Reserves

[Thracian]

Well 450-odd watched the reserves lose 2-0 to a stronger, faster and overall more skillful Crystal Palace at Hinckley but the game was not without its plus points.

Hume should prove popular with the fans for a start. He's small and slight but anyone wondering if he might go through the motions forget it. The guy looks as if he knows nothing but 100 per cent. He's got an awesome leap for a little chap, he's nimble, quick and slippery.

Unlucky not to score when he broke clean through on one occasion but yes, definitely one who fits the City profile with capital letters.

Someone said Ashley Chambers was being fast tracked towards the first team and why not. Again he's small, not a great header of the ball, fast but not devastatingly so yet he's got a presence. Every time the ball came to him you expected something to happen - a rare quality indeed.

Again he had one excellent chance and several half-chances in a fair lonely roll up front and their were flashes of superb ball-control and dribbling skills. Definitely a nightmare for defenders to mark.

On the downside the defence looked as frail as the first team's - Palace might easily have had a couple more goals and sad to say anyone calling for Henderson to replace Douglas in City's goal had better think again cos he was beaten on his near post for the second goal and certainly didn't look as if he was likely to get into Leicester's goalkeeping hall of fame.

We need another keeper Craig, that's for sure. He made one excellent save but was never more than average otherwise.

Another thing bothered me - the lack of animation from the bench. Palace's number 10, Tommy Black, ran the show in the first half yet no-one on the bench appeared to instruct anyone to pick him up. Kisnorbo seemed to act the senior man in defence and was quite authoritative at times yet he didn't appear to spot the problem or to find a solution.

The zonal marking was again in evidence and again proved flawed because Palace had individuals who needed marking and their 1-0 half-time lead might well have been three.

Whatever was said at half-time was certainly quite effective but City still generally took the easy but wasteful option of feeding high balls into the box where Palace had defenders that looked about 8ft 7ins and City carried no aerial threat whatsoever.

There also seemed to be a significant lack of constructive movement off the ball (Hume and Chambers apart) making City's attacks far too predictable.

This might well have been caused by lack of familiarity with each other's style but even so they might have earned a draw in the second half with a breaks which offered Chambers three or four half-chances and one which he should probably have scored from.

Like I say, considering he was one man against an immovable back line of four, he looked more than a handful. Given skilled assistance, he could be lethal.

Altogether an interesting and enjoyable evening apart from the result.

[Gené and Tonic]

hmm, priority a keeper? Suppose your right, Douglas doesn't have long left really, and if Hendersons as suspect as you say then a new keeper will be on the cards. Best bet is to bring in a young gun from league 1 or 2, or see if we are able to afford Craig Gordon.

Glad about the good news about Hume and Chambers, how did the midfield 4 perform?

[Libertine]

Well 450-odd watched the reserves lose 2-0 to a stronger, faster and overall more skillful Crystal Palace at Hinckley but the game was not without its plus points.

Hume should prove popular with the fans for a start. He's small and slight but anyone wondering if he might go through the motions forget it. The guy looks as if he knows nothing but 100 per cent. He's got an awesome leap for a little chap, he's nimble, quick and slippery.

Unlucky not to score when he broke clean through on one occasion but yes, definitely one who fits the City profile with capital letters.

Someone said Ashley Chambers was being fast tracked towards the first team and why not. Again he's small, not a great header of the ball, fast but not devastatingly so yet he's got a presence. Every time the ball came to him you expected something to happen - a rare quality indeed.

Again he had one excellent chance and several half-chances in a fair lonely roll up front and their were flashes of superb ball-control and dribbling skills. Definitely a nightmare for defenders to mark.

On the downside the defence looked as frail as the first team's - Palace might easily have had a couple more goals and sad to say anyone calling for Henderson to replace Douglas in City's goal had better think again cos he was beaten on his near post for the second goal and certainly didn't look as if he was likely to get into Leicester's goalkeeping hall of fame.

We need another keeper Craig, that's for sure. He made one excellent save but was never more than average otherwise.

Another thing bothered me - the lack of animation from the bench. Palace's number 10 ran the show in the first half yet no-one on the bench appeared to instruct anyone to pick him up. Kisnorbo seemed to act the senior man in defence and was quite authoritative at times yet he didn't appear to spot the problem or to find a solution.

The zonal marking was again in evidence and again proved flawed because Palace had individuals who needed marking and their 1-0 half-time lead might well have been three.

Whatever was said at half-time was certainly quite effective but City still generally took the easy but wasteful option of feeding high balls into the box where Palace had defenders that looked about 8ft 7ins and City carried no aerial threat whatsoever.

There also seemed to be a significant lack of constructive movement off the ball (Hume and Chambers apart) making City's attacks far too predictable. Even so they might have earned a draw in the second half with one or two breaks which offered Chambers three or four half-chances and one which he should probably have scored from.

Like I say, considering he was one man against an immovable back line of four, he looked more than a handful. Given skilled assistance, he could be lethal.

Good report, but you're wrong about him not being devastatingly fast. It may be different when he's on the ball though.

[Bert]

Well 450-odd watched the reserves lose 2-0 to a stronger, faster and overall more skillful Crystal Palace at Hinckley but the game was not without its plus points.

Hume should prove popular with the fans for a start. He's small and slight but anyone wondering if he might go through the motions forget it. The guy looks as if he knows nothing but 100 per cent. He's got an awesome leap for a little chap, he's nimble, quick and slippery.

Unlucky not to score when he broke clean through on one occasion but yes, definitely one who fits the City profile with capital letters.

Someone said Ashley Chambers was being fast tracked towards the first team and why not. Again he's small, not a great header of the ball, fast but not devastatingly so yet he's got a presence. Every time the ball came to him you expected something to happen - a rare quality indeed.

Again he had one excellent chance and several half-chances in a fair lonely roll up front and their were flashes of superb ball-control and dribbling skills. Definitely a nightmare for defenders to mark.

On the downside the defence looked as frail as the first team's - Palace might easily have had a couple more goals and sad to say anyone calling for Henderson to replace Douglas in City's goal had better think again cos he was beaten on his near post for the second goal and certainly didn't look as if he was likely to get into Leicester's goalkeeping hall of fame.

We need another keeper Craig, that's for sure. He made one excellent save but was never more than average otherwise.

Another thing bothered me - the lack of animation from the bench. Palace's number 10 ran the show in the first half yet no-one on the bench appeared to instruct anyone to pick him up. Kisnorbo seemed to act the senior man in defence and was quite authoritative at times yet he didn't appear to spot the problem or to find a solution.

The zonal marking was again in evidence and again proved flawed because Palace had individuals who needed marking and their 1-0 half-time lead might well have been three.

Whatever was said at half-time was certainly quite effective but City still generally took the easy but wasteful option of feeding high balls into the box where Palace had defenders that looked about 8ft 7ins and City carried no aerial threat whatsoever.

There also seemed to be a significant lack of constructive movement off the ball (Hume and Chambers apart) making City's attacks far too predictable. Even so they might have earned a draw in the second half with one or two breaks which offered Chambers three or four half-chances and one which he should probably have scored from.

Like I say, considering he was one man against an immovable back line of four, he looked more than a handful. Given skilled assistance, he could be lethal.

You clearly do not know what your goin on about!! the boy is lighting, i know cos he's shown me his heels a few times before!

[Thracian]

Good report, but you're wrong about him not being devastatingly fast. It may be different when he's on the ball though.

On what I saw tonight he's tricky and elusive as an eel but even though he turned the Palace defenders inside out on occasions and broke completely clear once, they still recovered quickly enough to put him under pressure. He didn't have the raw pace to get clear. Dowie's clearly got em fit at the Palace.

[Bert]

On what I saw tonight he's tricky and elusive as an eel but even though he turned the Palace defenders inside out on occasions and broke completely clear once, they still recovered quickly enough to put him under pressure. He didn't have the raw pace to get clear. Dowie's clearly got em fit at the Palace.

Thrach, as Libertine said, When a player is running with a ball it is much more easier to catch up them up. that would be why

[cisono]

So much for putting out a strong team

[Thracian]

Good report, but you're wrong about him not being devastatingly fast. It may be different when he's on the ball though.

On what I saw tonight he's tricky and elusive as an eel but even though he turned the Palace defenders inside out on occasions and broke completely clear once, they still recovered quickly enough to put him under pressure. He didn't have the raw pace to get clear. Dowie's clearly got em fit at the Palace.

[onesize]

although you probably know, the palace reserve team is VERY strong. The back 4 would get into quite a few championship first teams (its the defence which we got promoted with). also got two exciting youngsters on the wings that have been playing well.

*EDIT* just seen the team, it wasnt as strong as it has been recently, very much a youth team.

[Thracian]

although you probably know, the palace reserve team is VERY strong. The back 4 would get into quite a few championship first teams (its the defence which we got promoted with). also got two exciting youngsters on the wings that have been playing well.

*EDIT* just seen the team, it wasnt as strong as it has been recently, very much a youth team.

That's as I suspected. It makes City's performance the more commendable cos though they might have been overwhelmed at one stage with Palace's strong, fast and tricky right winger looking particularly lethal, they did seem to subdue their opponents for much of the second half.

Palace's back line were very strong and disciplined. As I say, Ashley Chambers did exceptionally well to make an impression especially once Hume went off. He'd certainly warrant a place on the first team bench cos he's forever asking defenders questions.

[lush]

Well 450-odd watched the reserves lose 2-0 to a stronger, faster and overall more skillful Crystal Palace at Hinckley but the game was not without its plus points.

So not the 1,500 darth was suggesting would be there then.

Hume sounds good, Thrach knows the game.

Gaurenteed starter on saturday?

[Thracian]

You clearly do not know what your goin on about!! the boy is lighting, i know cos he's shown me his heels a few times before!

I don't know how quick you are my friend but the Palace defenders were no slouches that's for sure.

There was an occasion early in the first half when he beat the Palace right back three times, turning him this way and that.

My eyes were turning so fast they felt like smashing into each other like a pair of clackers but when the trickery subsided the Palace guy was there to make a tackle.

He was well and effectively marked overall but like I say, even with numerical advantage and such competent defenders, he was still a handful.

[Thracian]

So not the 1,500 darth was suggesting would be there then.

Hume sounds good, Thrach knows the game.

Gaurenteed starter on saturday?

Nothing's certain but if every player who pulls a City shirt on plays with Humey's commitment then it'll be like having a team full of Dickov's.

[Steven]

From the OS.

Reserves Fall To Palace

Iain Hume got 60 minutes of action under his belt as the reserves went down 2-0 to Crystal Palace at the Marston's Stadium on Tuesday evening.

The £750,000 signing from Tranmere put in a confident performance in the Leicester attack alongside England Schoolboy international Ashley Chambers.

City started brightly with Chambers seizing the first chance of the match. With less than a minute gone he dispossessed a Palace defender and was denied a goal only when his shot on the turn was plucked out of the top corner by 'keeper Julian Speroni.

The visitors had their share of openings early on with Tommy Black spurning the best of them as they attacked on the break. Finding himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper, the striker slotted the ball to the wrong side of the post.

And Black was thwarted once again in the 24th minute, this time by the lineman's flag as he tucked away a deflected Wayne Andrews' shot.

Hume came close to breaking the deadlock as halftime approached, skillfully working his way into the penalty area and forcing a great save from Speroni. The Canadian forward's frustration at missing that opportunity was compounded just a minute later as the clock ticked over into injury time, Ryan Hall cutting in from the left wing to hit a low strike into the bottom corner of the net to put Palace ahead at the interval.

As the second period got underway, young midfielder Andy King took advantage of a miscontrolled ball on the halfway line and powered forward before unleashing a shot from 20 yards which flashed just wide of the upright.

Paul Henderson then pulled off an outstanding save in the 52nd minute to keep Leicester in touch in the match and the Australian 'keeper was on hand once more on the hour mark to block Andrews' drive.

Indeed the goalkeepers at both ends were in top form, Speroni again putting paid to Chambers' celebrations as the Academy striker found space between two defenders to fire goalward from 18 yards.

The Foxes continued to press as the clash drew to a close and Chambers was unfortunate not to latch on to a fantastic through ball from Levi Porter that would have almost certainly seen the scores level.

A solo effort from Tyrone Berry doubled the Palace lead and with two minutes remaining wiped the last hope of a comeback for the home team.

Despite the loss, the game provided valuable senior experience for City's rising stars in a physical contest where many of Leicester's youngsters often found themselves forcibly removed from the ball, while giving a run out and much needed match fitness to the likes of Patrick Kisnorbo and recent signing Joe Hamill who both got a full 90 minutes under their belts.

CITY: Henderson, Lycett (Magunda 57), Franklin, Kisnorbo ©, Goodwin, Norval, Porter, King, Chambers, Hume (Beswick 62), Hamill

Subs (not used) Logan, Muggleton, Wykes

[lush]

Nothing's certain but if every player who pulls a City shirt on plays with Humey's commitment then it'll be like having a team full of Dickov's.

Sounds like hes a "get you off your seat" player, good, good.

Only sylla, stearman, morris and hammond at the club, have shown that.

[Bert]

Sounds like hes a "get you off your seat" player, good, good.

Only sylla, stearman, morris and hammond at the club, have shown that.

When did you see that?? because i wouldn't mind some of that!!

[lush]

When did you see that?? because i wouldn't mind some of that!!

Last season, did you blink

Have to admit, my seat was cold, maybe that was the reason

Seriously tho, in very brief spells, morris showed us the best skill we had, taking opposition defensies on, the crowd woke up. Then he got injured again :sleeping:

[Thracian]

Sounds like hes a "get you off your seat" player, good, good.

Only sylla, stearman, morris and hammond at the club, have shown that.

Both he and Chambers are "get off your seat players" but in different ways.

Hume looks like he was born with enthusiasm and is exactly the sort you'd want with you were you ever to take a team of Husky's to the North Pole.

Chambers has a style of his own, tricks of his own and he does have an eye for goal that seems un cannily accurate.

They're not the same but he reminds me a bit of Robert Earnshaw. Almost impossible to mark cos you know that sometime, somehow he'll conjure up a chance.

there again, I sometimes wonder if I'm the only one who REALLY rates Earnshaw. He just seems so awesome at finding space in dangerous places.

Chambers is the same but he does it in a different way.

Oh yes, and having seen tonight's game I would estimate the value of City's squad to be at least £1.5/2m more than was estimated in the summer, not counting anything that's Hume's worth above the price paid. Not that I'll ever live down my Connolly valuation.

[Fox 4 Life]

I would love to see Chambers given a chance in the future, playing young can do wonders for a career, look at Rooney and Ronaldinho! Ronaldinho was playing internationally at 15/16!

[Thracian]

I would love to see Chambers given a chance in the future, playing young can do wonders for a career, look at Rooney and Ronaldinho! Ronaldinho was playing internationally at 15/16!

There's another game at Hinckley next Wednesday. Wouldn't be surprised if he's playing in that.

[Fox 4 Life]

Im in Reading so wouldnt get a chance to get up for that! Sounds promising young Ashley! Jus would like us to take a gamble on youth once in a while - working with Stearman! Look at Southampton with that young kid - forget his name! He is class!

[Louise]

Sounds like hes a "get you off your seat" player, good, good.

Only sylla, stearman, morris and hammond at the club, have shown that.

Oh come on, Morris can't even get off his own seat.

[Scow]

Oh come on, Morris can't even get off his own seat.

Can't believe Lush has just said that...

[lush]

Oh come on, Morris can't even get off his own seat.

And thats in reply to what i said, why? i think if you learn to understand the word "shown", you may understand what i said.

What was that scowy? im not laughing at you, im laughing toooowaaards you

[Scow]

And thats in reply to what i said, why? i think if you learn to understand the word "shown", you may understand what i said.

What was that scowy? im not laughing at you, im laughing toooowaaards you

What?

Does anyone understand what this person is saying?