Rodgers: We Didn’t Start Well Enough
- Manager Brendan Rodgers speaks to LCFC TV following Leicester City’s loss at West Ham United
- Leicester were beaten 3-2 at London Stadium in the Premier League
- Kelechi Iheanacho scored twice in the second half, however West Ham held on for the three points
The Foxes did not showcase the desired intensity in the first period and headed into the interval 2-0 down after former Fox Jesse Lingard bagged a brace in the capital.
Rodgers made a change at half-time, introducing Luke Thomas in place of Daniel Amartey, however Jarrod Bowen extended his side’s advantage shortly after.
Nigeria international striker Kelechi Iheanacho responded with two goals of his own, but it wasn’t enough as City fell to only their second away loss of the 2020/21 Premier League campaign.
“We were very poor with the goals we conceded in that first 55 to 60 minutes,” Rodgers reflected. “We didn’t start well enough.
“Our idea is to go into the game and play with an intent and impose our way into the game, but it was too slow with the ball and we weren’t tight enough and aggressive enough when we had the ball, so we didn’t start well at all.
“For the last 30 minutes, or second half, I thought after the goal we were good but it’s something that… it’s always easy to play when you’re 3-0 down. I don’t look so much at that.
“We get the goal back, two very good goals from Kels (Kelechi Iheanacho) and we’re looking at the players and analysing the likes of Youri Tielemans.
“From the first whistle, he wanted to take the ball, he wanted to pass the ball, he showed a courage, he showed a bravery, and he defended very well.
“We could have got something from the game, but certainly our first hour of the game, we didn’t deserve it.”
Although Rodgers was frustrated to concede a third goal so soon after he had made a tactical change, the City manager was pleased with his side’s response and felt they were the better team in the second half.
“I felt we needed a little bit more balance,” he said when asked about Thomas’ introduction. “Tim [Castagne] does a really good job for us on the left-hand side but you don’t quite get the penetration from him so we moved him over to the right and I just felt that Luke would give us a bit of balance in the game with his left side.
“He can play forward more. We were playing back too much. Then, I thought Marc [Albrighton] coming into the game, I thought he was excellent – he gave us an intensity and enthusiasm in the game.”