Dewsbury-Hall: Plenty Of Learning

- Leicester City were beaten 4-0 by Liverpool in Sunday’s pre-season friendly
- Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall assessed the Foxes’ final fixture before the new campaign
- The midfielder took some positives from the way Enzo Maresca’s side began the game
- He is enjoying playing under the Italian and the style of play being implemented

Although it ended in a 4-0 defeat for the Foxes at Singapore National Stadium, City had started the better of the two sides in their final fixture before the new Sky Bet Championship season gets up and running.

That period of play was then followed by a trio of Liverpool goals which took the game away from Enzo Maresca’s new-look Leicester side, who conceded a fourth shortly after the interval.

“We’ve lots of things to digest in the game,” Dewsbury-Hall reflected, speaking post-match. “I thought we started it really, really well, some of the playing out we did was very good, we created some good chances in the first 20 minutes.

“I don't feel like they got to grips with the way they wanted to press and we found gaps and it was good. And then I think they adjusted about half an hour in and I don't think we adapted quick enough and we considered some sloppy goals.

“And for the rest of the game, I think they went man to man. If that happens in games, we have to be able to adapt and figure out solutions better than what we did.

“But look, it's pre-season, lads have got 90 minutes, which is a positive, there's some positive stuff to take, some negative stuff to take. So all in all, it's a learning day.”

Getting to grips with the Manager’s ideas has been a focus throughout the pre-season programme, with the players’ adaptability to moving into different positions a key function of the way Maresca wants his side to play.

“We've only been together for a couple of weeks,” the Academy graduate acknowledged. “Liverpool have been together for years and they're one of the best teams off the ball in the world, if not the best.

“So, if we're getting a lot of learning from a team like that, it's going to be beneficial, and we can take that into games this season. The more we work with the Manager, the more we'll come up with solutions and the more we'll be able to do better than we did today at times.

“So, this is good for us because we can watch it back and we can see where we need to improve, whether that's on and off the ball, movement wise. It’s a learning curve.”

Photos 30 Jul 2023

Liverpool 4 Leicester City 0

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Fitness has been another focus of the Southeast Asia tour, with the 23-year-old in good shape heading into the 2023/24 campaign. It can be an exciting one for the Club, he believes.

“I feel physically good,” the midfielder revealed. I felt sharp towards the end of the game still, I like to think I'm fit, and I work hard to make sure that I'm in the best possible shape I can be in.

“At the end of the day, I'm paid to be able to play 90 minutes and be as fit at the end of the game as I am the start of the game.

“So, I'll keep putting the work in, keep learning from the manager and all the management staff and look forward to the coming weeks. I feel like the Manager has come in and he's been a breath of fresh air.

“He plays the exact football I want to play. I love the way he wants to play. And I just feel like lads need to just soak it all in and take all the information we can, because if we master this, then you're seeing what teams can do.

“Like last year, Man City, Brighton. You look like a top team, so I'm personally very excited, and I'm just going to be working as hard as I can every day to get the best out myself and the best out of my team-mates.”