It's A Knockaert

IT'S A KNOCKAERT

Jamie Barnard on how Anthony Knockaert is the man to help Leicester City to their first away points of the season...

 

There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home, there’s no place like home. Last Sunday afternoon’s 3-1 victory over an in-form Hull City side saw Leicester City maintain an unbeaten start to home fixtures in this season’s Championship.

At the King Power Stadium, Leicester have found that promotion rhythm - yet from the click of a distressed damsel’s red heels it is not. Instead the tap of summer signing Antony Knockaert’s red boots dictates the beat to which Leicester now play.

They have found their wizard.

Eased into the English game, Nigel Pearson has now given his Frenchman a free role. Too good to tie down to one position, Knockaert plays where he wants. With a license to roam, he assumes a license to thrill. Flair, determination, class. Knockaert is everything you’d want in a player.

And his introduction to the starting line-up couldn’t have come at a better time for Pearson. Having seen his side dominate possession and chances on the road this season, Knockaert was too frequently the saving grace of improved second half performances. The antidote to first half defensive carelessness, even Knockaert’s Euro vision couldn’t alleviate undeserved defeats. Nil points for Leicester City away from home this season.

To counteract such futility, back-to-back home fixtures against Burnley and Hull became of paramount importance. Frustratingly familiar fickle murmurings of discontent began to surface, knees felt peculiar to not be jerking. But the fat lady, that Wicked Witch of the West Stand, was not to sing for Pearson yet.

French under-21 international Knockaert has turned Pearson’s men from Leicester City to Emerald City, and in the former Guingamp man they have found their gemstone. In possession, when Knockaert shows, with the ball he is presented. Without the ball he is the beacon of endeavour, tireless in his work for the team. He has inspired in Leicester a clinical streak for which previously they were found wanting.

Their ooh la la, their Cheri Amour, their raison raison d'être, it is hoped that once again he will be the difference when Leicester are back out pounding that promotion trail away from home. In making Leicester feel at home in unfamiliar surrounds, home is now where Knockaert is.

With Knockaert in the team, The Foxes appear complete. Wes Morgan, a beast in defence, has shown admirable courage captaining the side with a string of commendable performances. Jamie Vardy has shown exemplary heart. And David Nugent has found that instinctive finisher’s brain which saw him follow a 100 career goals landmark with his first career hat-trick in the same week.

In achieving back-to-back wins Pearson’s men have accomplished something which for too long was both the bugbear and the epitome of their inconsistency last season. Now the aim will be to secure that first away point. If a further two could come at the same time in the form of victory, then Leicester will be gearing up to promotion pace.

But a fear for Leicester City will be that Knockaert’s journey to the Premiership may be a faster one than theirs. Scouted by Newcastle, eyebrows were raised in Knockaert’s homeland when his arrival in England was not at a Premier League destination. Talent such as Knockaert’s seldom escapes the attention of envying eyes and Leicester will hope that Knockaert takes them to the highest level of English football with him.

An artiste in the truest of senses, Knockaert’s colourful displays have illuminated the spectrum of The Championship. At the end of that footballing rainbow there lies a pot of Premiership gold. Somewhere over that rainbow skies are blue, and the dreams that Leicester City dared to dream really could come true.

 

Credit Knockaert photo bbbbbbb678 via Flickr

Credit KP Stadium photo Mr Churchill via Flickr