- Leicester City’s Under-18s sit third in U18 Premier League South at the midway point of the season
- The side coached by Adam Barradell are enjoying a seven game unbeaten streak in the league
- The Foxes youngsters also progressed into round four of the FA Youth Cup, beating the holders
- Barradell looks back on a successful campaign to date and discusses the team’s aims for 2022
Ending the previous campaign in 12th position, the Foxes' youngsters have since been in sterling U18 Premier League South form during the first half of 2021/22, winning eight of their 11 fixtures to date, including their current run of seven without defeat in the league.
For the coach, it has provided many moments of excellence and signs of improvement, both in games and on a day-to-day basis at LCFC Training Ground, with the aim of preparing the players for the rigours of Development Squad, and ultimately, first team football.
“It’s great that the results have been there and with that unbeaten streak,” he reflected to LCFC.com. “For us, it’s about the consistency of the development of the boys daily and the habits that we are seeing form that are helping them and we’re seeing that on Saturday with the performances and the results.
“What I’m hoping for after Christmas is that some of the boys who have been playing regularly in the Under-18s have the opportunities to get around and play with the Under-23s and that will give more opportunities to younger players and Under-16s coming in.
“It’s seeing if we can continue to hit the level that we have before Christmas, daily, as staff and as players, to keep those performances on a Saturday going.”
The final two matches before Christmas saw City record an aggregate score of 10-0, with a thumping seven-goal triumph over Norwich City followed by a 3-0 away success at Tottenham Hotspur.
Those results came either side of defeating competition holders Aston Villa in the FA Youth Cup at Villa Park, another striking success which set up an exciting home tie against Crewe Alexandra in round four, to be played in January.
The U18 Premier League Cup campaign has also been a successful one, winning two out of three group stage fixtures and potentially reaching the quarter-finals, awaiting the outcome of the final group game.
While sitting third in the league, level on 25 points with Chelsea at the summit, and conceding fewer goals than any other side in the division, Barradell is keen to focus on the group’s growth and development, rather than solely the results and statistics from the season.
He explained: “First of all, we’ll measure the success of the season on the development of the players. What we have so far, as a group, is we’ve seen some real development as individuals, but also the team in the way we’re playing.
“It’s also how we are able to execute the game model and the game plans consistently. Overall, it’s been a successful half of the season, the amount of clean sheets that we’ve kept, how organised we’ve been and some of the attacking football that we’ve played.
“Also, the real mentality and personality of the group in what they’ve shown in some real good fixtures that they’ve had in the league programme. Hopefully we get through into the quarter-final in the U18s Premier League Cup too.
“Again, getting the FA Youth Cup result and overcoming that fixture was a real tough one for them. Getting that experience of playing at Villa Park, that big game experience will only help the players' journeys and development in the long-term.”