Waving flag with Leicester City FC football club logo. Editorial 3D
– Leicester City’s Development Squad meet Fulham in Premier League 2 on Friday
– The young Foxes lost out to Middlesbrough earlier this week
– Coach Ben Petty has urged the team to stick together in the face of adversity
– There is no substitute for hard work, he says, as they try and recover from a loss of form
A tough spell has seen the young Foxes lose their last six matches across all competitions, most recently a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Middlesbrough on Monday. Amani Richards’ late goal proved to be a consolation at LCFC Training Ground.
Speaking following full-time in Seagrave, Petty reflected on the performance: “I think we started the game really well and just couldn’t get our noses in front and then the effects of Wigan last Tuesday night really took effect. When they went a goal up, I thought you saw the confidence drain out the lads.
“We got them in at half-time and we wanted to be much more aggressive and then unfortunately we lose the own goal, which is a bit of a freak goal and we’re up against it again.
Richards Scores In Middlesbrough Defeat
The goals from LCFC Training Ground as Leicester City’s Development Squad were beaten in Premier League 2.
“We talked about Wigan being clinical last week. I thought Middlesbrough were very clinical. Brad [Young] has probably only been called into action on three or four occasions and we’ve got three goals against us, which is very unfortunate. So, we’re very, very disappointed.
“He (Richards) didn’t have his best game tonight, but again he’s on the scoresheet and he will have peaks and troughs, because it’s his first year as a professional. But I thought young Bade [Aluko] did really well at right-back at 16 years old.”
That result leaves the Foxes 24th in the Premier League 2 standings prior to travelling to meet the Cottagers in a 7pm BST kick-off at Motspur Park on Friday evening. Building a spirit within the young squad is a priority during this difficult run, while also considering the end goal for players at this stage of their development.
City’s coach explained: “That’s where we’re at the minute. We’re finding it tough and it’s about how the players get through this sticky period and stick together. We’ve got to keep the faith and keep trying to play the right way.
“Obviously the lads are hurting. And they’re not high on confidence at this moment in time. So it’s up to myself and the rest of the staff to keep them uplifted and keep working them. And we are working really, really hard on the training ground, so it’ll come good for us.
“We know that and we have to believe that we’re doing the right thing. We see Kasey [McAteer] getting in the First Team and doing so well and we’ve got a lot of good young talent. It’s just about getting them to play more as a team and gelling them together.
“We are very much about togetherness and being united and these lads are working really, really hard but the results aren’t showing that at this moment in time. But we have to keep looking at Kasey, we have to keep looking at Hamza [Choudhury] and at Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and they had difficult times as well in the Under-21s.
“It may be a difficult season, but we have to keep trying to produce players for our First Team.”
Petty: The Players Must Stick Together
Coach Ben Petty’s reflections following the Leicester City Development Squad’s defeat to Middlesbrough in Premier League 2.
One positive from Monday was the return of Ben Nelson following injury, with the centre-back starting against the Teesiders and coming through three quarters of the game. Having made his senior debut earlier this term, Petty hopes to see the youngster gain more opportunities.
“It was just about good habits and getting himself fully match fit in case he is required, which I hope he is for the First Team,” the 46-year-old added. “He played through an illness, which goes to show you his attitude and, on another night, maybe it would have gone in his favour.
“But he wasn’t feeling very well, he soldiered on and managed 75 minutes, which I’m really pleased about. But he’s a great player, Ben, and we think a lot of him, so I’m sure he’ll step up to the next level.”
