It is hard to describe Leicester City fans’ overriding emotion when the full-time whistle blew at St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday.
It may have been shock, given that Leicester had snatched a winner in the added time of added time — and from a set piece, too. Jordan Ayew’s winning goal on 97 minutes and 34 seconds was Leicester’s latest Premier League winner since Opta started counting in 2006.
There might also have been amazement that their side had come from two goals down at half-time to win a Premier League game for the first time after 63 failures.
All those emotions starkly contrast with the mood in the away end at half-time. Leicester found themselves chasing a game again after a tepid opening 45 minutes characterised by passive, passionless defending. Cooper’s team have conceded the first goal in six of their eight games this season.
But by the end, the main emotion might have been smugness. Not just because they beat Southampton, a survival-chasing rival, at a ground where they have fond memories of a 9-0 victory five years ago. Fans will also feel their constant calls for Abdul Fatawu to get more pitch time have been vindicated.
The Ghana international cemented himself as a huge fan favourite last season while on loan from Sporting Lisbon. Making that move permanent was a no-brainer but the 20-year-old has only started three times in the Premier League this season.
“He is a real talent but is transitioning into becoming a Premier League player,” Cooper said after the game in justification for putting the reins on Fatawu. He had unleashed Fatawu with devastating effect on a Southampton side who were cruising to their first league victory of the season.
Sometimes, the right substitution can dramatically change a game, whether a side is chasing the game or hanging on for a win.
Fatawu had a hand in all three of Leicester’s goals. He teed up the excellent Facundo Buonanotte for the first, hit the bar and then got on the back post for Stephy Mavididi’s cross that led to Jamie Vardy’s penalty (his 13th goal involvement against Southampton — nine goals and four assists — more than he has managed against any other side), and won the corner that led to Ayew’s winner.
His direct running tortured the Southampton defence, pegging them back and creating doubt in the minds of players who had low confidence after picking up just one point this season.
“He is a really exciting young player,” Cooper said. “He is going to quickly become an exciting Premier League player as well. He is in that transition of understanding how to develop his game, that you have to play with a bit more variety.
“But when he comes on and plays like he did today, he’s taking opportunities and showing what a player he can be in the Premier League.”
After that display, it would be remarkable if Cooper doesn’t start Fatawu, as the fans have been clamouring for, against their East Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest on Friday.
Cooper knows the Premier League. He kept Forest up two seasons ago when they looked in a desperate mess. Initially, his brave, front-footed football left Forest exposed, so he adopted a defensive, counter-attacking style to steer them to safety.
At Leicester, he has started cautiously, with a reluctance to use all his young attacking talent — the problem with that plan is Leicester are not particularly good at defending.
They kept a clean sheet in the win over Bournemouth and generally defended well that day, but they returned to type at St Mary’s with a first half that has been typical of what Leicester fans have seen this season.
A lack of leadership at the back is an issue, as is a reluctance for individuals to identify danger and deal with it. Southampton’s two goals were far too easy to score.
Similar to the goals they conceded in the first half at Arsenal, it was a simple pass out wide and a low cutback to an unmarked man in the centre of the goal that unpicked them twice against Southampton. That has to be addressed.
The only hopes in the first half were the threats of Buonanotte and Bilal El Khannouss, who was desperately unlucky not to score after his superb turn inside the penalty area led to a curling effort that struck the inside of the post. El Khannouss is adapting to the Premier League but he and Buonanotte could be a huge threat together.
At the start of the season, as Leicester were re-acclimatising to the Premier League, it was a case of one or the other. There can be room for both of these young attacking midfielders.
In fact, there is a case for Cooper to adopt a bolder selection policy. His side have shown they are vulnerable defensively but Leicester and Manchester City remain the only teams to have scored in every Premier League game this season.
Attack may be Leicester’s best form of defence and Cooper has the young attacking talent that can make the difference.
(Top photo: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
