Wout Faes has carried forward the lessons he learned from Enzo Maresca into the Premier League, with current Leicester City manager Steve Cooper full of praise for the centre-back.
Faes has been a divisive figure with City supporters, the Belgian capable of producing excellent defensive displays but also suffering from lapses in concentration. But he’s always been in the good books with his City managers, starting every week under Brendan Rodgers, Maresca and now Cooper.
Last time out, against Bournemouth, he produced one of the best individual performances of City’s season, making several timely interventions inside his own box, including blocks for three goal-bound shots. While the focus this season has been on defensive work, last term was about the possession game, and speaking while on Belgium duty, Faes has been crediting former boss Maresca for taking his game to the next level.
“For me, what was really important was the coach Enzo Maresca,” Faes told Le Soir. “He opened my eyes, showed me a lot of images, gave me a lot throughout the season because he looks at football in a different way and has put in place a very clear system.
“It’s something I’ve never really experienced before. And it’s also the first time I’ve played in a team that played most of the time in the opposing half. I also feel that I’ve made steps forward in possession.”
While Faes has been praising Maresca, it doesn’t mean he’s out of favour with Cooper. One of three City players to have not missed a single Premier League minute so far this season, alongside Mads Hermansen and James Justin, Faes is having a very good campaign according to the manager.
“There was a lot of appreciation from me as well,” Cooper said after being asked about the crowd’s reaction to Faes’ performance against Bournemouth. “I don’t want to put the kiss of death on him, but I think Wout’s played really well all season to be honest.
“He’s really standing up now and becoming a strong centre-back in the Premier League, both with and without the ball. We need him to keep that going. He deserves credit for his performance today.”
Faes’ determination to keep the ball out of the net helped City keep a clean sheet and claim their first victory of the season last weekend. It’s a result that leaves the club 15th in the table, three points clear of the relegation zone, and Faes is not looking beyond survival this season.
The 26-year-old added: “This victory was indeed very important, especially morally, before this international break. I wouldn’t say we’ve had a bad start to the season because we’ve still had three draws, which means we weren’t far from winning. But in any case, the priority objective remains staying up this year.
“We are playing in one of the most competitive championships in the world and we all know how difficult it is to play matches at this level. So we will try to save ourselves quickly and then we will see where we finish.”
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