The Sports Lowdown For All Your News and OpinionsLeicester striker and Premier League top goal scorer Jamie Vardy has won October’s player of the month award after netting five times in four games.
Vardy took to social media to describe the award as an “honour” and to also thank his teammates by dedicating the prize to them.
His goals against Norwich, Southampton, Crystal Palace and West Brom have greatly contributed to Leicester’s form; seeing them climb to 3rd in the table, one point behind leaders Manchester City and Arsenal.
Vardy has scored in each of his last nine league games and has become the first player to achieve this in one season. He has already become the first Englishman to do this but he needs to score against Newcastle in the Foxes’ next game to equal Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record.
Should he be able to do this he faces a fantastic opportunity to break the record against van Nistelrooy’s former club Manchester United; a defence he terrorised last season in the 5-3 victory.
Roy Hodgson has unsurprisingly called Vardy up to the national side once more for their upcoming friendlies against Spain and France. Hopefully he will get the chance to prove himself in a striker’s position as opposed to the wing where he was played in his previous international appearances.
Vardy’s 12 goals in as many games have all come from the free role Claudio Ranieri has given him at Leicester. He is played in the middle with the option to drift out wide to chase the ball but his finishing has improved massively. It’s almost like watching Vardy back in the championship again where he scored 16 goals in the season; running behind defences, finishing clinically and winning penalties.
If he can continue this form Leicester are in for an amazing campaign and he will give Roy Hodgson no other choice but to include him in his Euro 2016 squad.
There is no doubt Vardy deserved this award and it is great to see given his rise from non-league football. It will give him a huge boost of confidence on international duty and he will surely start in one of England’s friendlies.
Leicester boss Ranieri was also nominated for the manager of the month award but lost out to Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger.
