To observe the meteoric rise of Jordan James at Leicester City is to witness a footballer operating in a state of sporting grace. He is, without a shadow of hyperbole, the undisputed heartbeat of this squad.
James's importance to the Foxes' increasingly desperate relegation run-in cannot be overstated. He possesses that rarest of alchemical qualities: the ability to elevate those around him.
When the 21-year-old glides across the turf, his teammates stand taller; their confidence fortified by his relentless industry, vision and goal threat. To be shorn of such a talisman for a second spell this season is not merely a tactical setback - it is a psychological laceration that hurts the side deeply.
The hollow core: Leicester City's survival hopes dimmed by Jordan James absence
Gary Rowett, tasked with navigating these treacherous waters, finds his blueprint suddenly fragile. The news that James remains a major doubt for the looming and crucial trip to Sheffield Wednesday is defined bad news for the Filbert Way faithful.
Having returned from the Wales National Team after a 'minor' injury scare, the midfielder was ostensibly in contention for the Preston North End fixture. Yet his absence from the matchday squad entirely spoke volumes of a recovery stalled - or misdiagnosed!
"Monday’s trip to Sheffield Wednesday may come too soon as well.."Leicester Mercury
In this void, others must transcend their current limitations. Patson Daka, whose clinical brace rescued a point against the Lilywhites, must maintain this upward trajectory of reliability. Furthermore, the Foxes require a more sustained ruthlessness from occasionally deadly wing duo Abdul Fatawu and Stephy Mavididi. Their intermittent brilliance must become a constant if Leicester are to survive.
Without the Rennes man's steadying hand and infectious spirit, the burden of creativity and morale falls squarely on a frontline that can no longer afford to be subdued. Survival is a game of fine margins, and right now, those margins feel perilously thin.