Leicester City’s supposed saviour has still be the club’s survival hero

Tete has had one electrifying 90 minutes and done very little since but the underlying numbers suggest he could still have an impact to help the club out of the bottom three

He was supposed to be the man that saved Leicester City. The woes of the first half of the season were supposed to end the moment he stepped onto the pitch. City fans, draped in green, yellow, and blue flags, could finally look forward to the rest of the campaign with optimism.

Those feelings lasted for 90 minutes. Two months ago, Tete produced one of the most electric debuts in City history. Now, most supporters are debating whether he should even be on the side. On Tuesday night, after one too many City attacks ended with him seeing a cross blocked or being muscled off the ball, one fan tweeted: “More Birstall than Brazil.”

Tete was the first player to represent the club from the game’s most successful and lauded nation and so the hype was big. The sublime first touch and dazzling footwork he showed on his debut at Aston Villa, where he also scored a maiden goal, only intensified the excitement.

Since then, there’s been very little to get excited about. He’s yet to register another goal or an assist and after his performance against Leeds in the week, supporters are calling for Dennis Praet, the man who has played on the right wing as a substitute in the past two games, to replace him from the start against Everton.

There is a possibility that Tete does keep his place. Dean Smith wants to play with wingers and Tete is one of only two natural wide-men in the squad. That helps his chances of playing.

But can he deliver? Is there any hope left of him replicating his performance against Villa? Tuesday night’s game should have been ideal for him. He was able to thrive at Villa Park because the match was so open, giving him more space in which to dribble. For the first 20 minutes, up until Leeds’ goal, Tuesday’s game was also like that – and yet Tete did not really threaten

When Leeds dropped deeper and tightened up their back-line, instead of attacking them, Tete often turned backward. It seemed that if he couldn’t isolate a defender in a one-on-one, he wouldn’t try to beat him and so would turn backward. He had the highest pass completion rate in the whole game, unusual for a winger, but that was because only five of his 26 passes from open play went forwards.

And yet there still feels like there is something there. There is undeniable talent in those feet. Importantly, even when he’s having a difficult time threatening in the final third, he is still looking for the ball. He doesn’t go missing, nor shy away from the physical aspects of the game.

Even while he’s not scored a goal, or even created one for his teammates, there’s evidence to suggest he still could. In terms of shot-creating actions, which looks at the two events prior to a shot being taken, only James Maddison and Kelechi Iheanacho are involved in more per game than Tete is. In short, City is getting shots away when he’s involved, whether he’s playing the ball to a team-mate or jinking past a defender to get an effort away himself.

He still beats defenders in one-on-ones at a greater rate than anybody else in the City line-up too and he dribbles into the box more than anyone apart from Iheanacho.

A little like in Riyad Mahrez’s first Premier League season, when he was far from the player he is now, it’s clear there is a spark there but it’s just one that needs igniting. For most, patience has run out of that happening before the end of the campaign. But for those still entranced by the beauty and wonder of samba skills at the King Power, hope remains.

There were plenty of Brazil flags delivered to houses in Leicester in February and it would be a thrill if they could be brought out in celebration again before the end of the season. Tete has the ability to do it, he just needs to show it.

 

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