As for strings, here's some basic components with their counterplay. New ones that use dash momentum are bolded. _
bt.K > bt.S: This is either gapless (if not delayed) or a 3F gap (at earliest timing if delayed). If spaced, frametrap bt.S can be punished by fast above-the-knee 6Ps.
bt.K > bt.P: Gapless (4F gap if delayed but shouldn’t be). Leads into bt.K or bt.H again with dash momentum, but the bt.K is very spaced. Worse pressure than bt.K > bt.K, but less risky.
bt.K > bt.K: Typically has a 2F gap. If the first one hits meaty (typically on whiff 236H setups, where it’s autotimed), this gap can be either 1F or 0F. If Leo has dash momentum and doesn't meaty, this is a throwable gap, but Leo can get three instead of two bt.Ks, enabling him to do any of these strings off the second one as well.
bt.K > walkback: Scouting option, or a way to shimmy a throw attempt. Mashable.
bt.K, 66 bt.K: 7F gap. Completely resets pressure. can be mashed on, but requires a commitment that can lose to bt.S.
bt.K > bt.H: 7F gap. Identical to redash bt.K, but it’s an overhead instead of a low. It will not low crush, but can catch people blocking, reversal throwing fuzzy mashing, backdashing, or pressing 6P. If you're mashing to catch bt.H, have a combo ready, as it will be a CH air hit. __
bt.S > bt.H: Overhead option, 2F frametrap. Can be backdashed by 5F or more invuln backdashes. 20F backdashes are +6 and can get a 6F punish. 4F invuln backdash have to time a frame perfect backdash and cannot buffer it. Big body backdashes often lead into complicated RPS situations.
bt.S > 22 > 2K: Same as above, except Leo is not punishable on backdashes (he’s +2 against 20F backdashes) and it hits low instead of high.
bt.S > delay bt.H: Option to call out backdashes with relatively low risk. Can occasionally whiff against very far and fast backdashes, particularly Johnny’s. Loses to immediate mashing, but can trump fuzzy mashes.
bt.S > 22 66 > 2K: Same as above, but it hits low instead of high. Notably, can be thrown if Leo is close on the initial bt.S, though I wouldn’t recommend doing that much, as that will lose to pretty much any other option.
bt.S > bt.S: 9F gap. Unlikely to be represented unless you are cornered, but very difficult to deal with if you are. Most buttons will get spacing trapped here, and to beat this you typically have to commit to a 6P or super. Most DPs will clash with it.
bt.S > 236H: Mixup that's hard to look for on your stack. Will beat some fuzzy mashes midscreen but lose to most in corner (any moves that hit close to your collision box, may require labbing). You otherwise have to throw it on reaction, but unrewarding without meter.
bt.S > 66 bt.S: 14F gap. Leo’s typical way of hard calling out backdashes midscreen for great reward, with the added benefit of resetting pressure against passive opponents and being relatively ambiguous. Fuzzy mashable at most spacings.
bt.S > 214[H]: 13F gap. Leo’s best way of calling out backdashes near the corner for great reward, with the added benefit of resetting pressure against passive opponents. Much less ambiguous than bt.S bt.S, but higher reward if it’s blocked. Fuzzy mashable at most spacings, can also be backdashed on reaction for a punish, though you must delay the backdash pretty heavily and if you fuck it up you are exploding.
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This is a really bad matchup, possibly the worst in the entire game. Zato has to play extremely careful to avoid Eddie dying to a stray S fireball or guard point attack, and when he finally gets the knockdown, only the safest pressure will beat flash kick. The best way to approach it as Zato is to play carefully but not passively, enforcing RPS when necessary and punishing Leo as hard and as often as possible for abusing his most annoying tools (flash kick, S fireball, backturn, etc.) to prevent him from mindlessly spamming them.