Leicester U.23 played Sparta Prague this Thursday evening, and had a strong set-up for this make or break match. Andy King and Matty James both played all 90 minutes and had good controll in the middle of midfield.
It was game with few chances and Sparta Prague defended well at Holmes Park. Leicester had the ball most of the time with a few and seldom counter attacks from the Czech team.
Rumanian U.21 international Alexandru Pascanu, who earlier in the month was included in the full squad of his nation, companied Josh Knight in the central of defense, with Darnell Johnson covering the right back and Callum Elder to the left.
Nice to be able to watch these games from the official site, good coverage and commentary and with former Leicester City manager Micky Adams as part of the commentary team.
Adams was not ok with a few of the players, giving South African midfielder Leshabela a bit of stick, and rightly so, as he was sloppy with a number of easy passes. the former Leicester City manager also pointed out that City had to pass faster and not use more than two touches. He was spot on.
In the end, Micky Adams suggested in his commentary that Steve Beaglehole should try to put a tall man up front, and just minutes after that was exactly what he did, pushing Josh Knight up in the front line.
Knight became an instant treath and made a great finish in the 85th minute, scoring from a well placed shot, assisted with a great cross from sub Dewsbury-Hall.
The game showed that Andy King and Matty James both had a role to play, and surely both have something to offer, looking from a squad point of view. The duo in the centre, were together with Darnell Johnson and Josh Knight those who had most influence.
Leicester City came of the bottom of their group in the PL International Cup, playing Feyenoord next and everything is still open and they will probably be a difficult match also for the Dutch side, if Beaglehole can use a few of the experienced players.
- Positives:
- Andy King and Matty James playing the full game
- Keeping a clean sheet
- Josh Knight scoring a great goal, the winner
- Beaglehole making the right tactics
- Listening to Micky Adams and his spot on commentary
- Negatives:
- Not able to push harder for goals, not enough attacking will
- Playing to safely with a team that surely could have won with more goals
- Little or nothing up front, not the best movement and accuracy
- A bit of sloppy passes at times
- Johnson and Shade yellow carded
- Player Ratings: Johansson 6. Johnson 6, Pascanu 6, Knight 7, Elder 6, King 6, James 6, Leshabela 5, Wright 5, Choudhury 4, Shade 4, Subs: Dewsbury-Hall, Tee, Sherif
Match Stats: N/A
