Sheehan takes a lonely road

Forgotten man Alan Sheehan is named in the Leicester City Reserves side to face Portsmouth at Hinckley United's ground tonight (7-00pm).

Sheehan has been sidelined from first team action since his sending off against Crewe in a 1-1 draw on December 17 yet is the only season-long squad member who can still boast a decent record of results from the few times he played.

Rob Kelly did refer to his travelling to QPR last night so he is obviously fit and well, yet, for whatever reason he is constantly overlooked when it comes to selection.

Former Blackburn man Kelly preferred former Blackburn man Nils Eric Johansson at left-back again last night. Yet even watching former City centre-forward Iwan Roberts decribed Johansson as 'not a left-back' and that was before he conceded the free-kick which led to QPR's second goal.

Suggestions that Sheehan might be defensively less reliable are hardly backed up by the fact that City have conceded goals in their last 16 fixtures yet only conceded four goals in the five games when Sheehan was selected in the squad (he was twice a substitute).

In League appearances, City have taken four points from six when he has played and conceded one goal.

In Cup matches City won two and only lost at Premiership Bolton in extra time and that despite Sheehan providing an assist for City's goal during an 11-minute appearance and then almost laying the equaliser on for Dublin.

That is not to suggest in any way that Sheehan is the finished article. He is not but then neither was Stearman when he started out on what has proved to be an outstanding campaign for him.

Joining Sheehan in the reserves' starting line up tonight is teenaged forward Eric Odihiambo who has shown considerable skill, pace and promise often when coming on as a substitute.

Winger Joe Hamill also gets a run in a side which reads: Alex Cisak, Joe Magunda, Alan Sheehan, Adam Wykes, Liam Norval, Connor Franklin, Max Gradel, Andy King, Eric Odihiambo, Louis Dodds, Joe Hamill. Subs: Ashley Chambers, Carl Pentney, Joe Mattock, Ricky Muggleton and Jay Smedley.