Leicester City’s match against Sheffield Wednesday on the opening day of the Championship unveiled a distinctive situation not seen in 13 years.
For the first time since 2012, a player other than Jamie Vardy woreევ for Leicester City, as they emerged 2-1 victors against Sheffield Wednesday at the King Power Stadium.
Vardy left the club at the conclusion of last season upon the expiration of his contract, and although he has stated he’s not retiring, he has yet to join a new team.
Nonetheless, the Foxes have experienced their initial challenge of adapting to life without the contemporary icon.
Vardy made the no.9 his own at Leicester:
From the moment Vardy joined the club, yet to become the Premier League luminary he would later be, he claimed the number all forwards covet beneath their name: the no.9.
Across the 13 seasons he wore that number, he demonstrated precisely why he merited it, and more.
In his impressively even 500 appearances for the Foxes, he scored a gratifying 200 goals, his strikes pivotal in Leicester’s improbable 2015/16 Premier League success, their FA Cup victory five years later, and the numerous European escapades Vardy’s goals facilitated.
Even the likes of lifelong supporter and former Foxes striker Gary Lineker may find it difficult to surpass Vardy as the most legendary no.9 the club has ever known.
Jordan Ayew has big shoes to fill:
Leicester’s encounter with the Owls marked the first instance since Steve Howard in 2012 that someone other than Vardy wore the no.9.
The individual entrusted with this responsibility is former Crystal Palace player Jordan Ayew.
He joined the Foxes at the start of last season for an initial sum of £5m, aiming to aid the club in staying in the Premier League.
That objective was not achieved, and the Foxes were demoted, but the 33-year-old managed to tally a commendable five goals in an otherwise faltering squad.
It will be intriguing to observe how Ayew performs in the second tier, having not competed below the Premier League since the 2016/17 campaign with Aston Villa.
Ayew displayed promise against Wednesday:
Despite being more widely recognized as a top-flight forward, Leicester assigning Vardy’s former number to Ayew indicates a mutual commitment between the two for the forthcoming season.
And in the match against Wednesday, it was evident that this could prove to be a beneficial decision.
Though the Ghanaian international didn’t score, he generated three opportunities, completed 94 percent of his passes, and delivered an impressive five shots on target, nearly half of the 13 the Foxes recorded in total.
Ayew would require at least another decade to match Vardy’s legacy at Leicester, but if he can play a vital role in elevating the club back out of the Championship, the transition of the no.9 mantle to him will have been a wise choice.