How to fit Justin, Castagne and Ricardo into the same Leicester team

There are two systems which best suit using all three attacking full-backs at once for Leicester City. One of which asks a defender to play in a more advanced position.

Things are more than satisfactory on Filbert Way at the moment: third in the Premier League, next round of the Europa League; brand new, incredible training facility; marvellous squad, world-class manager. Did I miss anything? Oh yeah – a great fan base, too.

Leicester City team with a trio of fullbacks

Talk of a great present and seemingly even brighter future leads us nicely onto the next point about how to fit James Justin, Timothy Castagne and Ricardo Pereira in to the same starting eleven for Leicester City. I like to call this positive dilemma a good problem: a conundrum in sport that emerges directly from success, or succeeding philosophies, player development and strategy.

Essentially what I’m trying to say is that Brendan Rodgers has created a sound working environment, where even peripheral personnel flourishes. Consequently, due to injuries, suspension and team rotation, the boss has a selection problem partly of his own doing, ironically. This scenario or situation is neither intended nor inadvertent – it is what it is. Some would suggest the manager caused this issue. But what was he supposed to do – use only experienced reserves and not consider up and comers?

Basically, James Justin cannot be dropped by Rodgers – the former Luton Town man has been exemplary of late. Possibly even Leicester’s best performer this season so far. Yet his position belongs to fan favourite and guaranteed starter Ricardo Pereira. Although the Portuguese, the Englishman and Timothy Castagne – another surely in the XI – can all play either side. Justin has also featured as a right centre-back.

Two potential line-ups

Foxes of Leicester believes there are two viable ways to include all three. Firstly, Ricardo can and has played in a more advanced wing role; this would in-turn grant the supporters their wish of a four-man defence, as opposed to five or three defenders. Ricardo will create and score there, and the deployment is certainly worth a try – maybe versus Stoke City in his comeback.

Secondly, Rodgers can use a 3-4-3 formation, or whatever his version of three-at-the-back is. This is where Justin would play a CB role. But hopefully more in the style of Kieran Tierney or Kyle Walker when in that spot: relentless attacking along with tracking back. It is generally what Justin does anyway and there is Wilfred Ndidi to cover his area. Castagne and Ricardo naturally become wingbacks or wide midfielders.