This is our 'best' starting XI when everyone is fit...
Kasper
Fofana - Evans - Soyuncu
Ricardo Castagne
Ndidi - Tielemans
Maddison
Vardy - Iheanacho
The fact Barnes isn't even in there is crazy in itself, but mainly down to Iheancho's current shit-hot form.
He could be the one to eventually replace Vardy in a front-two as this gets the best out of Iheanacho too.
If anything, where we need strengthening is just in terms of depth. Recently being able to play that above line-up, and then have back-ups like Praet, Perez, Under on the bench to call upon instead of inexperienced youth players (despite the good job they've done filling in) has been handy.
We definitely need strengthening in that midfield - any one of those 3 get suspended/injured and we really do feel their absence. Given the fact we're likely to have CL football, we do need to improve there. We'll probably see more of Dewsbury-Hall though as he is highly-rated by us and seems far too good for Luton based on his loan there so far.
And for a few transfer windows now we've been looking for a striker that would be ready to fit in as Vardy can't be playing 2-3 games in the space of 7-8 days. He'll have to be managed properly given his recent injury concerns and age anyway. And the only way to do that is strengthen that position so he's not relied on but can be played for the big games he can deliver in.
When we get Justin & Barnes back it'll be great, as it means Rodgers has that 'selection headache' as opposed to falling back on to youth players that barely set foot in a PL game before they're called upon.
Bit of both. I also get the feeling that Rodgers just doesn't rate him and perhaps isn't the player that was sold to us (albeit on loan for now). He has his flashes of 'brilliance' or skill but maybe it's consistency. I had the same feeling as you as if we'd got the best of both worlds in that we've got a loan for a really decent player and also apparently an option (not obligation) to buy. I doubt we'd take up that option though. His fitness even before the injury recently was a concern and he hasn't really done anything to alleviate those, either for Rodgers by the looks of it or for the fans.