Leicester City’s Announcement Leaves Russell Martin Facing Selection Dilemma

Leicester City’s League One campaign is set for a two-week pause after their home match against high-flying Bradford City was postponed due to international call-ups.

The Foxes previously had two fixtures postponed during the September and October international breaks, giving manager Russell Martin more than three weeks to work with his squad at the Seagrave training ground. They will next face National League North side Oxford City in the FA Cup on Friday night before concluding their Jersey Mike’s Trophy group campaign against Walsall next week. Their next league outing is not until 21 November, when they travel to face League One leaders Huddersfield Town.

By the time Leicester head to Huddersfield, academy graduate Jayden Joseph is expected to be available again after injury, presenting Martin with a selection decision. Since Joseph was sidelined, the team has operated with a back three, in which Will Alves has impressed in the right wing-back role.

Joseph featured at right-back in a back four at the start of the season and was among the side’s strongest performers before his injury. In his absence, Alves has emerged as one of the Foxes’ standout players this term, alongside Emil Riis.

If Joseph returns fully fit, Martin will need to decide how best to accommodate both players. One option would be to revert to a back four, restoring Joseph at right-back and pushing Alves into a more advanced position, where he began the campaign. Alternatively, Martin could retain the wing-back system, deploying Joseph at right wing-back and shifting Alves to the opposite flank.

Luke Thomas would also require a redefined role if he is to keep his place. Despite some defensive difficulties, the Syston-born full-back has shown promise further forward and could be considered on the left of a back three. Alves, meanwhile, is also capable of operating centrally in one of the two attacking No. 8 positions in which Kamari Doyle and Sammy Braybrooke have performed strongly since the change in formation. The 21-year-old has posed a consistent threat to opposition defences and would not look out of place in an attacking midfield role.

It appears unlikely that Martin will omit either Joseph or Alves from his plans. The right-back’s potential return combined with Alves’ strong form has left the Leicester manager with a clear dilemma over how to integrate both players into the starting side.

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