After an inconsistent start to the season, Leicester City recently put up a complete performance in their previous match against Newcastle. The 4-0 win against Newcastle was Leicester’s second clean sheet in the Premier League since the opening day win against Wolves. The Foxes put up a brilliant overall performance with many players contributing. One of those players whose impact was evident was Youri Tielemans. The Belgian international’s energy and overall contribution for his side were immense and reminded the Leicester supporters what their team had been missing. Making his 100th appearance in the Premier League, in the game against Newcastle, Tielemans marked the occasion with a brace.
Tielemans joined Leicester City on loan from Monaco in the 2018-19 season. His three goals and four assists in 13 league appearances were enough for the Leicester hierarchy to sign him to a permanent deal for a club-record fee, a figure which still holds. The following two seasons, Tielemans made 75 appearances in the league for the Foxes, scoring nine goals and adding a further 10 assists. The Belgian has built upon his performances in the previous season and has scored five goals and added a further two assists. Tielemans has been a prominent feature in Brendan Rodgers’ line-up this season, and his brief absence due to a calf injury was evident in Leicester’s form. With his current deal set to expire in 2023, the Foxes are trying hard to sign him to a new deal amidst growing interest from Europe’s top leagues. Leicester City’s Premier League rivals are also said to be closely monitoring the situation.
Let’s analyze his stats to understand why Brendan Rodgers must ensure that Tielemans stays at the King Power Stadium.
Tielemans is described as an intelligent and technically adept playmaker and can influence a game in multiple ways. His awareness and composed possession of the ball allows him to dictate the game and avoid high-pressure situations. The majority of his attacking and creativity stats this season are above the league median value with the most notable stats being goals per 90, xG per 90, and shots per 90. Tielemans’ dribble success rate and offensive duel wins are also noteworthy.
The Belgian is adept at utilizing space to his advantage and is skilled in passing and progressing the ball higher up the pitch. His vision and passing skills allow him to pick out his teammates in the opposition half and exploit gaps in the opponents’ defense. Tielemans has ranked highly in terms of passing and progression stats. His most notable stats in that area are average passes into the attacking third, average shot assists, average smart passes, and average through passes.
Tielemans’ work rate has been impressive this season, as indicated by his heat map. In Rodgers’ 4-2-3-1 formation and its variations, Tielemans is deployed as part of the midfield pivot alongside Ndidi and is usually the one pushing further up the pitch. Tielemans is instrumental for his team in building from the back. He has covered almost every blade of the grass this season.
In terms of successful smart passes, Tielemans is the joint-sixth in the league so far. He averages 0.70 successful smart passes per match.
In Tielemans, Leicester have a player who is capable of impacting a game in multiple ways. He has been an important asset in previous seasons and looks set to continue his impressive performances as the Foxes look to climb back amongst the top-six of the Premier League. It is clear from his stats that Brendan Rodgers needs to ensure that Tielemans stays at the King Power Stadium.
