Pre-Season 2020 Talking Points: Rodgers’ Options & Progressing Youngsters
- Gerry Taggart analyses Leicester City’s 1-1 pre-season friendly draw with Blackburn Rovers
- The former Northern Ireland defender was speaking following LCFC TV’s live broadcast of the match
- Daniel Amartey saw his header cancelled out by Derrick Williams at King Power Stadium
Substitute Daniel Amartey marked his first appearance at King Power Stadium in nearly two years with an opening goal after capitalising on goalkeeper Andrew Fisher’s error, but Blackburn drew level with 10 minutes to play via a Derrick Williams header.
After City’s final fixture of pre-season, Taggart discussed what Foxes manager Brendan Rodgers and his players will have learned ahead of their Premier League opener at West Bromwich Albion on Sunday 13 September.
Rodgers’ options
Gerry Taggart said: “What he has learned is that Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and players like that are up for the challenge. I thought he had a decent game. I think Brendan will go with his so-called ‘strongest XI’ next week, but he’ll be able to call on the younger players that have been involved today. That was a stern test today for the lads, you can tell Blackburn are a good side.”
City’s back line
Gerry Taggart said: “When you have a makeshift back four that hasn’t worked together before, it’s important that you work together as a unit. A massive part of that is communicating and moving across the field in tandem. There was a lot of talking that had to go on in that back line to make sure they were working together.”
Amartey’s Filbert Way return
Gerry Taggart said “He’s been out for a while. The ‘keeper (Andrew Fisher) came out and made a blunder, but it’s a lovely moment for Daniel Amartey. He’s only been on the pitch for a few minutes, and it’s a simple tap-in, but it’s a big, big mistake from the ‘keeper. It’s good to have him back. As his time at Leicester has gone on, he’s improved all the time and that goal will do him no harm.”
Dewsbury-Hall’s quick thinking
Gerry Taggart said: “The way Brendan wants to play the game is to do things quicky, add so it’s about thinking quickly. It’s about working your way out a of a problem. When you’re in a certain area of the pitch, it’s about how you make a difficult ball into an easy ball. On two or three occasions today, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was exemplary at that.”
Knight’s Leicester progress
Gerry Taggart said: “I’ve followed Josh Knight’s progress for a few seasons and he’s someone who I’ve been impressed with in the Under-23s. We saw him in the League Cup game at Sheffield United a couple of seasons ago, where he did really well. He knew he’d made a mistake today, but he was furious with himself and it’s about how you react to that, because we all make mistakes as defenders.”