3 Standout Foxes as Leicester beat West Ham
By Ethan Henson
Wout Faes
It’s clear to most now that Wout Faes’ arrival has been paramount to the newfound success that the Foxes are achieving, with his warrior-like performances setting the standard for others to follow. The jury was out on the Belgian in his early appearances given his culpability for both goals in defeat to Bournemouth, but it appears that day on the south coast was more of an anomaly than his defensive merits.
The sample size is large enough to accept his place in the side is crucial, and with a solid relationship with his central-defensive partner Daniel Amartey truly established, it’s no wonder captain Jonny Evans is still sitting on the bench. Faes is more than just a warrior who is there to bail out his teammates with last ditch tackles, he’s also a very pragmatic and astute defender.
Last week, he dealt with Dominic Calvert-Lewin with consummate ease, nipping in front as the forward tried to hold up the ball, and dominating in the air using clever manipulations of his body to get there first. Yesterday, the Belgian was solid as a rock one more with his defensive positioning almost faultless and his leadership qualities on display in abundance.
Ayoze Perez
While it’s not very common for a player to receive a man of the match award when only entering the field with 21 minutes remaining, Ayoze Perez could stake a claim to do so after his fantastic cameo at the London Stadium. The Spaniard, whose minutes on the pitch have been limited this campaign, did brilliantly pick out Harvey Barnes with a perfectly angled and weighted ball for the goal that put the game to bed.
Perez is a player who is often unfairly derided by those who watch Leicester most often, although the argument that he is too predictable is difficult to dispute. However there’s never been a doubt that he is technically proficient and capable of producing moments where the seemed to be very little promise.
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Whether the No.17 moves on in January, the summer transfer window or even extends beyond this year, £30million will always feel like something of an overspend, given his productivity has failed to live up to the price tag. However yesterday showed what he was capable of, even if it might be too late for his City career to be resurrected.