Khanya Leshabela is officially a part of the Leicester City first team squad for the coming season

[StriderHiryu]

For a 19 year old that was almost the sort of performance that makes you want to say "revelation."

 

Shame he didn't score, he would have earned himself that goal if he had. Really solid all round performance and did not look out of place playing in a 3 with Tielemans and Mendy.

 

Will be interesting to see what happens to him. I imagine he might go out on loan just to get some some game time. Reckon somewhere like West Brom or Brentford would be really well suited to his game. He has a lot of promise based on what he showed today. Admittedly it was lower league opposition, but he did himself the world of good.

[Finnegan]

If the Mendy exit rumours have any weight then I would expect that once we start the season this kid'll probably take up a role similar to Hamza when he first came back from Burton, regularly bench appearances, league cup games, the odd sub appearance, training with the first team, mostly playing with the U23 for fitness. 

 

Hamza then steps up to play Mendy's role, regularly substitute, first choice to come on and replace one of Tielemans or Ndidi depending how a game is going. 

[Plastik Man]

40 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

For a 19 year old that was almost the sort of performance that makes you want to say "revelation."

 

Shame he didn't score, he would have earned himself that goal if he had. Really solid all round performance and did not look out of place playing in a 3 with Tielemans and Mendy.

 

Will be interesting to see what happens to him. I imagine he might go out on loan just to get some some game time. Reckon somewhere like West Brom or Brentford would be really well suited to his game. He has a lot of promise based on what he showed today. Admittedly it was lower league opposition, but he did himself the world of good.

Very positive performance for a 19 yr old. I'd say he definitely needs to go on loan next season to get first team football. 

[StriderHiryu]

Just now, Plastik Man said:

Very positive performance for a 19 yr old. I'd say he definitely needs to go on loan next season to get first team football. 

Yeah that's my feeling. Let him "do a Barnes" for a solid Championship team. I think he could do very well for someone based on that and come back with a lot of match experience next season.

 

A really nice surprise to see how he played though. You can see why he was given a new contract.

[AjcW]

Usually the reason for someone like him playing a good sixty mins out of nowhere is because there’s scouts in attendance looking at potential loans.

 

To be fair though and be equally as happy if he stuck around. 

 

Goes to show really, I’ve watched a fair bit of the U23’s and no one stands out, even Hamza when he plays.... these lads need to go on good championship loans for six months to ask a question in January about getting into the first team squad like Barnes did.

[MPH]

by all accounts the lad did well.

[don_danbury]

that's a sick name tbh

[Foxxed]

He never stood out for me unlike someone like Knight. Happy for the lad.

[Analysethis]

Last night was the first time I saw him and I was very impressed with his composure and decision making. Personally, Id keep him and not loan him out. The signing of Ayoze seems to point to us going from wide wingers to narrow no 10s like Ayoze and Maddison being a slight tactical change. If so, I`d have him as back-up and cup game time as we wouldnt have back-up for those aforementioned "No 10s".

 

Personally, if I was to loan anyone out it would be Gray. I think he needs a run of games in the Premier League and maybe one of the promoted sides or a Brighton could be possible destinations.

[murphy]

30 minutes ago, Analysethis said:

Last night was the first time I saw him and I was very impressed with his composure and decision making. Personally, Id keep him and not loan him out. The signing of Ayoze seems to point to us going from wide wingers to narrow no 10s like Ayoze and Maddison being a slight tactical change. If so, I`d have him as back-up and cup game time as we wouldnt have back-up for those aforementioned "No 10s".

 

Personally, if I was to loan anyone out it would be Gray. I think he needs a run of games in the Premier League and maybe one of the promoted sides or a Brighton could be possible destinations.

Gray has had four years of Premier League games.  I don't see any point in a loan.  I think he needs to go if we can get anywhere near the £25m that Bournemouth were rumoured to be offering.

[Stadt]

As sharp as he was it’s still only a 60 minute cameo against a L2 side. Rodgers will know best on loaning him out 

[MC Prussian]

Really like the way he moved on the pitch yesterday, confident, physical, skillful, speedy and with an eye for the goal. Reminds me of Victor Moses.

 

Happy for him that he's now been included in the first team and I wish him well. More power to Academy products, also a real future asset for the South African national team, a nation that needs to step up on the international stage in the near future, with all that young talent coming through.

[Huli]

He look good but against D2 opposition means nothing.

[Analysethis]

2 hours ago, murphy said:

Gray has had four years of Premier League games.  I don't see any point in a loan.  I think he needs to go if we can get anywhere near the £25m that Bournemouth were rumoured to be offering.

For me everything happened a bit too quickly for Demarai in his career. Debut at 17, we got him at 19/20 and he has been in and out of the side ever since. He has played under Claudio, Shakespere, Puel and Rodgers as well as those who had brief caretaker roles in Appleton and Stowell. That isn't great for any of these youngsters.

 

Anyone who knows anything about football knows this is a very talented footballer who possesses many of the attributes to become a complete player. He has raw pace, great skill (a dying art), has a pass in him and can score all sorts of goals especially from distance. He has obvious faults, especially not getting his head up and passing when he should and sometimes he can be quite selfish. However when you look at a player like Rubens Loftus-Cheek (who is 6 months older than Gray), he has had loan spells at other Premier League clubs and has come back much better for it. He has gone on to make 10 or so games for England in the process. Back to Gray, there are very few really skilful players around these days. Players like Barnes almost hits and runs, same can also be said for the likes of Mane at Liverpool or Martial when he plays out wide for United. Gray is a proper winger with skills and a great shot but needs to iron out his deficiencies, and thats why I suggest a loan to a premier league club.. 

[Nicolo Barella]

Would much rather keep Leshabela in the team for a season as the backup backup midfield option behind Mendy, Hamza and maybe Ghezzal instead of signing for example Denis Praet or Callum McGregor, let him train with the first team, give him a few hundred minutes in the PL and Cups, then Championship loan the season after to show everyone what he's made of. He'll be 20 this time next season after all, I think he'll be better served with a season of football training with the first team under Rodgers who can help his development. 

[PaulW]

On 26/06/2019 at 16:53, joachim1965 said:

Gerrimiin.

He's already in.

[Foxxed]

I suppose we've all got a bit too much pride to start chanting "Khan ya kick it, Lesh he can! Khan ya kick it, Lesh he can!"

[CosbehFox]

Our fans don’t change. Lad built up on 60 minutes playing shithouses like Lee Novak and James Perch. 

 

Get the lad out on loan and get him playing competitive football somewhere 

[dmayne7]

7 hours ago, MC Prussian said:

Really like the way he moved on the pitch yesterday, confident, physical, skillful, speedy and with an eye for the goal. Reminds me of Victor Moses.

 

Happy for him that he's now been included in the first team and I wish him well. More power to Academy products, also a real future asset for the South African national team, a nation that needs to step up on the international stage in the near future, with all that young talent coming through.

Just out of interest, how does he remind you of Victor Moses? Playing in a completely different position and a very different playing style so don't really get that one.

[MC Prussian]

4 minutes ago, dmayne7 said:

Just out of interest, how does he remind you of Victor Moses? Playing in a completely different position and a very different playing style so don't really get that one.

Most of all his size, physique and position (winger). Leshabela played a lot on the right wing, no?

Depends on what Victor Moses we're talking about, though - guy's been used on all sorts of positions on the right-hand side of the pitch lately, even as a wingback.

[MC Prussian]

16 minutes ago, Cardiff_Fox said:

Our fans don’t change. Lad built up on 60 minutes playing shithouses like Lee Novak and James Perch. 

 

Get the lad out on loan and get him playing competitive football somewhere 

You mean based on the praise he's getting? Don't see anyone getting ahead of themselves, really.

 

Kudos where kudos is due - even after a match against League Two opposition. Doesn't mean people are already hyping him up no end.

[UPinCarolina]

Could this be another Joe Dodoo? Maybe. Could this be another Barnes or Chilwell type? Hopefully!

 

All that I know is that I was impressed. 

[CosbehFox]

28 minutes ago, MC Prussian said:

You mean based on the praise he's getting? Don't see anyone getting ahead of themselves, really.

 

Kudos where kudos is due - even after a match against League Two opposition. Doesn't mean people are already hyping him up no end.

There’s posters suggesting he becomes our immediate back up to the starting eleven 

[CosbehFox]

32 minutes ago, MC Prussian said:

Most of all his size, physique and position (winger). Leshabela played a lot on the right wing, no?

Depends on what Victor Moses we're talking about, though - guy's been used on all sorts of positions on the right-hand side of the pitch lately, even as a wingback.

He was playing centre midfield ?

[MC Prussian]

2 minutes ago, Cardiff_Fox said:

He was playing centre midfield ?

Only seen the highlights, so go easy on me.