Leicester City’s loanee, Yunus Akgun, scored his first goal for the club during their 3-0 victory over Birmingham in the FA Cup. However, according to manager Enzo Maresca, this is just the beginning for Akgun as Maresca believes that the player still has plenty more to offer the team.
Maresca showed his content with Akgun’s performance while stressing that there’s still a long way to go to reach the manager’s expectations. Akgun’s goal came as a result of some solid improvements he made in the second half, as he showcased his energy and threat both during pressing off the ball and carrying with threat while in possession, which is exactly what Maresca wants to see.
Although Maresca acknowledged Akgun’s excitement after scoring his maiden goal for the club, he emphasized that it’s essential that Akgun doesn’t become complacent but rather continues to strive for improvement. The manager expressed confidence in Akgun’s potential, nevertheless believes there is still room for growth.
The team as a whole also showed a notable improvement in the second half, which allowed City to bounce back from a tough start, with only goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk being the standout performer in the first half.
Maresca explained that he expected some challenges since he had made several changes to the lineup; with only one player, Hamza Choudhury, retaining his spot from the previous match. However, the introduction of Ricardo Pereira, James Justin, and Kasey McAteer at half-time made a significant impact on the game.
Maresca said, “I was very calm at half-time. When you prepare, you expect what can happen. I expected what arrived first, ‘Guys, disaster in terms of the way we want to play.’ I was ready for this first 45 minutes. I was quite calm.”
The manager was also understanding of the challenges faced by the new players. He stated, “Dennis, Yunus, Marc, Jamie, Wanya, Brandon, Ben, Callum, the keeper. Ten of 11, they didn’t get the minutes. They are new players. It’s normal that you’re going to struggle. We just adjusted some things in terms of possession, with more control of the ball and more passes. First half, we were giving the ball away after two or three passes.”
