AFTER A WOEFUL CAMPAIGN THAT SAW THEM SUFFER RELEGATION FROM THE PREMIER LEAGUE LAST SEASON, LEICESTER CITY ENTERED THIS TERM WITH LOW EXPECTATIONS AMID OFF-FIELD ISSUES — INCLUDING THREATS OF A POINTS DEDUCTION FROM THE EFL.
THE DELAYED EXIT OF RUUD VAN NISTELROOY AND THE APPOINTMENT OF FORMER QPR BOSS MARTI CIFUENTES BROUGHT A MIXED REACTION FROM FANS. WHILE PERFORMANCES HAVE BEEN FAR FROM SPECTACULAR, THERE IS STILL UNDENIABLE QUALITY IN THE SQUAD — THOUGH A LACK OF CREATIVITY AND CONSISTENCY IN THE FINAL THIRD REMAINS A PROBLEM.
WITH INJURY-PRONE ABDUL FATAWU BEING THEIR MAIN SOURCE OF SPARK, THE FOXES NEED MORE ATTACKING DYNAMISM TO PUSH FOR AUTOMATIC PROMOTION. THAT’S WHERE CRYSTAL PALACE’S ROMAIN ESSE COULD COME IN AS A CLEVER MARKET OPPORTUNITY.
SIGNED FROM MILLWALL FOR AROUND £12 MILLION, ESSE ARRIVED AT SELHURST PARK AS ONE OF THE EFL’S MOST PROMISING YOUNG TALENTS. HOWEVER, HIS TRANSITION TO PREMIER LEAGUE FOOTBALL HAS BEEN TOUGH. UNDER OLIVER GLASNER’S STRUCTURED 3-4-2-1 SYSTEM, ESSE HAS STRUGGLED TO FIND REGULAR MINUTES — EVEN FALLING BEHIND JUSTIN DEVENNY, YEREMY PINO, AND DAICHI KAMADA IN THE PECKING ORDER.
WITH LIMITED GAME TIME, INCLUDING BEING AN UNUSED SUBSTITUTE IN PALACE’S EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE FIXTURE AGAINST DYNAMO KYIV, IT’S CLEAR HE NEEDS A FRESH START — AND LEICESTER COULD PROVIDE THE PERFECT PLATFORM.
ESSE’S TECHNICAL ABILITY, FLARE, AND VERSATILITY — CAPABLE OF OPERATING ON EITHER WING OR AS AN ATTACKING MIDFIELDER — MAKE HIM AN IDEAL ADDITION FOR CIFUENTES’ SYSTEM. HE WOULD ADD THE INVENTIVENESS LEICESTER HAVE BEEN MISSING, PARTICULARLY GIVEN THE STRUGGLES OF PATSON DAKA UP FRONT AND THE CONSTANT SHUFFLING IN ATTACKING POSITIONS.
WITH FATAWU ON ONE SIDE, ESSE COULD BALANCE LEICESTER’S ATTACK AND BRING MUCH-NEEDED ENERGY AND CREATIVITY TO THEIR PROMOTION PUSH. STILL ONLY 20, HE POSSESSES A CEILING THAT COULD ELEVATE BOTH HIS CAREER AND LEICESTER’S CHANCES OF A TOP-TWO FINISH.
IN SHORT, LEICESTER CITY SHOULD POUNCE ON ROMAIN ESSE THIS JANUARY — A TALENTED YOUNG PLAYER WHO CAN REIGNITE THEIR ATTACK AND HELP DRIVE THEM BACK TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE.
