James Maddison is fast becoming Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers’ personal missile launcher.
Leicester’s free-kick specialist is no longer a secret weapon after joining the Premier League’s elite with three set-piece goals this campaign – more than any other player, and the most since Phillippe Coutinho did the same for Liverpool in 2016-17.
Leicester boss Rodgers saw greats like Coutinho, Luis Suarez and Steven Gerrard fine-tune their craft at close quarters during his time at Liverpool. And he reckons Maddison is right up there with the very best when it comes to set-pieces.
“It is hard work,” said Rodgers. “There is no rocket science to it. If you work hard and you are prepared and trained then that normally gives you confidence, and if you have confidence you have a better chance to succeed.
“He does that. In training he will work religiously on it. Other players I have worked with like Suarez, Gerrard and Gylfi Sigurdsson are specialists at it, and it is not by accident. They work hard on it.
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“James puts an incredible whip and pace on it which makes it very difficult for goalkeepers. He is very consistent on it and it all comes through training.
“It is nice to see that relationship between what someone does in training and the game. He is very committed.
“It is no coincidence we score from set-pieces, first and second phase. That comes from the preparation and the delivery. He is first class.”
The Foxes boss is grateful to have such a weapon in his artillery and admits to his pleasure standing beside the training pitch and watching Maddison going about his business.
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“I am normally beside them. I’m not tempted to take one myself as when you get over 40 you can hardly kick the ball!” he said.
“I enjoy watching them and give them some little pointers. Practice is important. I have never seen anyone practise and get worse.
“He has great personality for the game and when these situations arrive he is prepared. He is up there and his numbers show that.”
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Rodgers says Maddison is so good at free-kicks that there is a band of wannabes waiting in the wings unable to displace him.
“There is a queue of them, who work on them. Demarai Gray is brilliant but you won’t have seen it because he can’t get a go,” said Rodgers.
“Harvey Barnes practises and Youri Tielemans. There is a gang of them out there and it is good competition between them, but if you score you stay on them.”
