Coady: Make Sure We’re Ready
- Arsenal are up next for Leicester City in the Premier League
- Conor Coady looked ahead to facing the Gunners this Saturday
- The defender acknowledged the need for improvement in performances
- City beat Walsall on penalties in midweek following a draw with Everton
The Foxes have racked up three points from their opening five fixtures back in the top-flight - a draw at home to Everton last time out coming prior to progression in the Carabao Cup at Walsall in midweek, via a penalty shootout.
Although the performance was not at the level they demand, the defender believes City can still take away plenty from the cup clash as they build up to visiting Emirates Stadium in a 3pm BST kick-off.
City Progress On Penalties In Carabao Cup
The best of the action from Leicester City's shootout success at Walsall in the Carabao Cup Third Round.
“The goal is to get through and to be in the hat for the next round,” he commented. “We’re there and we needed to make sure we got there by any means possible. They’re always tough games. I don’t think we were at our best, I think everyone could see that.
“There’s a lot we need to improve on and will improve on because we have a dressing room which demands improvement. We can play better, we can move the ball better, but the big part for us was getting through and we’ve done it.
“It was a tough night. We can be better, we know that and we’ve spoken about it and we will make sure we get better because that's what we demand of each other. The big part is learning and improving from it. We’ll take what we need to take out of the Walsall game.”
Now fully concentrated on league matters, Coady shared his thoughts on how there is a clear objective within the group to continually progress and develop on the pitch, while being under no illusions as to the assignment at hand in north London, facing an unbeaten Gunners outfit.
“We’ve got to refocus very quickly,” the England international admitted. “We’ve got to make sure we’re ready and alert because we know how good they can be. We’ve seen it on numerous occasions now in the Premier League. We understand the task ahead of us on Saturday.
“It doesn’t matter where we’re going - we’re going to a tough team but we’re not going to roll over. We’re going with our heads held high and have a go. We’ve got to be ready for everything that comes.
“We’ve spoke about how we’re going to build to go forward. Last year we played a lot of football with the ball and we knew there was going to be a little bit of a shift this season. As professionals, we’ve got to take that onboard.
“Arsenal will have a lot of the ball but we’ve got to find ways of hurting them on the counter attack and have a go ourselves. A lot of the players in our dressing room have been to these stadiums before and understand it.
Loading Up For The Gunners
A look at City's training in Seagrave ahead of travelling down to the capital to face Arsenal in the Premier League.
“We’ve been there and won and gone and had good days there. To go there and get a result is one of the best feelings in the world and we’ve got to have that positive energy and show ourselves and prove ourselves and really put our game on Arsenal.”
The 31-year-old’s experience around the squad has been a vital asset since his arrival in the summer of 2023 and Coady feels he is in a good position to share his knowledge, especially with the fellow centre-backs.
He added: “I try and pass things on every single day around Seagrave, whether that’s in training, in the dressing room or speaking to Caleb [Okoli] who has only just come to the Club or Wout [Faes] who is obviously a fantastic defender, and all the other boys as well.
“We’re a really tight-knit group who enjoy spending time with each other. They are fantastic with me as well and teach me things too.”