This is Leicestershire --Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson has praised experienced new boys Marcin Wasilewski and Dean Hammond after they impressed in the 2-1 victory Capital One Cup over Derby County.
Both players were handed full home debuts as Pearson made eight changes to the side that drew with Blackpool at the weekend.
While both looked a touch rusty in the early stages of the contest, they soon settled in and showed promising signs that they could be great additions to the ranks.
The 33-year-old Wasilewski showed glimpses of why he has won 60 caps for Poland, showing great strength, organising the back four well and was more than capable on the ball.
"He was exactly what I expected him to be," said Pearson.
"He's a proper centre-back, knows the game, and is physically very strong and mentally very strong.
"When you consider he hasn't had any games for a while and had limited training, his experience shone through."
Hammond, 30, who won back-to-back promotions with Southampton, broke up the play well, especially in the second half, and showed the grit in the middle of the park that City lacked at times last season.
"He gave us exactly what I know he will bring to the squad – experience and know-how," said Pearson.
"He's at the wrong end of his career in some ways but what he brings to us is a level of experience and that will add to what we have.
"Dean brings that added ingredient to the other players we have in that area, the likes of King, Drinkwater, James, who are all very talented young players.
"Whether we play two in the middle or three in the middle, I know we have got some very good options.
"I think the midfield unit, as the game went on, got stronger and stronger.
"I think we've progressed nicely as a club, we are moving in the right direction.
"We have got a very balanced squad at the moment in terms of adding some experience to what has been a pretty talented youthful squad. I think that's been important."
The result continues City's excellent start to the season – they sit third in the Championship, are in the last 16 of the League Cup and are unbeaten at home with four wins on the bounce.
"It's early days," said the City boss. "I'm not getting ahead of myself – we are doing okay, that's all it is. It's a decent start.
"People will be on our backs very quickly if we have a bad run, that's the nature of the industry we work in and the mentality of us as a nation. We like to build up people and knock them down.
"The most important thing is I trust the people I work with, I trust my staff, and I've got a lot of faith in my players."
Follow Leicester City v Barnsley - live at the King Power Stadium on Saturday, September 28, 2013. Reported by This is 3 hours ago.
