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https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/leicester-city-enzo-maresca-youth-8909850 Leicester City youngsters on difficult ride as they prepare for Enzo Maresca call Latest Leicester City news as we look at how the Foxes youngsters are preparing for Enzoball under new manager Maresca ByLuke Pawley Midlands Football Writer 07:00, 17 NOV 2023 Leicester City are now playing football the Enzo way, as the terraces will tell you whenever the Foxes are in action. The fruits of his work are already clear to see in the Championship, as Leicester sit top of the league with 13 wins from 16 games. But Maresca's 'idea' is one that needs spreading throughout the club, including the under-21 and under-18 teams. Maresca spent time with those sides' coaches in pre-season, briefing them on his 'idea' and what he expects from his young teams. While they are implementing the ideas, the progress has not been quite so smooth. But with the idea new to coaches and players alike, it is an understandable by-product of change. What is clear is that Enzoball is not working for the under-21s against senior opposition. In their three EFL Trophy group stage games, they scored two goals and conceded 11. In a 4-0 defeat to Fleetwood Town's first team last Tuesday (November 7), City's youngsters had 40% possession and completed just 75% of their 161 passes. Three days later, the young Foxes lost 1-0 to Brentford B, but the statistics painted a much different picture. Leicester were dominant, particularly in the second half, and created an abundance of chances. City had 70% of the possession in that game, according to coach Ben Petty. Those contrasting games show the inconsistency of working to implement a new system. Leicester under-21s are currently 20th in the Premier League 2, and the under-18s are eighth in the 13-team U18 Premier League South. While results are an important factor at that level, they are not crucial. What's key here is that the players adapt themselves so they are ready to play for the first team under Enzo Maresca when called upon. Those who watch the young teams regularly can already see evidence of that happening. In the coming years, there are plenty of young players who could be ready to do just that. City have some bright attacking talent coming through the ranks, particularly in the under-18s group. Attacking midfielder Kirsten Otchere, 16, has scored five goals and assisted two more in nine appearances for the under-18s this season. He has already represented England at under-15 level. His teammate Jake Evans, also 16, has made one start and three substitute appearances, scoring three goals. Bobby Amartey, 17, and Kaleb Dyke, 16, have also impressed in the defensive central midfield role, which is pivotal to how Maresca sets up his teams. Former Manchester City full-back Jayden Joseph, 17, is already adapting to the inverted full-back role. The young players will continue their important work with their coaches. First team coach Danny Walker does a lot of work with younger players, and that is set to continue. Youngsters will also get opportunities to train work with Enzo Maresca during international breaks. So while results are perhaps not reflective of an exciting next generation at Leicester City, there is plenty of evidence that good work is being done to develop players for the Enzo way.

Couldn't think of the best place to put this, it's funny and admirable.

History of Leicestershire in Images Shaun Osullivan · · My very latest slideshow on ww1&ww2 era in leicester please enjoy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpMBBBGfI3g

ive been to filbert street n stood on the kop those were the days my friend · Join Suggested for you · Peter Casey · · Great photo Derek Strickland with Jock Wallace's aces ! #filbertstreetgloryyears

https://thewest.com.au/sport/soccer/souttar-wants-to-stay-and-fight-for-leicester-spot-c-12581338 Souttar wants to stay and fight for Leicester spot Anna Harrington AAP Thu, 16 November 2023 4:34PM Socceroos defender Harry Souttar insists he wants to stay at English Championship leaders Leicester City and fight for his spot, rather than seek a January loan move for more game time. Towering centre-back Souttar has been a fixture of the Socceroos defence since making his debut. He earned a dream move to then Premier League club Leicester after excelling at last year's World Cup, and played 12 games. But since the defender's January 2023 move, Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers was sacked, the Foxes were relegated to the Championship and Souttar has fallen out of favour and rarely sighted. The 25-year-old has made just one Championship appearance under Enzo Maresca and had one other start in the League Cup, but has largely been relegated to the bench. After scoring a superb header in the Socceroos' 7-0 World Cup qualifying win over Bangladesh at AAMI Park on Thursday, Souttar addressed his club future. "I definitely want to stay and fight for my place, for sure," he said. "Obviously, I know it's difficult with the results we've been having. "But I've had a good couple of conversations with the manager and he knows that whenever he needs me, I'll be 100 per cent ready. "They're flying at the moment, top of the league, so it's hard to get in. "But all I can do is keep my training levels up, keep my fitness levels up, and, when called upon, be ready and hopefully perform well." Souttar will hope to earn more game time before January's Asian Cup. In September, before Australia's friendly against Mexico, Arnold urged Souttar to use the Socceroos as his "stage" to show his coach how good he was and prove he should be playing. That's the sort of faith Souttar is determined to repay. "I feel fortunate that I've got the boss backing me and keeping his faith in me even though I've not been playing football. I know that," he said. "He's been very good with me and to me in terms of starting me in games when I've not been playing club football. "It's kind of a frustrating time but I can't really complain too much because they're top of the league and the boys are flying. "It's just great to be back on the grass with the boys and I just love every minute of it."

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/sporting-lisbon-reveal-new-fee-8910663 Sporting Lisbon reveal new fee details about Abdul Fatawu’s Leicester City transfer ByJames Pallatt 08:06, 16 NOV 2023 Leicester City paid Sporting Lisbon 750,000 euros to sign Abdul Fatawu, it has emerged. The Foxes landed the Ghanaian forward on a season-long loan in the summer and the Portuguese club have now confirmed the loan fee City paid to bring him to the King Power Stadium. Sporting revealed the details of all the transfers they completed this year on Wednesday. In their statement, Sporting added Leicester have a “purchase option that can become mandatory based on defined objectives” in the loan deal. It is said the Foxes would have to pay 17m euros to sign the 19-year-old if they win promotion to the Premier League this season. Enzo Maresca’s side are currently on course to return to the top-flight at the first attempt, following relegation at the end of last season. They are top of the Championship, with 13 wins from 16 matches so far during this campaign. They are eight points clear of third-placed Leeds United in the battle for automatic promotion and Fatawu has played his part in the club’s impressive season so far playing in 12 of their league matches and scoring one goal.

Early 1980s

Nah that was happening all over the pitch from a team whose players lacked confidence, motivation and interest in playing for Rodgers

He's working on it as we write

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/enzo-maresca-employs-toilet-metaphor-8907387 Enzo Maresca employs toilet metaphor over dedication to Leicester City tactics Even the most aggressive of man-marking sides will not force Maresca into changing his gameplan, and he has used an odd metaphor to make that point to his players ByJordan Blackwell 11:00, 15 NOV 2023 Enzo Maresca is dedicated to his Leicester City gameplan and won’t change it even if the opposition “come man to man in the toilet”. The City boss has established a clear idea since arriving at the King Power Stadium, with his focus is on keeping possession and controlling the space. Teams have tried to disrupt that by being aggressive in their approach. City struggled at times against Sunderland, who were relentless in their pressing of those in blue, while Leeds had joy at the start of both halves at the King Power Stadium when they pushed high to force Maresca’s men into mistakes. But even the most diligent of man-to-man markers won’t prompt the Italian to change his ways. “Against Leeds, they shoot 11, we shoot 10,” Maresca said, analysing the club's last home defeat. “They shoot six on goal and we shoot one. But the problem is not if you hit the goal, the important thing is to arrive there. “For instance, Abdul (Fatawu), he had a volley in the six-yard box, but he put the ball over. The problem is when you don’t arrive there. The reason why I said after Leeds that I was happy, and I’m still happy analysing the game, is because of that. “We could be a little bit more effective, yes. But the Leeds players, they have a mum, dad, and a son, they want to play football like us. They use their weapons, they are very quick. We tried to defend transitions, but we knew we would concede something. “But not for that we are going to change our way to play. No chance. Until the day I will be here, even if they come man to man in the toilet, I don’t care. “Sometimes when we play a game against man-to-man teams, I say to my players: ‘Guys, they’re going to follow you to the toilet, it doesn’t matter, be ready for that.’" Occasionally, Maresca does not know if the opposition plan to press his team aggressively. His pre-game analysis is sometimes wasted as the opponent deviate from their usual approach in order to try to stop his team. He said: "The only problem is, and it has already happened many times this season, that the team play in one way, but when we face them, they completely change. So for us, it’s a process where we need to adapt to that.”

https://sportwitness.co.uk/player-says-joined-dysfunctional-club-leicester-city-not-happy-maresca-changing-position-looking-future-away/ Player says he joined “dysfunctional” club in Leicester City – Not happy with Maresca changing position, looking for future away By Naveen Ullal -15th November 2023 SHARE Leicester City’s Victor Kristiansen has experienced a ‘hectic’ year, according to Ekstra Bladet. The 20-year-old left FC Copenhagen to join the Foxes in January and he made 12 league appearances for the latter in the second half of last season. Leicester were relegated from the Premier League last season and the left-back was allowed to join Bologna on loan in the summer window. Enzo Maresca took charge of the club for this season and the report states the manager wanted to convert the Denmark international into a centre-back. This didn’t please the defender and help convinced him to make a temporary switch to Bologna. “I noticed (the position change) when we were at training camp this summer, but missed being part of the offensive game. So I was happy that we could jointly find a solution,” he told Ekstra Bladet. Brendan Rodgers was Leicester’s manager when the defender arrived at the club. Prior to his move to England, he spent his time at Copenhagen. On his decision to move to Leicester, Kristiansen explained: “It has been hard. I probably experienced the hardest way to go abroad. “I joined a dysfunctional team with a coach under pressure, who was then fired [in April]. I was in a difficult position as a young and newly acquired player, where I suddenly had to help save the club. “I was alone and thought for a quiet moment if it is really like this to be abroad. It was hard to deal with, and it has left some scars on the soul. It was definitely not what I was hoping for when I went out. That’s why I was happy that this summer we could find a solution, so I was loaned out to Bologna.” The Dane has made 10 appearances this season for the Serie A side, who have an option to make his stay permanent. The Leicester owned player remains hopeful that he can extend his stay at Bologna beyond this season. “I have settled in very well at Bologna and hope that we will find a good solution next summer,” he added.

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/enzo-maresca-talks-through-leicester-8907360 Enzo Maresca explains Leicester City plan for international break before 'starting again' Leicester City arrive at the November international break at the top of the Championship table but having lost their last two fixtures 1-0 to Leeds and Middlesbrough ByJordan Blackwell 08:00, 15 NOV 2023 Finding “new solutions” and then “starting again” is Enzo Maresca’s plan for the international break. Leicester City arrive into the third international period of the season in an excellent position in the Championship table, sitting top with an eight-point cushion inside the automatic promotion places. But they also come into the fortnight break on the back of two 1-0 losses to Leeds and Middlesbrough. Maresca won’t have all of his squad available to work with as many of his players are representing their countries over the next week. But his troops will be bolstered by the imminent returns from injury of Wilfred Ndidi, Yunus Akgun, and Dennis Praet. With those staying behind and those close to fitness, the plan is to work on individual development, as in previous international breaks, and on how collectively they can find “new solutions”. The attack is likely to be the focus, with City having scored just three goals in their last four games, the fewest of all of the sides in the top half. “We have many players who are away with their international teams,” Maresca said. “We have some players who are going to be with us. Always, like we have done in the past, we try to focus with the players we have to try to work with them, improve them and give them some more solutions. “Then hopefully after the international break we will recover some players from injury. We’ll also recover the players in terms of energy. We’re going to try to start again. We always try to look for new solutions.” City return to action against Watford in a fortnight’s time, the first of a run of seven fixtures in which they play six bottom-half sides. That will then take them to the halfway point of the campaign, with the huge Boxing Day clash against Ipswich to follow.

We need a song Oh, Essandoh, I see you scoring Hi-o, you did deliver Oh, Essandoh, Sanchez called you Hi-o, it was you day You brought us misery To the tune of Oh, Shenandoah, I hear you calling Hi-o, you rolling river Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you Hi-o, I'm bound away 'Cross the wide, Missouri Well something like that 😄

If anyone wants to risk it. Watch LCFC Women vs. Spurs Live On Foxes Hub - For Free FOXES HUB LCFC Women's encounter with Tottenham Hotspur Women in the Barclays Women's Super League will be broadcast in full and for free on Foxes Hub this Sunday! - Foxes fans can watch LCFC Women in action on Foxes Hub this weekend - Live coverage of the Barclays Women's Super League clash with Spurs begins at 2:30pm on Sunday - The stream will be available on LCFC.com to Digital Members and on @LCFC on YouTube Digital Members on LCFC.com will be able to sign in free of charge and watch along live as Willie Kirk's seventh-placed City take on Spurs, currently fourth, in the WSL. Presenter Lewis Mason will be on hand to talk the Blue Army through the pre and post-match talking points, alongside commentator Matt Davies-Adams and Chloe Jones at King Power Stadium. Coverage begins at 2:30pm on Sunday ahead of a 3pm kick-off as Leicester look to get back to winning ways and resume what has been an encouraging start to the new season. Supporters will also be able to access the live stream on the Club's official YouTube channel - with highlights and reaction being posted on-demand on LCFC.com after full-time. All times GMT.

Born and Raised in Leicester Suggested for you · · 14 - 32 Humberstone Gate in 1970 By Dennis Calow Shared from http://specialcollections.le.ac.uk

Born and Raised in Leicester Suggested for you · · Marjorie Street, in the winter of 1962-63.

Born and Raised in Leicester Suggested for you · · Horsefair Street, 1955 @SeCrEt FoX Sorry no quiz today just a simple photo.

Hmm most of my posts are.

Oops sorry double posted image.

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/misfiring-leicester-city-narrative-doesnt-8901410 Misfiring Leicester City narrative doesn't tell full story as door opens for Tom Cannon Analysis of Leicester City's 1-0 defeat to Middlesbrough, looking at Enzo Maresca's view of the display, the attack, the role of the striker, transfers, and the Championship table ByJordan Blackwell 07:00, 13 NOV 2023 For Enzo Maresca, there was nothing more Leicester City could have done to beat Middlesbrough bar take the chances they created. His post-match assessment revolved around the “miss, miss, miss” of his team’s performance, saying it was "quite clear" that the game hinged on those opportunities passing them by. Asked if there was anything else lacking about the display, he again referred to the chances that weren’t finished off. This was broadly his verdict on the Leeds game too, albeit that was twisting the truth somewhat. Leeds were the better team and, if any side deserved to win that night, it was them. At the Riverside Stadium, Maresca’s overview is not a distortion of events but it doesn’t quite tell the full picture. In the first half, City were a little rough around the edges and didn’t quite have that control they usually do, in part because there seemed to be more chaos to their set-up than usual, with Jannik Vestergaard pressing high into Boro’s half, Kasey McAteer regularly dropping in at right-back, and Ricardo Pereira, from his advanced midfield role, ending up as the striker fairly often. The chances were pretty evenly split. However, the flurry of opportunities for Boro just before the break meant that they could feel they had shaded it. The second half fit Maresca’s description. Boro barely had a sniff. They had three official shots, although one looked more like a cross from the byline from right-back Rav van den Berg. The other two efforts were free-kicks from Sam Greenwood, one into the wall and one into the top corner. City, meanwhile, had eight shots, six of which were from inside the area. They had looked a little blunt at the start of the second period, but really started to build momentum and pressure after the hour. Their press was forcing errors and they fashioned good openings. That’s what Maresca was happy with. But the Football Gods were not shining down on City this time, with Greenwood’s masterful free-kick consigning them to the sort of late defeat they have inflicted on so many of their opponents this season. Coming in the 83rd minute, it was the first time this season City have conceded in the final half-hour of a match. It’s a game that could have ended as a draw. It wasn’t quite the obvious deserved win Maresca seemed to be implying it was, nor was it as underwhelming as the performance against Leeds. But there were matches in the first month of the season that could have ended level and City triumphed. This time, it went the other way. Losing 1-0 to a 30-yard free-kick is not a disaster, but the aim for City should be to do enough at the other end so that when those amazing goals do go in, they still come out on top. They're not quite at that point yet. Maresca should know that. Hopefully he has been bluffing a little in his recent post-match verdicts and does realise City haven't been quite as good as he has implied they have, and is just avoiding any negativity for fear of that being converted into panic. But he is wedded to his gameplan, and so the worry would be that he can’t recognise when City were only okay, rather than good, just because they had 66 per cent of the possession. His early-season insistence that City would lose games suggests he knows his team have scope for improvement. Now it's about making it happen. Back-to-back blanks no cause for concern Two blanks in a row has seen City’s attack questioned. Is it good enough? The short answer remains yes. Based on the quality of chances they have created this season, they have the second-best attack in the division, behind only Ipswich, while their shot conversion rate ranks eighth in the league. They are overperforming slightly against the number of goals expected of their attacking play. It doesn’t mean there is not room for improvement. There was a lack of conviction at times at Boro. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall fired over when he should have hit the target, Stephy Mavididi dragged an effort wide, Ricardo Pereira tried to dig a shot out from under his own feet rather than set himself more comfortably, Kelechi Iheanacho lazily tried to place the ball past Seny Dieng rather than taking the chance confidently. The two really good efforts were Vestergaard’s thumping first-half header and Iheanacho’s dink against the post. For that chance, the Nigerian’s cuter approach worked, and it was just a few inches from paying off. While Maresca seemed convinced that on another day, one of those efforts would end up in the net, it doesn’t mean City can’t work on their finishing. For the second successive game, Abdul Fatawu got a back-post volley all wrong. That’s one clear area for improvement. But it is the case that the ability to create chances is more important than the ability to take them. It would be more worrying if City had fashioned one shot from inside the box and scored it, rather than failing to take any of the nine efforts inside the area they mustered against Boro. The former is not sustainable. While they weren't all clear-cut chances, nine shots in the penalty area is a decent amount, and is only one shy of City’s average this season. Against Blackburn, City scored four goals from 10 shots inside the box. Against Preston, it was three from seven. The swings and roundabouts of football means that for every game where City are ultra-clinical, they will have matches where they don’t find the net. But as long as they keep creating chances, and as long as they are working to improve their finishing in training, then there’s nothing to worry about on the attacking front for now. Door open for Cannon as Iheanacho misfires However, the lack of goals in the past two games, and the ineffectiveness of Iheanacho and Jamie Vardy over the past four outings does open the door for Tom Cannon. The fit-again striker was left on the bench and so the wait for his debut goes on, but there are growing calls for it. As Maresca has said, combine the qualities of Vardy and Iheanacho in one player and City would have a complete striker. Neither of them are that by themselves, and so there are always going to be some deficiencies. But that neither are perfect does allow someone like Cannon to stake a claim. His performances on loan at Preston last season suggest he’s more like Vardy than Iheanacho in his style, but what he may lack in the number nine’s penalty box nous, he can make up in energy. That’s something Maresca has highlighted and it’s something they perhaps lack with Vardy and Iheanacho. Vardy is not the pest to defenders he was 10 years ago, while Iheanacho’s style is more languid. The Nigerian looked particularly slow at Boro, and the good parts of his game – his hold-up play and ability to link with team-mates – deserted him for most of the match too. He was persistent enough to get the big chance that he unfortunately chipped onto the post, but that did not make up for a display that was below his best. Cannon is only 20 and has one half-season of senior football to his name. He’s not going to be perfect. But the door is open for him. If he can bring speed and enthusiasm for pressing, and a finishing touch that his days in Everton’s academy suggest he has, then he can be a serious challenger to become the lead striker while Iheanacho and Vardy are not in their best form. Time for transfer assessment For the second straight game, Maresca made just two of his available five substitutions. City were on top for most of the second half, and weren’t trailing for long, so it’s not quite as eyebrow-raising as the lack of changes against Leeds, but it still gives the impression that Maresca doesn’t feel he has the players he wants. City’s situation is about to improve. After the international break, he may be able to call on Wilfred Ndidi, Yunus Akgun, and Dennis Praet. Maybe then there will be more changes late in games to freshen City up. But the international break also marks a period of downtime where the club can start thinking about January transfers. They will be discussed behind the scenes and it’s possible City will make moves. Maresca will know far more about what this squad still needs than in the summer window. Rivals' wins breed nerves but fixtures bring promise Back-to-back defeats for the first time this season, and wins for the three sides immediately behind City means supporters are at the most tetchy they’ve been this season. In three of the past four campaigns, they’ve watched their team hold a position, whether it’s a Champions League berth or Premier League safety, and then let it slip, so nerves of a repeat can be forgiven. But while the past two games have been a reality check, they are not a major cause for concern. Leeds and Boro are, statistically, two of the best teams in the division, even if the latter’s league position doesn’t quite show it. After the international break, not only will City have three players close to returning to the squad, they have a run of seven fixtures in which six are against bottom-half sides. Against the teams from the bottom half they’ve already faced, they have a 100 per cent record. While nobody wants to be stewing over a defeat for a fortnight, everybody would have taken being eight points clear of third going into the November international break. With the games coming up, there’s good reason to think that cushion can at least be maintained.

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