We Need More Control, Says Martin

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We Need More Control, Says Martin

Russell Martin believes the team will learn a lot from our opening day 1-1 draw with Notts County.

2026-08-16T09:00+01:00

by Sam Jones

Published

16 Aug, 2026

We Need More Control, Says Martin

Russell Martin believes the team will learn a lot from our opening day 1-1 draw with Notts County.

Sam Jones

2026-08-16T09:00+01:00

We Need More Control, Says Martin

Russell Martin believes the team will learn a lot from our opening day 1-1 draw with Notts County.

Sam Jones

2026-08-16T09:00+01:00

We Need More Control, Says Martin

Russell Martin believes the team will learn a lot from our opening day 1-1 draw with Notts County.

Sam Jones

2026-08-16T09:00+01:00

We Need More Control, Says Martin

Russell Martin believes the team will learn a lot from our opening day 1-1 draw with Notts County.

Sam Jones

2026-08-16T09:00+01:00

Leicester City played out a 1-1 draw with Notts County at Meadow Lane
Jayden Joseph broke the deadlock, scoring his first senior Foxes goal
Conor Grant’s equaliser saw the points shared in our League 1 opener
Manager Russell Martin assessed what he saw from his side

Ahead through Jayden Joseph’s superb first senior goal for the Club, a Conor Grant equaliser 10 minutes from time saw the hosts take a share of the spoils at Meadow Lane on Saturday, as we took a point from our Sky Bet League One opener.

The Manager felt his side failed to capitalise after scoring, allowing the hosts back in late on, though he did see plenty of positives to take forward into facing Burton Albion next Saturday.

“[There’s] lots to like and lots to work on,” the 40-year-old analysed in his post-match interview. “I don’t think that will come as a surprise. Lots of guys were playing their first game for the Club. [There were] some really brilliant performances but [there’s] lots to learn.

“In the first half, we had so much control after a shaky start and then started opening them up a bit. I liked the first half. The only thing missing was that final pass and bit of quality.

“And then [in the] second half, they had a lot of energy in the first 10-15 minutes. We ride the storm and then gain control and score a brilliant goal. It’s something we’ve been working on.

“Then we need more control at that point and the game became a little bit edgy and the crowd were up and really willing their team on. We were playing against a really aggressive team man for man, so there will be so much learning from that. We faced that once against Málaga in pre-season.

“In the last 10-15 minutes, we have to be a bit braver and a bit cleaner and intense with the ball. They caused us some problems. They were a little bit self-inflicted, but we haven’t been cut open.

“We’ve given the ball away too cheaply at times, so that will be easily resolved. This is a tough place to come, especially in the first game of the season. It shows everyone it’s not going to be easy, but we didn’t lose and there will be so much learning from it.”

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A goal made in Leicester saw Will Alves and Sammy Braybrooke involved before teeing up fellow Academy graduate Joseph to fire home the opener, a fine move which Martin was full of praise for.

“I thought the young lads were fantastic, really good,” our Manager continued. “I’m proud of them starting their journey here with this team. Will was great, we brought him off in the second half because he was a bit tired, but JJ and Sammy showed real quality.

“They’ll learn from a day like this as well, same as the team will. I’m delighted for them. The goal was really good, it’s just a shame it wasn’t the winning goal.”

Assessing the performance as a whole, Martin saw signs of progress from pre-season, though was disappointed not to press home the advantage after going 1-0 up. That's something which will come with time, he believes.

“The team hasn’t won much in the last two years,” he assessed. “We have to make winning a habit. When we’re 1-0 up, that stage of the game will look very different in a few weeks’ time. We have to really capitalise on scoring that first goal.

“Today, it was a little bit of self-preservation when we scored that first goal. We spoke about that and it’s not what we want. We always want to be the team on the front foot. Unfortunately, we couldn’t quite wrestle back control and the game became too transitional and open for us.

“You get some crazy results on the first day because you never know where we’re at and you never know what the opposition will change. The crowd comes into it and the atmosphere comes into it.

“We have to manage that wherever we go and be the team that we want to be. That’s the only disappointment from the last 15-20 minutes. We need to be that all the time. In the first half, we were patient and created openings. I’m delighted with the intensity and the aggression.

“We regained the ball so much, in the first half especially, but we need to try and capitalise on that. There were so many recovery runs in the second half, because it became too open. The lads fought and ran and worked and we have to have that all time.”

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