Leicester: Is this the reason Harvey Barnes is struggling this season?

Could this possibly be the reason why Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes is struggling to find his great form of 2020/21 this campaign?

The season is in an early stage, naturally, yet there are some revealing aspects even after so few games. One glaring issue at Leicester is the defence; manager Brendan Rodgers is aware that his defenders, especially centre-backs, have moved from inefficient to insufficient and now incapable.

Another problem up until around a week or so ago was that the Foxes had taken the least amount of shots in the Premier League – a particularly worrying statistic as goals win games, obviously. However, that drawback to LCFC’s success seems to have been addressed by the boss. Not that the east Midlanders are extremely clinical with some of the clearer chances that are being carved more recently.

Leicester City winger struggles to replicate excellent stats and play

Several Foxes have seemingly lost their way this term, Caglar Soyuncu is playing so poorly that he seems like a different player altogether. If I was being harsh I’d say he’s managed to transform from Turkish international and one of the best defensive prospects in the English top-flight into the worst performing centre-half in the division.

Another Leicester man who has gone, not from hero to zero, but from headliner to form in the bin liner is Harvey Barnes. Barnes is a thrilling wingman on his day, one who takes the match to the heart of the opponents and isn’t afraid to make errors in order to make progress.

Though this season he has not appeared to be on the same level: the poor, inaccurate shooting crept back in to his game and unfortunately the tangibles aren’t good as the onetime England forward has struggled to produce finishes or assists. And that is something EPL widemen must do.

In the league, Barnes has facilitated once and scored none. In the Europa League he has managed one of each. This campaign the 23-year-old’s completed dribbles in both competitions are down by approximately half comparatively to last.

That previous stat may reveal, along with the help of Rodgers explaining that teams are doubly marking his player, why Barnes has decreased in quality:

"“He’s shown a really high level, and people want to get to tight to him and double press him.”– Brendan RodgersVia LCFC Live"