Claude Puel wants more from Harvey Barnes – but he must sort his tactics out first

Claude Puel has exhorted Leicester City youngster Harvey Barnes to “become a man with good moves and quality”.

Leicester recently recalled the 21-year old from his loan spell at West Bromwich Albion after his impressive displays at the Hawthorns Stadium.

In his 28 appearances for the Baggies, he scored nine goals and assisted eight, convincing Puel that he could be the answer to Leicester’s uninspiring performances of late.

And now that the England U-21 international is back at the King Power Stadium, the Leicester boss has demanded him to man up as he isn’t a little boy anymore.

"“He (Harvey Barnes) is not a little boy. I want him to become a man with a good moves and quality, and he needs to take his responsibility now.“He was ready to start the last game and it is my decision, and we will see. He has come back because I think he can give us strength and I want him to keep his confidence.“We saw his confidence, character and personality at West Brom and I want to keep this.“It is important to give his best, to give him freedom and can try to make the difference. I want this.“He can equally bring this quality into our situation because he has the ability to penetrate defences. And he has two good feet, can finish the chances and can be clinical in the final third.“Sometimes we need this strength.”"

Barnes can only help Leicester – as can be said of any of Leicester’s creative outlet -if Puel allows him to. He has been getting his tactics all wrong and has deserved to be on the losing side against both Newport County and Southampton – two teams that Leicester should have beaten.

You don’t play three defensive midfielders at home when playing a team that is quite clearly a defensive mess. The Saints, even though they’ve been improving under Ralph Hasenhuttl, are still nowhere near Leicester’s level.

Puel should have demanded a fluid display from his team by setting them up to attack, but instead, he played Hamza Choudhury, Wilfred Ndidi and Nampalys Mendy in a midfield three, and the result was one of the worst 45 minutes of football that Leicester have produced or will ever produce under the Frenchman.

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Puel can say whatever he likes in the press conferences and in the team meetings, but until and unless this entrenched gaffer takes a good, long look at his own doings, none of his words are going to make any difference to anyone.

He was rightly praised for his tactics in the wins over Chelsea and Manchester City – that’s how you play a big team – but when you play anyone outside of the top six and have Jamie Vardy, James Maddison, Ben Chilwell and Ricardo Pereira like players at your disposal, you have an obligation to take the game to the opponent.

If you do not do that, you either don’t have enough faith in your players or you respect the other teams to the extent that you choose to look past your own players’ talent. In both the cases, it is Puel’s character as a manager that lies enveloped in doubt.

At this point, the 57-year old is rapidly moving towards territory of untenability. He has been defended where he must be, but there are mistakes that just have no justification at all, which, of course, leaves Puel with one option: win games. Leicester play three of the current top six teams in their next four Premier league fixtures.