Liam Cullen’s arrival at Leicester City on Friday immediately raised one key question: had Russell Martin finally found his new number nine? Against Genoa, supporters got their first indication of the answer.
Cullen became the fourth new arrival of the summer at the King Power Stadium after joining from Championship side Swansea City. He has since been followed by Tommy Watson, with the Wales international understood to have cost around £2 million as Martin continues to strengthen his attacking options.
During his time at Swansea, the 27-year-old operated across the frontline, featuring as a centre-forward and an attacking midfielder. He also offers versatility as a left-footed right winger, an area in which Leicester have been short of options.
However, with City desperately needing a recognised striker, there was understandable intrigue over whether Cullen would fill that role in Martin’s side.
When the game got underway, though, Cullen was not used as a striker. Instead, the former Swansea man lined up alongside Sammy Braybrooke as one of two attacking midfielders behind Bobby De Cordova-Reid, occupying a role similar to the one Conor Chaplin has filled throughout pre-season. Chaplin missed out through a minor knock.
In possession, Cullen often operated almost as a second striker alongside De Cordova-Reid. Whenever the Jamaican dropped deeper, Cullen instinctively moved onto the last line to occupy the vacant space. It worked well in the early stages of the game.
Cullen quickly became one of Leicester’s key outlets in possession, particularly when play developed down the left. Luke Thomas repeatedly found him between the lines and the new signing looked comfortable receiving on the half-turn before looking to play forward.
Earlier in pre-season, Chaplin and Riley Carr had shown encouraging signs of building an understanding. Against Genoa, it was Cullen and Stephy Mavididi who combined well. Cullen regularly scanned his surroundings before receiving possession, allowing him to find Mavididi quickly.
The pair almost combined for the opening goal when Mavididi threaded a pass through the heart of the Genoa defence for Cullen to chase. The Welshman hesitated slightly as he collected the ball, allowing Justin Bijlow to make the save before denying his follow-up effort from close range.
“We had really brilliant chances and if Cullen is a bit more game-ready, he’d score,” Martin said post-match. “I was really happy with them [Cullen and Reid].
“I was happy with Cullen’s contribution in his first game for us and really happy with Bobby because he hasn’t played much for us in pre-season because he’s been carrying an injury.
“We have flexibility, real flexibility in that top line now with Tommy [Watson] coming in. We’re starting to have some real variety and we’re going to need it.”
Cullen was involved in much of Leicester’s best attacking play during the first half, while Jayden Joseph and Woyo Coulibaly also caused problems down the right. Joseph, preferred to Bade Aluko at right-back, looked a constant threat with his overlapping runs.
One of those surges should have produced the breakthrough. Joseph found Braybrooke inside the penalty area, who cleverly squared for Coulibaly. His effort looked destined for the net before De Cordova-Reid inadvertently blocked it on the goal line. Cullen and Caleb Okoli also went close before the interval.
The Wales international was quiet in the second-half and that’s understandable considering Genoa made 11 changes at the break. Overall, his first outing in blue was impressive and he will be a key player this season. However, City still need to bring in a centre-forward to complement him and Chaplin.
Will that long-awaited striker come before Northampton? “I think the team will look different again next week,” Martin said when quizzed post-match. “We have to be ready for people to leave and have to make sure we only get players in who we really want and who are desperate to be here.
“The business we’ve done so far, I’m so happy with. We’re all really aligned on it and they’ve really added to the group. Tommy’s a real talent, he can inside and outside, play in a couple of positions and has amazing quality in the final actions.
“That’s probably one of the things in pre-season we’ve missed with the amount of times that we’ve been in the opposition box and moments we’ve got in behind, is that last little bit of like, take a breath and show some real quality. And he has that. He’ll be great for us.”
Ben Nelson’s injury on the stroke of half-time took the wind out of the stadium. The defender appeared to jar his right knee following a tangle of legs and required assistance as he left the pitch.
The second half had more of a pre-season feel and Martin’s side lost some of their rhythm. Coulibaly and De Cordova-Reid were both guilty of surrendering possession in dangerous areas, with one mistake ultimately proving costly.
Ethan Meichtry capitalised on a loose touch from Luke Thomas inside Leicester’s half before releasing Lorenzo Colombo. The striker raced clear of Okoli and calmly slotted the ball through Jakub Stolarczyk’s legs to score the only goal of the game.
Leicester pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages to preserve their unbeaten pre-season record. Jake Evans came closest, while Okoli’s aerial presence from set-pieces also caused problems as one effort drifted narrowly wide.
The defeat brings City’s pre-season programme to an end and, despite the result, there have been plenty of positives for Martin to take. Attention now turns to next weekend’s Carabao Cup tie against Northampton Town before the League One campaign begins away at Notts County in two weeks’ time.
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