Which youth prospects might be given a chance?

[ALC Fox]

9 hours ago, urban.spaceman said:

THE SECRET SCOUT: Leicester young defender Darnell Johnson has all the physical attributes but needs to be sharper on his feet

• Leicester's Darnell Johnson won the European Championships with England U19
• The defender resembles his club captain and fellow defender Wes Morgan
• He needs to work on becoming more agile to take his game to the next level 

By The Secret Scout For The Daily Mail

PUBLISHED: 22:30, 7 December 2017 | UPDATED: 23:32, 7 December 2017

 

 

Our scout is a top football expert who attends matches each week searching for the next star. He will bring you his verdict in Sportsmail. 

This week the Secret Scout checks in on young Leicester defender Darnell Johnson.

Read the report below... 

This week the Sportsmail's Secret Scout checks in on Leicester defender Darnell Johnson

SCOUTING NOTES 

Age: 19 

Club: Leicester 

Position: Central defence 

Value: £2m

WHAT'S HE GOT?

Looking closely at this young centre back, I see a big, square-shouldered, physical presence that may intimidate some strikers — not unlike his club captain Wes Morgan.

When I saw him, he looked a little uncomfortable at first. He was playing as the left-side centre back and the opposing wide forward twice got into space between him and the left back in the early stages.

Johnson is a big, square-shouldered, physical presence that may intimidate some strikers

He was then beaten for a third time by some astute movement. His partnership with Leicester's other centre back looked well balanced on the whole, but the coach swapped their positions after that. Johnson moved to the right and was given the job of marking the opposition's lone striker.

He seemed more comfortable here, marking and winning all the headers down the middle. He showed a desire to tackle firmly and fairly. Later he was moved again: this time, he was asked to play right back and contain the opponents' danger man, a left winger.

Considering his struggles early on, one would have thought Johnson may have been exposed out wide but he stuck to his task diligently. He has fair pace but is better facing the play than having to turn and run back towards his own goal.

 

 

WHAT DOES HE NEED?

Although well balanced, he will need to be sharper on his feet. Agility sessions will help that. His main asset is his powerful defending. 'Thou Shalt Not Pass' could well be his motto. His coach obviously trusts him to play right across the defensive line and, with a good leap, he will not be beaten to a cross when he has to compete.

His blocking at the near-post area was crucial in this recent game and my own final verdict would be that he is best as an out-and-out No 5, winning the first ball and leading from the front.

Maybe he is more a Terry Butcher, with a bit of technique, than he is his captain, Morgan. With Robert Huth injured and Morgan maybe past his best, there could soon be an opening as a partner for Harry Maguire in the first team.

Johnson needs to get sharper on his feet if he is to become a Premier League defender

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-5157709/THE-SECRET-SCOUT-Leicester-defender-Darnell-Johnson.html

 

 

Not gonna lie but I don't think he resembles Big Wes at all. Bit weird from the Mail.

 

Also isn't he primarily a right-back? Was he just filling in at CB before being moved back out to his normal position later on?

[ramadaone]

20 hours ago, ALC Fox said:

Not gonna lie but I don't think he resembles Big Wes at all. Bit weird from the Mail.

 

Also isn't he primarily a right-back? Was he just filling in at CB before being moved back out to his normal position later on?

No his favoured position is centre back but not doing him any harm at all to play full back

 

 

[Buce]

20 hours ago, ALC Fox said:

Not gonna lie but I don't think he resembles Big Wes at all. Bit weird from the Mail.

 

Also isn't he primarily a right-back? Was he just filling in at CB before being moved back out to his normal position later on?

 

He's black.

 

That's all the Mail ever sees.

Edited 9 December 2017 by Buce

[ALC Fox]

57 minutes ago, ramadaone said:

No his favoured position is centre back but not doing him any harm at all to play full back

 

 

Good to know, cheers

 

For some reason i thought he'd played most of his games at right-back.

[AlloverthefloorYesNdidi]

1 hour ago, Buce said:

 

He's black.

 

That's all the Mail ever sees.

The Mail is wondering why Maguire is playing in our Centre Black position

[norwichfox]

2 hours ago, AlloverthefloorYesNdidi said:

The Mail is wondering why Maguire is playing in our Centre Black position

Ethnic balance.....