Three Leicester City players who must respond to Steve Cooper's Abdul Fatawu rallying cry
Sighs of despondency and frustration around Leicester City may have been joined by sighs of relief from the Premier League’s full-back union after it was announced Abdul Fatawu won’t play again this season.
The Ghanaian winger has been the tormentor in chief so far this campaign. The stats show no player has beaten more opponents in one-on-ones in the Premier League. Despite being just 20 years of age and playing in the English top flight for the first time, Fatawu was showing plenty of signs that he was at home.
There’s a whole host of reasons why Fatawu’s ACL surgery could leave City downbeat. For a start, Fatawu is a very popular member of the squad and news of his injury won’t have been felt lightly by his team-mates. They will also know, as will manager Steve Cooper, that the club have lost one of their leading attacking talents. He’s a match-winner and a game-changer, as shown in that display at Southampton last month.
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For fans, they won’t get to see one of the club’s most exciting players again this term. The electric performances Fatawu is capable of is one of the best reasons to pay to see City live. He gets supporters onto their feet in anticipation.
But those gloomy feelings need to be cast aside, especially within the squad. Fatawu’s injury has to be reframed as an opportunity for somebody to step forward and make themselves the new hero.
Cooper has already issued that rallying cry. He said: “When you lose a good player, you're sad and disappointed. But you have to respond, roll your sleeves up and stick together. For me, it's about who's next in terms of who will take responsibility in that part of the pitch. Own the shirt, own the badge, and give everything you can.”
So who are the contenders? Now would be an excellent time for Bilal El Khannouss to find his feet in England. There have been flashes of talent from the £20m summer signing, but they have so far not been frequent to earn him regular game-time.
That now might change. If El Khannouss can start to get on the ball more often, and start sliding through the intricate passes he was renowned for in Belgium, then he can make a difference to City’s attack. He’s not at all similar to Fatawu, the Moroccan relying more on technique and vision rather than the sheer pace and one-on-one ability that makes the winger so good.
He doesn’t play in Fatawu’s position either, but if El Khannouss can establish himself as the attacking midfielder, Facundo Buonanotte can be stationed on the right wing, cutting in onto his left foot. That’s actually the Argentinian’s favoured position.
If not El Khannouss, then maybe Bobby De Cordova-Reid can step up. The first signing of the Cooper era, the Jamaican has played just 12 minutes of Premier League football since the third week of the season and has not yet made the impact the manager hoped he might when he signed on a free transfer from Fulham.
At Craven Cottage, De Cordova-Reid was renowned for popping up with important goals. While he may not be able to deliver the thrills Fatawu can, if he can get himself on the scoresheet a few times, he’ll be making an impact.
Kasey McAteer is also an option, and he’s another goal-getter. Last season, Enzo Maresca told Fatawu and Stephy Mavididi they needed to learn from McAteer in how he arrived at the back post and made himself a threat in the box.
The academy graduate does seem to have that knack. He’s a good runner too, with pace and stamina. If he can learn to be more daring when attacking his full-backs, he can develop into an effective option.
So there are players available to Cooper who can be called upon, and that’s without mentioning the attacking players who are already making an impact, like Buonanotte, Mavididi and Jordan Ayew. Fatawu’s injury is news nobody wanted, but there’s now a chance for somebody unexpected to make themselves a hero.
