The England international netted his first goal of the new season but Claudio Ranieiri has work to do to get the Premier League champions firing on all cylinders once again
Leicester City win the ball back in midfield, Danny Drinkwater plays it over the top and Jamie Vardy applies the finish. Sound familiar? The Foxes got themselves in a position to win a Premier League title by doing exactly that on numerous occasions last season, and against Swansea the old routine was back in action once again.
Vardy’s opener at the King Power Stadium was reminiscent of the majority of his 24 goals from last season, and his defiant celebration was a signal to all those who doubt he and his team-mates can replicate their achievements of 2015-16 this time around.
But if Claudio Ranieri’s side are realistically going to upset the natural order of things once again then there are still plenty of improvements to make. Vardy’s goal aside, their first-half display lacked any cohesion in the final third, with players getting in one another’s way and final balls being misplaced more often than not. Swansea offered little going the other way, but Leicester have plenty to improve upon before they can dream of challenging for silverware again.
After the break they were again comfortable, but the panic that set in once Leroy Fer had headed the Swans back into the game did not befit the crown that they won so impressively back in May. They remain strong at the back and held firm to secure all three points, but there will be better teams than Francesco Guidolin's to put them under intense periods of pressure.
Elsewhere, they still lack some midfield steel without N’Golo Kante, and though Daniel Amartey played a key role in winning the ball back in the build-up to Vardy’s strike, he lacks the mobility of either the France international or his replacement Nampalys Mendy.
Riyad Mahrez, meanwhile, continues to dip in and out of matches while his miss from the penalty spot in the second half after Jordi Amat brought down Shinji Okazaki suggests he has not learnt from the two penalty failures that saw Vardy handed the responsibility from 12 yards midway through last term.
The Algeria international recently revealed he prefers playing in a central role than out wide, and Ranieri may have to consider a slightly different role for the PFA Player of the Year if he is to continue getting the best out of him.
Wes Morgan’s close-range volley to seal victory was certainly no more than the hosts deserved from their performance despite being forced to hold on after Fer pulled one back having beaten Morgan in the air, but with Liverpool and Club Brugge on the horizon after the international break there is still room for Leicester to hit the heights of last season.
Given the strengthening of others that might not be quite enough this time around, but in Vardy they certainly have a player who is not finished putting the ball in the back of the net. Do not write the fairytale Foxes off just yet.
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