In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Brendan Rodgers explains why Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has become an important player for Leicester City
Wednesday 15 December 2021 08:07, UK
With Brendan Rodgers desperate for a result against Newcastle on Sunday, he named Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in his starting line-up for the third time in eight days. The academy graduate rewarded his manager by playing a key role in Leicester's 4-0 win.
A scorer in Naples on Thursday, Dewsbury-Hall was even more impressive against Newcastle. He only made his full Premier League debut last week but looks at home in the top division, combining maturity on the ball with exuberance off it.
Having covered more ground than anyone prior to his substitution at Aston Villa on his first start, he repeated the feat over 90 minutes this time. Preferred to £17m summer signing Boubakary Soumare, he has brought energy and quality to Leicester's midfield.
"I think he is a fantastic talent with a lovely left foot who moves around the pitch well, he has got an eye for goal and he is hungry," Rodgers tells Sky Sports. "That is what you need from your team, you need players who are hungry to prove themselves."
James Maddison and Youri Tielemans took the headlines. Dewsbury-Hall played his part. There was a drop of the shoulder before beating his man to set up Harvey Barnes early in the second. It was his forward pass to Maddison in the build-up to the second goal.
As well as being a willing runner, he has shown the personality required to get on the ball. He averages more touches per 90 minutes than any Leicester player, completing more passes in the opposition half and even creating the most chances from open play.
At 23, having been at the club for a decade and a half already, he is no overnight success. He has watched on as those younger than him have broken through. Like Luke Thomas and Harvey Barnes, he has clearly benefited from his loan moves away from Leicester.
"I think with young players what I have always tried to look at is what experiences they need," Rodgers explains. "If you look at Raheem Sterling, I did not feel he needed to go out on loan. He was ready to come in and have an impact on the team. He did that.
"When I came here, Kiernan was a big academy talent who had spent a lot of time in the reserves. Maybe he could have been out sooner. He was playing but I felt he needed the pressure of playing for points. It was just a case of finding the right team for him."
A brief stay at Blackpool was a success. A move to Luton proved to be the right club, their progressive approach under Nathan Jones seen as ideal with him having overseen James Justin's development. Dewsbury-Hall won the player of the year awards.
"He did very well. I felt that when he came back in the summer, he looked a different player. He was playing for real. He understood what it meant to play for points, deal with pressure. He came back with a real point to prove. Then, it was just a case of bedding him in."
There were starts in the cups, domestic and European, but it was a turn from the bench against Southampton earlier this month that convinced Rodgers that he was ready for a Premier League start. On for Soumare at half-time, he helped to salvage a point.
"I thought he was excellent in the Southampton game. He was the catalyst for us in the second half with his courage to take the ball, to pass the ball, to make short passes, to make long passes. Just the energy that he brought to the game was exactly what we needed."
The passing comes naturally to Dewsbury-Hall. What his time in the Championship has helped him to add is that physical element. Prior to the weekend, he ranked among the top six players in the Premier League for possession won per 90 minutes in the middle third.
"That was the point that we made to him. He had to bring personality to the pitch. No matter how young you are, you have to be able to intercept and block and press. He has been very good at that. Getting in contention with people and earning the right to play."
Expect more opportunities. He has shown the flexibility that Rodgers demands from his players, operating on the right side of the midfield against Aston Villa but switching to the left of the midfield for the win over Newcastle. That should guarantee more minutes.
"I just think with more experiences - good and bad - he can show himself to be a really important player for Leicester over these next few years," says Rodgers.
On this evidence, Dewsbury-Hall is already important to Leicester City.
