value is far more than 50 million dollars are they obliged they must sell him 50 million dollars to Man city ?

Yes if Shitty trigger the clause, they are obligated to sell to Shitty for 50m. Leceister would have to reach an agreement with Shitty if he's worth more and they want to sell to someone else, such as making a payment to take off the clause.
For Leicester they are getting a player they may not have been able to get and stand to make 25m on him.

Well... there is one problem with that plan. Kelechi would have to agree to such a double deal. He would arguably stand to earn more by dealing directly with the end club.

[Damunk]

Watch: Leicester City new boy Kelechi Iheanacho bids a classy farewell to Manchester City

I hate recordings dubbed with " back ground sounds " that are more than being at the back ground. I could not hear what was important, which was what the man was saying. The same thing happens when you watch Nigerian Movies. All you hear is music instead of dialogues. Nigerians using music video producers for movie making. We never try to learn.

Stop watching cheap pirate videos.

[felarey]

There is something confusing about this buy out clause. Hopefully, someone here will clarify my confusion to me . Assuming when Liecester decides to sell him but his value is far more than 50 million dollars are they obliged they must sell him 50 million dollars to Man city ?

In England the buyout clauses are not exactly legally enforceable sometimes it really means starting negotiation price.

What do you mean? It is a legal contract that is completely enforceable. If Shitty trigger the clause at the right time, kelechi will be a Man Shitty player for 50m.

[felarey]

There is something confusing about this buy out clause. Hopefully, someone here will clarify my confusion to me . Assuming when Liecester decides to sell him but his value is far more than 50 million dollars are they obliged they must sell him 50 million dollars to Man city ?

Yes if Shitty trigger the clause, they are obligated to sell to Shitty for 50m. Leceister would have to reach an agreement with Shitty if he's worth more and they want to sell to someone else, such as making a payment to take off the clause.
For Leicester they are getting a player they may not have been able to get and stand to make 25m on him.

Well... there is one problem with that plan. Kelechi would have to agree to such a double deal. He would arguably stand to earn more by dealing directly with the end club.

He has already agreed to it, all 3 parties have. Leceister won't give him the permission to talk to another club until there's 6 months left on his contract usually and the clause could be triggered long before then. If he wants to go elsewhere, it's either he's crap and Shitty don't bother since they don't want to pay 50m or him and the buying club settle with Shitty. The contract must be respected. He had 4 yrs left on his contract with Shitty so they had the sway to attach the buyback clause.