Football can be a cruel old game.
Just six months on from Leicester City's astonishing Premier Leaguetriumph, the Foxes are being talked about as genuine relegation candidates.It rather puts last season's achievement into perspective, which by all accounts was unbelievable.
There are of course a variety of reasons behind Leicester's relative plight.
N'golo Kante's departure to Chelsea was a huge blow, whilst Champions League football is evidently taking it's toll on the squad, who are struggling to recover from their European exploits.
Anotjer key factor is that most teams seemnow to haveworked out how to stop Claudio Ranieri's men. No longer can the Foxeshit their opponents on the counter attack with long balls over the top, like they did so effectively last season.
No one backed all three, to our knowledge, but a few people made money on a double https://t.co/BVo6gGx8kD
This, of course, has affected the form of a certain Jamie Vardy, who must now bewondering whether the events of the last 18 months were actually all a dream.
A man whose 'party' seemed never ending; the fairytale was all but complete back in the summer.
Vardy had risen from the depths of non-league football to become a Premier League winner. He was one of the country's best strikers, played for England at the Euros and to top it off, has since found himself recognised by his peerson the Ballon d'Or shortlist.
All that was left to complete this hollywood story was a move to one of the world's biggest clubs, and sticking to the script, along came an offer from North London in the form of Arsenal.
And yet Vardy refused. He declined the offer on the tablefrom the Gunnersand chose to remain at the King Power instead. Leicester fans rejoiced, whilst all but the Emirates sniggered at his snub towards Arsene Wenger and his team.
Whose laughing now though?
Charlie Austin: 8 goals in 11 games
Not in the England squad
Jamie Vardy: 0 goals in 13 games
In the England squad
樂樂樂樂 pic.twitter.com/xggwcQ2bC4
The former Fleetwood Town striker has gone two months without a goal and was evendropped for Leicester's league match against West Brom.
Nothing epitomises Vardy's struggles more than seeing Daniel Sturridge, a man who himself is currency out-of-favour at Liverpool, picked ahead of the Foxes ace for England's grudgematch against Scotland last Friday.
Out of luck and out of form, Vardy will wonder how things have unravelled so quickly both for himself, and Leicester, who he loyally stood by last summer.
Arsenal on the other hand have hardly looked back since the failure to capture the Englishman's signature. Unbeaten since the opening day of the season, the Gunners are only two points off league leaders Liverpool and look set to mount a titlechallenge this season.
Alexis Sanchez last 9 Premier League games:
Goals: 6 ⚽�
Assists: 3🎯
Wins: 7✅
Draws: 2😴
Losses: 0🚫 pic.twitter.com/Y2zJvTy3BF
In fact Vardy's snub will be a distant memory for the Gunners. Alexis Sanchez has so far revelled in the forwards role this season having already bagged eight goals in the current campaign.
But had Vardy come to the Emirates would the Chilean have been given the chance to occupy the main strikers role? We'll never know, but its more likely he would have taken up his normal role on the left wing to accomodate the Premier League winner.
Hindsight has shown us that Arsenal may not have needed Vardy after alland have actually been the beneficiaries of what initially appeared an embarrassing snub.
The only loser, it seems, has been Vardy.
That's not to say the strikerwould have done any better at the Emirates than he has done so far this season. If anything, the 29-year-old has shown he struggles to influence the game when there is little space behind the defence.
Arsenal's tight passing game may not have suited Vardy but that won't stop him having some sleeples nightsover his decision.
Vardy, 13 games without a goal for club or country, "just needs something to come off his backside". #lcfc https://t.co/fkZ38jor9S
The loyalty the Englishman showed Leicester was admirable, not to mention bold. But whilst the Foxes may enjoy an entertainingChampions League run this season, it is likely to be a one off -much like Vardy's prolific form last season is proving to be.
As talk of a film in the worksabout the striker's unlikely rise to fame intensifies, you can't help but feel it will lack the 'happily ever after' kind of ending it could have had.
Unfortunately, no onewill ever know if things would have been different had Vardy moved to the Emiratesbut right now, both the movie scriptwriters andVardy will be wondering, if he made the right call, as they look back and wonder what might have been.