Wycombe Reverse For The Foxes In Pre-Season
As was the case at Burton Albion on Saturday, Brendan Rodgers named a different XI for each half in Buckinghamshire – with Patson Daka lining up alongside Jamie Vardy from the outset – while youngsters Jakub Stolarczyk and Ben Nelson made maiden appearances of the summer after the interval.
Adorning the Football Club’s fresh 2021/22 adidas mint away kit and backed by another large contingent of the Blue Army, City lined up in a fluid 4-4-2 formation from the off.
After Daniel Iversen’s punch cleared Jason McCarthy’s corner for the Chairboys, Leicester’s first opening came as Ricardo Pereira arrowed a diagonal pass into the path of Daka, but the Zambia international striker was beaten to the ball by former Foxes ‘keeper David Stockdale.
McCarthy, meanwhile, caused further problems for Leicester with a fizzed cross which evaded intended target Adebayo Akinfenwa in the area before Nick Freeman fired narrowly over.
Akinfenwa almost gave Gareth Ainsworth’s Sky Bet League 1 outfit the lead on 12 minutes, too, as he used his immense strength to shelter the ball, holding off Çağlar Söyüncü, and slamming it wide of the net.
A real chance then came City’s way on 19 minutes. As the sun retreated beneath the towering trees which surround Adams Park, Söyüncü leapt highest to nod Rachid Ghezzal’s free-kick high and wide of the upright in front of the Whites Beaconsfield Terrace – the only vacated stand in the ground.
Stockdale, a member of the Club's 2009 League 1-winning side, was there to frustrate Vardy on 26 minutes after Tawanda Maswanhise skipped into the area and fed Leicester’s No.9, who side-stepped his marker and took aim, but the Wycombe stopper got down well to save at his near post.
Moments later, as the Blue Army roared the Foxes on from the opposite end of the ground, Ghezzal’s free-kick – from the left angle of the box – was glanced wide by Wesley Fofana.
With the interval fast approaching, Ghezzal ran into a pocket of space and slipped in the lively Maswanhise, whose low drive was deflected wide by the extended leg of Jack Grimmer. Jordan Obita, on the other hand, curled over for Wycombe before the break too.
There was a change of system in the second half as Leicester switched to 4-2-3-1 with Kelechi Iheanacho in front of Marc Albrighton, James Maddison and Thanawat Suengchitthawon. It was Wycombe, though, who carved out the first opening, with Alex Samuel prodding Obita's deep free-kick off target.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was unfortunate to fire over from 25 yards before, just before the hour-mark, Iheanacho hit Suengchitthawon's chipped through-ball wide first time, missing the far corner by a matter of inches.
That tidy pass from Suengchitthawon would prove to be his final contribution, however, as the Thailand midfielder was forced to withdraw through injury, with Vontae Daley-Campbell taking his place on the field in High Wycombe.
A point-blank block from Albrighton stopped Samuel's header on its course towards goal, but Stolarczyk was nonetheless required to save the follow-up from Anis Mehmeti, with a combination of his left wrist and his knee.
Fine margins denied Rodgers' visitors an opener on 70 minutes as Maddison was unable to get a decisive touch onto Kamal Sowah's low drive, before Iheanacho's attempt hit Anthony Stewart's thigh.
City turned the screw again shortly afterwards with Iheanacho dragging the ball back, straight into Maddison's path. As he'd been in the first half, though, Stockdale was there to get a palm to it to prevent Leicester's No.10 from scoring his side's maiden goal of pre-season.
However, Daryl Horgan's 80th-minute strike, from just inside the 18-yard box, meant the Chairboys were on track to give their faithful a third straight win this summer. It was nearly 2-0 to the hosts with seven minutes remaining, but Stewart's powerful half-volley lacked the precision required.
Substitute home goalkeeper Adam Przybek almost presented the visitors with a route back into the game late on, spilling Iheanacho's effort, but the Wales youth international was able to smother it before Albrighton could apply a finish.
Major moment…
Just as Leicester were developing a flow to their attacking endeavours in the second half, Wycombe took the lead, ultimately deciding a tight pre-season affair on a mild evening in the south east.
It came following a flurry of chances for the Foxes, most notably James Maddison's close-range shot which was saved by David Stockdale – and before Marc Albrighton was unable to seize on a spill from substitute goalkeeper Adam Przybek – but the Sky Bet League 1 side held on for the victory.
Who impressed?
Former City midfielder Dean Hammond, on LCFC TV, said: "James Maddison has looked really sharp. I love the way he demands the ball. He gets into the right positions and he has that turn of pace as well. He looked like he’s looked after himself over the summer and I’m sure he’ll be ready for the new season."
Coming up…
The Foxes continue their pre-season schedule with a trip to the capital on Saturday to tackle Sky Bet Championship outfit Queens Park Rangers (3pm kick-off), before entertaining UEFA Europa League winners Villarreal at King Power Stadium next Wednesday (7:45pm kick-off).
Remaining tickets for that clash with Unai Emery's Yellow Submarine – Leicester's only home pre-season outing – are still available HERE.
All times BST.