Despite registering just two starts, Harry Winks has been a game-changer whenever he has made his way onto the pitch. This may come as a surprise considering he’s a deep-lying playmaker who tends to dictate games as opposed to scoring in them. However, under Marti Cifuentes, the 29-year-old continues to show his qualities and how he can affect games in unique ways. Therefore, here is a deeper look at how important Winks actually is to Leicester.
Harry Winks: A Game-Changing Metronome
Championship Triumph:
Before looking at how Winks has been a prominent part of Cifuentes’ system, it’s important to first look at his time in Leicester so far. He joined back in 2023, having spent much of his career in North London with Spurs. Despite playing in the Premier League, Champions League and Serie A, a move to the Championship caught the eye of the midfielder as Enzo Maresca was then at the helm.
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During the title-winning season, Winks played all but one league game, thus tallying a stunning 4,041 minutes played. This further emphasises how key he was to Maresca’s system, as he was the metronome. This meant he was the player next to Ricardo Pereira in the double pivot and responsible for taking control, circulating the ball and being progressive. By the season’s end, he was in the top 10th percentile for progressive passes, passes completed and pass accuracy. Maresca even went on to say that the season would have been ‘impossible’ without Winks, which further exemplifies his importance.
A Dismal Return To The Top Flight:
However, the return to the Premier League would provide a completely different experience from the ecstasy of going straight back up. Former Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper was now in the hot seat, and it was his pragmatism and new tactics that hindered Winks. That being said, the one game in which he did utilise Maresca’s tactics, Winks showed his quality. Although City lost 3–1 to local rivals Nottingham Forest, they kept more possession, and Winks himself created two chances, alongside an assist for Jamie Vardy’s equaliser. In the post-match analysis, Gary Neville had this to say about the Leicester star: “I think Harry Winks is someone who could play international football for England and fit in there perfectly.”
However, the poor results would continue, and Cooper would eventually face the sack weeks later against Chelsea. In said game, Winks came off early due to injury, but was pictured the day after partying in Copenhagen with a sign saying “Enzo, I miss you”. Similarly, his attitude would once again come under scrutiny after Ruud Van Nistelrooy looked to banish him from the squad. The former Spurs player fell out with the Dutchman over staying at the training ground, as he resides in Hertfordshire. Subsequently, he didn’t play for the Foxes from March onwards, as he was branded as “extremely unprofessional” by Sam Allardyce.
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Even during the start of this season, the apathy for the project was once again shown. After a stellar performance on the opening day against Sheffield Wednesday, reports suggested that many clubs were in a race for his signature. In the two following fixtures, he didn’t celebrate his goal against Huddersfield and then walked straight down the tunnel away at Preston. Therefore, with all these factors and just two starts this season, it is quite surprising that the midfielder is now integral to Cifuentes’ plans.
Harry Winks Strengths:
Now that the context is out of the way, how is Winks making the difference as City’s regista? In terms of his role, it is ever-changing due to Cifuentes’ adaptability and fluidity. In some games, he features in a double pivot, and in others, he can be accompanied by both fullbacks. This depends on how the side are being pressed, and how they need to create the plus one. As a result, these ever-changing tactics are a testament to how intelligent Winks is, as he can so seamlessly adapt.
Once again, depending on the opposition, there is often an expectation that Winks dictates the tempo. Ways in which he does this are through the use of short passes and allowing the ball to circulate slowly. A more measured approach to build up was distinct against Coventry, and therefore gave the Foxes more control.
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The term game changer comes as no surprise, due to his performances off the bench. In the aforementioned game against Sheffield Wednesday, he created two chances, whilst also completing 41 passes, 11 of which were into the final third. In comparison, Oliver Skipp, who also played 45 minutes, managed just 14 passes, none of which were into the final third. Similarly, against Oxford United, he replaced Boubakary Soumaré at halftime, which was a necessary move considering the Frenchman’s yellow card and Aaron Ramsey’s earlier dismissal. During the 45 minutes, he completed 37 passes, but most importantly, gave a ten-man City side control. As a result, they had more possession during the half and were able to find an equaliser through an excellent one-touch passing move.
The game against the U’s also highlighted another way in which Winks can be effective. He constantly looked to drop deeper and act as a third centre-back in possession, which was increasingly important due to the red card. As a result, when under pressure, Leicester had the plus one and could therefore excel with the ball. Deeper midfielders doing this isn’t new, and it’s something Cifuentes acknowledges in his Coaches’ Voice, as he talked about how the likes of Kroos and Modric have executed a similar role.
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Due to the knack for playing more simple passes and at a high volume, Winks can face criticism for not being ‘progressive’. However, this isn’t always fair. One clear strength is the ability to receive on the half turn and subsequently open up space to transition into. This is something that Soumaré often struggles with as he often receives back to goal, and then is forced to play either backwards or horizontally. Furthermore, he has also been able to create many chances, alongside being key to progressing the ball through the lines.
Any Negatives?
Whilst Winks is the perfect profile for a side looking to dominate possession at this level, he isn’t the best option in every game. Under Cifuentes, Leicester are much more pragmatic and adaptable, which can lead to less dominance and control in some games. Under Maresca, this issue wasn’t necessarily clear, as he wanted to play his possession-based way in every game. City’s stint in the Premier League perhaps best showed the out-of-possession frailties, where the likes of Skipp and Soumaré are more useful.
The Birmingham City victory is also a further example of a game which doesn’t suit Winks. Against Chris Davies’ side, Leicester decided to sit deeper, absorb pressure, and protect their early lead. This resulted in less possession, and consequently saw Skipp have one of his better games as he was able to cover ground and be much more combative. Due to this, when it comes to playing Skipp or Winks, it’s not as black and white as saying one should always play. It mostly depends on the opposition and how they want to play, as that more often than not will dictate how the Foxes set up. Cifuentes, when talking about his principles back in 2021, discussed the importance of tweaking as he said: “We adapt every week”.
