Leicester City fans were left dismayed by their side’s 0-0 draw against League Two Walsall in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night.
Steve Cooper‘s side did eventually win on penalties as back-up goalkeeper Danny Ward saved all three Walsall spot-kicks, with Ricardo Pereira, Conor Coady and Oliver Skipp converting for the Foxes.
Alarmingly, Leicester City managed just two shots on target against their fourth tier opponents and did not muster the first of these efforts until as late as the 79th-minute.
Despite it still being so early in the new season, patience is already wearing thin for many Leicester fans and Cooper’s perceived negative tactics are at the heart of this.
- READ MORE: Steve Cooper target of ‘ridiculous scenes’ as Leicester City supporters grow tired vs Walsall
It was a night where many players failed to take their chance, but there was one reason for optimism amidst the negativity.
Leicester City have a gem as Caleb Okoli stands out vs Walsall
Cooper made ten changes to the starting XI that disappointed in the 1-1 draw at home against Everton on Saturday.
However, it was still an experienced side that should have been more than capable of winning the game comfortably with the likes Pereira, Coady, Bobby De Cordova-Reid and Odsonne Edouard all starting.
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The only player who kept his place from the Everton draw was centre-back Caleb Okoli and the £12 million summer signing showed exactly why he is in the league starting XI with his display.
Leicestershire Live certainly thought so, as they rated the Italian’s display a six out of ten – bettered only by Ward – and said: “The only man to stay in the line-up from the Everton draw, he was one of the few players who looked Premier League class.
“The Italian carried out all of his defensive duties with ease, whether that was clearing his lines, winning physical battles, or chasing down attackers.”
Okoli impressive since breaking into Leicester starting XI
When Leicester paid £12 million to bring Okoli to the club from Atalanta it was assumed the defender would go straight into the side.
However that was not the case, as a poor performance in the last game of pre-season meant Cooper saw fit to instead start Jannik Vestergaard in the first two league games of the campaign.
Okoli was brought into the starting XI to partner Wout Faes in the 4-0 win over Tranmere Rovers in the last round of the Carabao Cup and the pair have continued their partnership in the Premier League ever since.
Against Walsall, Okoli impressed on a night in which few in Leicester blue emerged with any credit, making seven clearances, blocking two shots, making two interceptions and two tackles according to Sofascore.
In possession, the 23-year-old had 116 touches and completed 89 passes, maintaining a pass completion rate of 91%.
Okoli will be tested far more on Saturday as Leicester travel to Arsenal and he and Faes will have to be at their absolute best if Leicester are to have any chance of getting a result.