LOCK IT DOWN!
NEW ENGLAND STAR JUSTIN WANTS TO MAKE CITY LEFT-BACK POSITION HIS OWN
EACH of James Justin’s full-back colleagues at Leicester City have something they can teach him as he sets his sights on making the left-back spot his own, writes Jordan Blackwell.
After a few years bouncing between the full-back roles, the newly-capped England international sees his future on the left side of the defence, despite being right-footed.
It is that position he is expected to play in when he returns to City for the new season, but to really lock down the role, he knows he must improve.
Justin was making great strides before his serious knee injury in February 2021, having replaced Ricardo Pereira in the team following the Portuguese’s own cruciate ligament tear.
The 24-year-old credits Ricardo for bringing on his game, and believes the other full-backs in City’s squad have attributes that could aid him.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Justin said: “Every single aspect I can get better at, but there’s a few things for me.
“I’m playing on the left predominantly now, so the left foot’s got to keep working. Then there’s goals, assists, getting in the box.
“I think my strongest suit is defending but you can always improve body shape, positioning, the little things that make you that one per cent better.
“I can keep adding to my game. I look at players at my own club in Ricardo Pereira, Timothy Castagne, Luke Thomas, Ryan Bertrand, they’ve all got stuff that I don’t have and that I want.
“When I joined Leicester, I was behind Ricardo when he was flying.
“I used to look in training and think, ‘I’m never going to get in behind him,’ because he was unbelievable.
“I stepped back and looked at what I can add to my game from watching him every day in training. He’s helped me so much to improve.”
Justin has also stressed the importance of a settled defence for City, something they did not have last term, when injuries ravaged their campaign.
Across their 58 matches in all competitions, City used 37 unique defensive line-ups, comprising 15 different players, with four of those not even recognised defenders.
Justin said: “That’s a big thing, the partnerships. You see the best partnership in the league is probably (Harry) Kane and Son (Heungmin), how many years they’ve been doing it together? They bounce off each other.
“To have that partnership will be big next season, whoever it may be.
“If I can keep playing with them every week, understanding each other’s cues, where to go, it’ll make us look better. I’m looking forward to that.”