Fantastic Fatawu: 5 facts on the Fox’s fabulous form

Erratic. Inconsistent. Underwhelming. Fatawu Issahaku’s form since emerging as Player of the Tournament in the 2021 U20 African Cup of Nations was often characterised with these and similar adjectives as he often struggled to positively impact games for both the Black Stars and Sporting CP, barely breaking into the first team for the latter.

Dangerous. Effective. Sensational. Since his loan move from Sporting to Leicester, it has been a completely different story for the wonderkid as he has begun to consistently display the burgeoning talent that had him sought after by the world’s best at a tender age. Here are five facts on Issahaku’s incredible season.

1. Creativity

Upon their relegation to the Championship, Leicester had little choice but to sell their creator-in-chief James Maddison for numerous financial and sporting reasons. Needing a cost-effective replacement, they had to recruit shrewdly. Up stepped former U20 AFCON POTT Fatawu Issahaku. The Sporting CP loanee has taken up the mantle effortlessly, providing 12 assists and leading the club in assists per 90, expected assisted goals per 90, and expected assists per 90, while coming second in club stats such as assists, expected assisted goals, expected assists, goal creating actions, and goal creating actions per 90.

2. Progression

From his days at Steadfast FC, Fatawu has always been an extremely direct winger, looking to get the ball forward as often as possible via dribbling or passing. And his numbers this season continue to tell that story. Fatawu is 4th in the league in most passes played into the penalty area with 75, and he leads Leicester as the player with most successful take-on with 85. The dazzling Ghanaian winger is also 10th in the league in most progressive carries with 136, and is in the 89th percentile of all European wingers/attacking midfielders in progressive carrying distance with 131.96 yards.

 

3. Defending

One of the biggest criticisms Maddison used to face at Leicester was that he was a “cone” defensively and did not do much work off the ball. The same most certainly cannot be said of Fatawu. The 20-year-old has been extremely industrious for the Foxes this season, ranking in the 98th percentile of tackles won in the defensive third among wingers/attacking midfielders, the 94th percentile of 1v1 tackling accuracy, the 93rd percentile of all tackles won, and the 93rd percentile of shots blocked. As if that wasn’t enough, he is also in the 98th percentile of aerial duels won as a winger/attacking midfielder, despite being only 5’9”.

 

4. Weak Foot

Blessed with a wand of a left foot capable of conjuring magic Okomfo Anokye would be proud of, Fatawu Issahaku has always been a threat cutting in from the right wing onto his left. But the growth in his game this year has been evident in his usage of his right foot as well. The Ghanaian has scored a third of his goals this season (2/6) with his ‘weaker’ right foot, showing his improved ambipedality and making him even more unpredictable for opposition defenses.

 

5. Hat-trick hero

On Wednesday the 24th of April, 2024, Fatawu Issahaku became the first Ghanaian ever to score a hat-trick in the EFL Championship. His first goal showed his ambipedal development, cushioning the ball with a right-footed first touch before calmly slotting it past the keeper with his left. His second was a trademark Fatawu finish, coming onto his left foot from the right flank and whipping a beauty into the far corner. Before his third, he added another assist to his tally with an inch-perfect right-footed ground cross for Jamie Vardy to finish. And for the hat-trick, Vardy returned the favour, squaring the ball across goal for Fatawu to tap in right-footed. As he broke off into a dancing celebration in homage of the legendary Asamoah Gyan, Ghanaians would have been hoping that he keeps developing on this upward trajectory and eventually helps propel the Black Stars back to a respectable level on the world stage.

By Nene Afadzinu

The post Fantastic Fatawu: 5 facts on the Fox’s fabulous form first appeared on 3News.

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