Pre-season friendly v. Birmingham City at Wast Hill’s became a positive experience for Leicester City. Brendan Rodgers had a mix of players from the U.23 set up and the first team squad, getting back to action after a few weeks of rest.
Leicester City had a lot of first team players absent, such as Jamie Vardy, Wilfred Ndidi and Jonny Evans, also missing were James Maddison, Dennis Praet, Kelechi Iheanacho, Ayoze Perez, Ricardo Pereira and Christian Fuchs, but the team was still with a number of first team men, such as Kasper Schmeichel, James Justin, Harvey Barnes, Demarai Gray, Marc Albrighton and Youri Tielemans, interesting starts for Thakgalo Leshabela, Josh Knight, George Hirst and Sidnei Tavares, Nampalys Mendy also in the team.
First half Leicester City just pushed the ball around, Harvey Barnes had a great chance to score, and it was put pressure on Birmingham City. Not that many chances though out in the “green fields” of Birmingham.
Brendan Rodgers made a number of chances for 2nd half bringing on Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Hamza Choudhury who both played well, Darnel Johnsen, George Josh Eppiah, Filip Benkovic, Admiral Muskwe, Danny Ward and Marc Albrighton were also coming on.
Great to see Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the team, and his presence in midfield made it a better Leicester City side, hopefully he will not leave for Luton Town, because he is TCF’s view a better player than some of the players Brendan Rodgers have given confidence in the first team last season, and Dewsbury-Hall scored his goal after a great Youri Tielemans pass, Leicester City were well deserved 1-0 up after 53 minutes.
Leicester City just pushed on and it was impressive to see how this new composition of a team just knocked on and Marc Albrighton scored the next, a bizarre goal, with the former Aston Villa favorite sprinting on a ball that looked hopeless but the goalkeeper hit him and it went straight in, 2-0, 71 minutes.
Just a few minutes later Leicester City’s Admiral Muskwe was taken down and a penalty it was, sadly Muskwe, who also looked lively and very positive together with Eppiah up front, missed the kick.
Brendan Rodgers really tested the youngsters, also giving minutes to Vontae Daley-Campbell, Ethan Fitzhugh and Wanya Marcel Madivadua, all of them showing great promise and pushing on.
Leicester City started the pre-season in style, all players showing what they were worth and promising to watch so much talent. Birmingham City is a Championship side and with such a mixed group, it was great to see them all performing so well.
Leicester City turned out in their new “maroon” kit and a feeling of Northampton Town came along, but as long as the team is winning, don’t mind the colours of the kit.
- Positives
- Starting with a 2-0 win, always good to win
- Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall had a great second half
- Lots of young and exciting players to watch
- Negatives:
- Admiral Muskwe missing his penalty
- Player Ratings: Schmeichel 5, Justin 5, Soyuncu 6, Knight 6, Tielemans 7, Leshabela 6, Tavares 6, Gray 6, Barnes 6, Hirst 5, Mendy 5, Subs: Ward 6, Dewsbury-Hall 7, Choudhury 6, Albrighton 6, Benkovic 6, Muskwe 6, Eppiah 6, Fitzhugh, Daley-Campbell, Johnson, Marcel Madivadua
Leicester City, Man of the Match
-
- Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
TCF - FILBERT WAY 
Leave a Reply