Leicester City 0 Blackburn Rovers 2: Szmodics double doesn't stop the Vardy party and tributes
The last day of a long, chaotic season saw Blackburn Rovers come to town. Leicester City were crown a week-long party but Rovers needed a win to secure safety, so…you can all write the script on this one.
You can forgive us for the slightly late match report, right? A little bit like that Leicester City performance yesterday, the job is done and the match was just the preamble before the real event. So we're sorting of holding on over here after an incredible but long week of celebration.
Even before the game, you sensed how little the game itself was a focus. People were down in Leicester early, having a drink with friends, soaking up some much anticipated sunshine in the memorial garden or buying up the Champions merch.
But all of the talk was about the trophy lift or the goodbyes and tributes to Jamie Vardy and Marc Albrighton. A few mentions for Wilfred Ndidi, Jannik Vestergaard and Kelechi Iheanacho. We'll come back to those and the incredible Tifo that Union FS put out. First, we should probably talk about the game…I guess.
Photo: Josh Holland
A small matter of some actual football?
It was clear that this was never going to be a repeat of the win over Everton that got us salivating before the Premier League title win. Blackburn Rovers weren't in pushover mode, they still had to deal with a minimal threat of relegation. As long as they won, they were out of the debate entirely so you could have predicted this result.
For Enzo Maresca’s men, there was only one injury problem. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall enjoyed all of the knee slides in front of the away end but on the very, very last one got up somewhat awkwardly and the concern from Hamza Choudhury stood out. So while it wasn't surprising he didn't feature today, the surprise came post match when he came out with a big boot on and wielding crutches.
Well, we can't sell a man who definitely doesn't want to leave when he can't pass a medical, right? Right? (Cue the timely Star Wars meme).
Ricardo made the move into midfield to cover KDH, which allowed Choudhury to step into right back. James Justin was restored at left back and otherwise it was pretty much status quo. Vardy donned the captain's armband, should it be the last dance. And Marc Albrighton was on the bench.
One team definitely looked more up for a match and the others looked more like they just wanted a gentle knock around. No prizes for working out whose who. We weren't awful, we had a couple of bright moves and certainly tried for a goal, but you never really felt a win was coming and that was ok. Compare it to how we all felt on the last home game this time a year ago…I'll take this feeling, please.
The Rovers goals came in the second half, partly a result of our incredibly high line and partly a team who wanted it a little bit more. Both goals felt pretty similar. Us giving away the ball cheaply and the Championship’s real player of the year (not Summerville for me, Clive), raced off pretty much unmarked to open the scoring. His first, a lovely finish.
It was in the dying moments of the game when they doubled their lead. It could have been a different story, Harry Winks was denied a wonder strike between Pears and the crossbar. The introduction of Albrighton had seen plenty of whipping crosses coming in, but none were quite working out.
When Yunus went down after not really being touched, Szmodics was away with it because our entire team had been behind him. Vestergaard stuck a foot out but didn't get it and that left half a pitch and only Mads Hermansen to stop him. You can't blame him for celebrating before he's even put it away. His team were safe and he would be getting the golden boot for top goalscorer.
Not the result we wanted but I could care less. It was just so nice not to have any stress on the last day. Were we hungover, on the beach or just feeling the emotions? It doesn't really matter for once. Blackburn were the hungry team and they deserved their victory. Next season is such a different beast for us anyway.
Plus them being ecstatically happy led to a whole post match party atmosphere.
The main event: give us the silverware
Now onto the good, the emotional and the…strange. If prizes were given to using music to set or keep an atmosphere, Preston gave us a masterclass on Monday and would take top prize. The LCFC DJ, not so much. I may be the only person in the world who doesn't love Sweet Caroline but it undeniably gets a crowd going and had both home and away fans singing along.
There's always the wait for a trophy, so they can set everything up. This is a bit of a knife edge where the atmosphere is concerned though, keeping people in a nice, happy state versus boredom. We didn't seem to nail the song choices to make it a bouncing atmosphere. Not quite a success and the result was most people thrilled to get to the main bit.
I'd forgotten how odd some of the formalities are. Announcing your managers and coaching staff: nice, they get their own moment of celebration. Having club legend Alan Birchenall to bring out the trophy? Classy and cue more celebrations. Having to announce the EFL chairman and a couple of official names from the organisation our club has been having official statement wars with over finances? We could all have predicted the adverse response to that.
As was starting the player medal announcements with Danny Ward. A reminder none of us needed, probably least of all him, that he's still here and getting a medal. Still, once those oddities were out of the way we got to the good stuff.
Jamie Vardy refused to start the trophy lift until fellow captains Ricardo and Albrighton came forward. Lovely. Getting Top right in the mix and getting him to do his own lift. Again, lovely. Seeing poor KDH doing his best to celebrate on one foot and various players helping him.
For a lot of us, this wasn't our first trophy lift. I'm a little jealous of those who got to experience it with new eyes, but I'll cherish the little, individual bits. Seeing Harry Winks getting to lift his first trophy, and having him be our beating heart was heartwarming. Mads Hermansen doing his own lap of honour and just soaking it all up while his very, very proud Dad followed.
Photo: Adam Hodges
The Kop and SK1 getting their moments with the players in that corner felt right. Like some sort of balance being restored. Despite the ongoing protests and disquiet about the ridiculous £25 charge for a physical season ticket from the club, Maresca and his men seem to understand the importance of the support.
Albrighton and Vardy (shirtless but still with the important captain's armband on, respect) had numerous moments together, lots of dancing came courtesy of Fatawu. A lot to soak in as the blue ticker tape just about settled. The likes of academy products, Kasey McAteer, Choudhury and Dewsbury-Hall getting their moments with the trophy and kop. Gorgeous.
Lots of memories to add to or to start a Leicester vault depending on age. The Championship trophy is such a gorgeous trophy too, seeing it draped in Leicester colours another time is very pleasing.
There was no real end to the celebrations, players were content to party on with friends and families on the pitch and with no official , co-ordinated lap of honour, fans sort of filtered out as and when to carry on their celebrations elsewhere.
Thank you, legends
Jamie Vardy, Marc Albrighton, Wilfred Ndidi, Jannik Vestergaard and Kelechi Iheanacho. If this match is the last time we get to see you in Leicester blue, thank you. All of them have been a part of some of our insane history over the last ten to twelve years.
The biggest ever Tifo that Union FS have attempted was superb and honoured Vardy primarily but with a lovely feature to Albrighton too. The two stalwarts of it all. But we can't forget the others either. Ndidi and Iheanacho may not have had the fanfare but both have seen a lot, given us a lot. Ndidi I think we have taken for granted at various times but he's been a rock this year.
Photo: Jamie Thorpe
Vestergaard too, change up your Ulloa chant, but for a tumultuous start, he's been key this year. If this is the end, I'll miss him getting fed up and just charging up the field with the ball. Or his composure in turning the ball.
A shout-out to Vardy too for giving Albrighton the captain's armband when he came on. Classy and what a moment for Sharky. It's been a fantastic time for us.
Attention now turns to Maresca's desire to sort stuff out early, dare we risk having to say one more goodbye. As the players will continue the partying before their holidays and any weddings or international duty, the club will be looking at operation Premier League. What players we need, which to keep, and what possible financial or points penalties may come.
You're not expecting a quiet summer are you? We're Leicester City.
