The defensive resurgence under Gary Rowett has been nothing short of transformative for Leicester City. The Foxes gaffer has quite clearly galvanised a backline that previously resembled the integrity of a wet paper tissue. To witness two clean sheets in three matches is to behold a minor miracle on Filbert Way. A feat of tactical discipline that felt almost mythical during the darker days of winter. This fundamental alteration in the squad's structural compactness could prove the decisive factor in securing EFL Championship safety this season.
Gary Rowett's Leicester City tally is actually a disappointment
However, beneath this newfound resilience, the grim omens of a descent into League One continue to prophesie a catastrophic demise for this historic club. Hopes that such a bleak forecast is ultimately proven inaccurate appear slimmer than foes' chances.
The arithmetic of the table remains a cold, unyielding master; those six 'stolen' points were undeniably influential here. While City's rivals continue to accumulate wins and draws with a desperate, scavenging hunger, the Leicestershire team find themselves unable to string together the successive victories required to climb toward the light.
Instead, losses pepper any overriding sense of progress, leaving the faithful to wonder if they are merely treading water in a rising tide. When stripped of the sentimentality of the 'new manager bounce' along with a less penetrable shell, the reality is stark: seven points from a possible 21.
Unfortunately that tally represents failure - so far. Rowett can still stabilise or lift the East Midlanders further.
While defensive progression is commendable, it has served as a convenient veil: obscuring Rowett's own creative deficiencies in guiding this team toward a winning formula. Survival in this unforgiving landscape demands more than just a sturdy shield: a sword capable of striking down any opposition is requisite.
If City cannot translate their defensive solidity into a sustained offensive onslaught, the mirage of Rowett's "improvement" will evaporate. A frantic scrap for relevance and ascension will ensue.