Leicester City’s ‘brave’ defenders are taking on a job few players accept
Enzo Maresca praises Wout Faes, Jannik Vestergaard, Conor Coady, and Callum Doyle with City’s defence conceding the third fewest goals in the Championship so far
Enzo Maresca has hailed his “brave” Leicester City defenders for taking on a responsibility few players accept.
The City boss expects his back three – which has been formed by Wout Faes, Jannik Vestergaard, and Callum Doyle for the five Championship matches so far – to push high, leaving half of the pitch in behind for them to defend. It is something City’s opponents have exploited, but Maresca says a high line is necessary to help with his team’s attack.
Finding defenders willing to accept such responsibility is not easy, he says, but his trio – as well as Conor Coady, who is due to return to training after injury within the next week – have taken on the challenge head first.
“The game changes completely when you have to defend with 10 metres in behind or 50 metres in behind,” Maresca said. “Especially when you have 50 metres in behind, you need to be brave. You need to accept that there are 50 metres in behind that you have to defend.
“The only thing I can say is that Wout, Jannik, and Conor when he will be with us, all of them are brave and accept 50 metres in behind. Sometimes you struggle to find defenders who accept that.
“Jannik accepts that, Wout accepts that, even Callum accepts that. Callum is more or less like Jannik and Wout in terms of speed. They are brave. If you want to play in the opposition half, you need your defensive line higher.
City may only have one clean sheet in the league so far, but their tally of four goals conceded is among the best in the division. Only Preston and Birmingham have conceded fewer, letting in three Championship goals each.
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