Burton 0 (3), Leicester 0 (1), positives and negatives, player ratings, and match report

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The fourth pre-season game for Burton really showed that Leicester are a bit from form as the first half became a pretty even affair with Eldin Jakupovic making a few vital saves to keep a draw at half time. The Leicester line-up was typical for a pre-season starting game, nothing really to read out of it. Marc Albrighton, Papy Mendy, Jonny Evans, Harvey Barnes and Ayoze Perez were not involved, James Justin not ready either, but we did see the three new signings all in the starting eleven.

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It was as seen above a start for Eldin Jakupovic. Rachid Ghezzal also got in to the starting line-up. Young flank midfielder Tawanda Masawanhise was surprisingly included, and the youngster had an interesting first half, but with Leicester struggling to get the passing going this must be seen as just a shift in and getting a few minutes in the first eleven, interesting though.

Patson Daka had an early chance and a shot from Masawanhise could be counted, but it went wide, that was pretty much what happened in the first half.

2nd half and eleven changes as addressed before the match, and again a change of system going for a an old fashion 4-4-2. With Jamie Vardy on the field and also positives from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Luke Thomas and Kamal Sowah, adding also in Kelechi Iheanacho it all started well for the last 45 minutes, but no luck in front of goal, though Vardy was close a couple of times.

Leicester was the better team 2nd half and the pressure put on Burton should have led to a goal, but it didn’t, instead Brewers came close and today Leicester’s possible third and fourth choice goalkeepers Jakupovic and Iversen both had good saves to keep Leicester from letting in a goal.

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As this was seen as a cup competition and a winner had to given, Burton and Leicester ended the draw in a penalty shoot out, and when Leicester missed on their three first penalities, from Suengchittawon, Thomas and Iheanacho, it didnt help much that Dewsbury-Hall scored a nice one, it all ended with a Barnet win 3-1 on penalties, one good save from Iversen was never enough.

So what did the first pre-season friendly give us today, just a shift out and a bit of game time for some of the first team players, with eight to nine players absent you can’t really draw a picture of anything, but a bit disappointing not to grab The Base Charity Vase, a trophy that Leicester haven’t won since 1982.

What surprised was the lack of confidence and the way the team was put on the field, giving Daka and Soumare little or no chance to shine as the two showed just a little bit of what they can, but wasn’t in a line up that we feel was suited for their game.

• Positives
  • Pre-season start, getting games, new faces involved
  • Luke Thomas was very positive, good performance from Sowah and D-Hall
  • Fans all behind the team, great to see fans of Leicester on an away game
  • Jakupovic and Iversen showing that Leicester have a lot of goalkeeper options
• Negatives:
  • The result, 0-0, not good enough, but can be blamed on all players missing
  • Penalties, not really professionally taken
  • Daka and Soumare, hopefully Rodgers has a plan

• Player Ratings: Jakupovic 7, Pereira 5, Fofana 6, Soyuncu 6, Bertrand 6, Soumare 5, Maddison 5, Choudhury 6, Daka 5, Masawanhise 6, Ghezzal 5, Subs: Iversen 7, Daley-Campbell 6, Amartey 6, Benkovic 6, Thomas 7, Dewsbury-Hall 7, Sowah 6, Ndidi 6, Iheanacho 6, Vardy 6, Suengchittawon 5

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• Leicester City, Man of the Match
  • Luke Thomas

Match Stats (H/A):

• Possession: 27 / 72
• Corners: 4 / 2
• Shots on target: 0 / 0
• Fouls: – / –