Ruud van Nistelrooy must be regretting his decision to take the helm of the sinking Leicester City ship, as his team’s lackluster performances have all but sealed their relegation fate with a whimper.
In respect to the first meeting between both sides at the King Power Stadium, the Foxes won 3-1 that night, but the scoreline was deceptive. Van Nistelrooy’s side were unusually clinical in front of goal, while West Ham’s 31 shots and 3.10 xG went unrewarded, a result that ultimately hastened Julen Lopetegui’s departure.
Nearly three months later, it’s clear that Leicester’s fortunate home win against West Ham was a false dawn under the inexperienced Van Nistelrooy. They’ve lost ten of their last 12 matches, with their only other victory coming against Tottenham.
This dismal run has deepened Leicester’s relegation fears, leaving them five points adrift of safety before Thursday night’s trip to London.
With their next six Premier League fixtures against Chelsea (A), Man Utd (H), Man City (A), Newcastle United (H), Brighton (A), and Liverpool (H), you’d expect Leicester to show some attacking intent and at least make an effort against a West Ham side with seven home losses in 13 league games this season.
But if you thought that, you were wrong.
The loyal Foxes fans who made the midweek journey to London were treated to one of the most lifeless performances from a relegation-threatened team supposedly fighting for survival.
West Ham, fresh off a surprising 1-0 win at Arsenal, couldn’t believe their luck as Leicester handed them the easiest path to their first back-to-back Premier League victories in over a year.
The Hammers weren’t exactly dazzling either, and much of the match felt like a meaningless end-of-season affair, with players seemingly already dreaming of their summer vacations.
West Ham’s poor home form this season contributed to the flat atmosphere, and the hosts did little to ignite excitement, content to pad their passing stats and maintain possession without facing any real pressure.
They created no clear chances in the first 20 minutes but easily sliced through Leicester the moment they slightly increased their tempo.
Facundo Buonanotte’s feeble clearance fell to Aaron Cresswell, whose shot was saved by Mads Hermansen, as was Mohammed Kudus’ follow-up, before Tomas Soucek tapped in from close range.
Van Nistelrooy’s plan to stifle West Ham with a defensive setup and counter-attack was immediately undone by his team’s inability to defend or attack with any purpose.
Jamie Vardy, as has often been the case this season, was left isolated and frustrated up front, while his defensive teammates showed no urgency or determination to keep West Ham at bay.
Leicester’s game plan fell apart after West Ham’s opener, but they failed to adapt and remained equally passive in the buildup to the second goal just before halftime.
A poorly taken corner caught Vardy off guard at the near post, allowing Jarrod Bowen to steal the ball. The England international then danced past two Leicester defenders, and his shot deflected off Jannik Vestergaard, trickling through Hermansen’s legs into the net.
While Leicester were somewhat unlucky with the deflection, they deserve no sympathy given their defeatist approach throughout the match.
Leicester, along with Southampton and Ipswich Town, have shown they are simply not cut out for the Premier League, highlighting the growing gap between the top flight and the Championship.
Fans can accept their team not being good enough, but the lack of effort and fight displayed by Leicester was inexcusable.
