James Justin has started two games in a row for Leicester City for the first time since he ruptured his Achilles 11 months ago, the full-back deputising for Callum Doyle
Enzo Maresca is trying to get some of his Leicester City players fit so James Justin can rest and avoid injury.
With Callum Doyle out for the new year after knee surgery, Maresca was left with too few options in a hybrid defensive role where the player acts as a full-back when not in possession but more of a centre-back when in possession. Justin is the only player in that role, but Maresca knows he can’t play every game. Timothy Castagne and Victor Kristiansen also played for City in the pre-season, but both wanted to leave the club in the transfer window. Maresca has also ruled out a bid for the academy, with 18-year-old Tom Wilson-Brown holding a position in the development team. And so the manager said he had to teach the position to more players so Justin wouldn’t be overworked. He played 90 minutes at Liverpool last Wednesday and Blackburn at the weekend. It was the first time Justin had started two consecutive games for City since tearing his Achilles 11 months ago. Maresca said after Sunday’s win at Ewood Park: “JJ, if you remember, I always said, even when he didn’t play, like for example with Hamza (Choudhury), because the season is very long and because they are working very well and are very good professionals, they will definitely help us .JJ today was incredible even though he was on the left side he can play with his left foot. I’m happy for JJ.
“We’ll see, luckily we can make some decisions. We don’t have a natural bottom like Callum, so we have to adapt some players there. But for now it’s JJ. Let’s see if we have to find different solutions.”
City have a particularly tight schedule with three games in seven days. It doesn’t take much preparation time.
“We have a lot of games and you can see that when you look at the schedule,” Maresca added. “We play in Liverpool on Wednesday. Today we play on Sunday, then again on Wednesday and then on Saturday. “Between Sunday and Wednesday is Monday and Tuesday. We have to recover on Monday and prepare for the game on Tuesday. The same thing happens on Thursday and Friday. Be the first to comment
“We can adapt. All we can do is adapt. Sometimes some of them are tired. See Macca (Kasey McAteer). Inside, he tried to help, but since he played two days ago, it is not easy. They’re human.”
