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The Nairobian

Leicester goal machine Vardy splutters to a halt

Football

By The Standard | Dec 01, 2016

**FC Copenhagen v Leicester City - UEFA Champions League Group Stage - Group G - Parken Stadion, Copenhagen, Denmark - 2/11/16 Leicester City's Jamie Vardy applauds their fans after the match Action**

Twelve months after Jamie Vardy earned worldwide fame for scoring in a record 11th Premier League match in succession, he is suffering a barren spell that mirrors Leicester City’s fall from domestic grace.

The 29-year-old forward, who was signed from minor league Fleetwood Town in 2012 and helped catapult Leicester to a shock Premier League title triumph last season, has gone 15 club games without a goal and may be dropped for Saturday’s relegation tussle at Sunderland.

Hollywood film makers planning a movie based on Vardy’s life may have to start thinking about rewriting their rags to riches story, to rags to riches and back again.

It is hard to pinpoint the precise reason for Vardy and Leicester’s domestic slide especially as the team have made a spectacular start to their maiden Champions League campaign, securing a place in the knockout phase with a game to spare. Danny Simpson said Premier League opponents were playing deeper against the champions this season, not allowing the sort of balls over the defence that Vardy can exploit with his pace. One thing is for certain, Leicester are missing former midfield talisman N’Golo Kante.

The 25-year-old France international is once again at the top of the Premier League table, this time with new club Chelsea.

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Kante’s tackles and interceptions have been instrumental in Chelsea’s run of seven straight wins and he forms a strong partnership with Nemanja Matic in front of the defence.

Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri has so far stood by the misfiring Vardy, his only striker to start every Champions League game and an almost ever-present in the Premier League despite netting twice in 958 minutes this season.

But another disappointing display last week, in a fortuitous 2-2 draw against Middlesbrough that has left them two points above the relegation zone, threatens the England international’s place, with new boy Islam Slimani the likely replacement.

Vardy was demoted to the bench earlier this season against Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion but Ranieri suggested that was part of a rotation policy.