Leicester City entertained Northampton Town at their own ultra-fancy Seagrave Training Ground on Saturday afternoon. In a maiden friendly outing for new manager Russell Martin, in what was described as a 'strong start', the Foxes recorded a comfortable 3-0 win which will have pleased the former Southampton, Rangers and Swansea City boss.
Future preseason opponents will arguably surpass the Cobblers' Sky Bet League 2 standard, however, another side from that division is up next. One goal and further involvements from the outstanding Will Alves, and a neat Stephy Mavididi finish in the first half proved enough for an LCFC victory.
The encounter was not exactly behind closed doors because a minimal 500 Foxes fans were in attendance alongside a smattering of journalists and staff. The subsequent practice outing is scheduled against Bristol Rovers on Tuesday evening.
Leicester City standouts vs Northampton Town
But which stars and youths of the Leicestershire side stood out with Martin watching on and the Blue Army wondering how the seemingly awkward upcoming campaign will pan out? First of all, Alves was deservedly hailed as the standout performer for the majority of those present.
"City's best player in the first half by some distance. Got himself on the scoresheet and was involved in the other two goals. Wanted to attack at every opportunity. A very encouraging start."Leicestershire Live
​Meanwhile, the right-sided duo of Olabade Aluko and Riley Carr (attributed a goal which ricocheted off Alves) were noted for their burgeoning partnership; which offers a particularly encouraging sign for the season ahead. Starlet Louis Page was similarly impressive for the East Midlands team, demonstrating a poise that suggests a side could eventually be built around his burgeoning talent at this level.
Hamza Choudhury also appeared to do enough to suggest he possesses the physical and technical tools to dominate League One midfields throughout the duration of the campaign. The Leicester captain's industry and commitment provided a sturdy platform for the more creative outlets to operate with freedom.
On the other hand, the afternoon was not without its moments of frustration regarding individual output. Oliver Skipp, Ben Nelson and Caleb Okoli were perceived as underwhelming performers on the day.
The centre back pairing, in particular, was labelled as sloppy and inconsistent. Both players currently navigating persistent speculation regarding potential transfers away from King Power Stadium.
Skipp's distribution was similarly criticised in some quarters. He failed to dictate the tempo as effectively as his manager might have demanded.
"The experienced players, struggling with their passing, especially Skipp, Nelson and Okoli"filbertway.com
Neither Luke Thomas nor Bobby De Cordova-Reid managed to impose themselves upon the proceedings in any significant manner. It remains to be seen whether these early jitters were merely a symptom of the initial cobwebs of preseason or a sign of deeper tactical discord.
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