Leicestershire

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Leicester City fan Kate Blakey, who is co-host of Leicester Till I Die TV, spoke to BBC 5 Live Breakfast after Leicester's defeat against West Ham on Thursday night.

On where the club are at right now, she said: "I think it's way more deep-rooted than a confidence issue. As a fan, it feels like a cultural issue and something that has gone so severely wrong, particularly in the last couple of months. We didn't have that feeling under Steve Cooper at all.

"Last night was just a carbon copy of what happened on Friday really and echoes of lack of desire, lack of pride, and lack of effort. Somehow we were kind of still in the relegation battle, it was three from any four but we weren't out of it. I don't think we totally are now. The belief has just totally gone out of the team.

"The biggest problem for us right now is that in those 12 games where we have had 11 defeats, we've only scored four goals. The goals have completely dried up under Ruud van Nistelrooy. Under Steve Cooper, in his first 10 matches, only him and Manchester City had scored in every game.

"So all of a sudden, Ruud is saying we can't compete, but we've just been away to Spurs and beat them and in the first 10 games of the Premier League, we scored in every one. I think we have got enough to compete."

Former Leicester defender Michael Morrison says "willingness to run and fight" was lacking from the Foxes' performance in Thursday's limp 2-0 defeat at West Ham.

Ruud van Nistelrooy's side have now suffered 11 defeats from the past 12 Premier League games and any hopes of survival this season seems to be fading rapidly.

"Tactically it was OK, it is OK to be in a low block, but it's that willingness to run and to fight," Morrison told the When You're Smiling podcast.

"Sometimes you don't realise you're not doing that as a player and you sit in your shape and you're comfortable. The reason why these deflected goals go in or it bounces of somebody and runs free is because you've been under that pressure for that long.

"As a fan you travel down from Leicester and you want to see your team fight, especially in the position you're in.

"There was too much respect shown and being a yard off their man."

Leicester had 10 shots on goal but five were from outside the penalty area, five were blocked, and only two were on target. Their 0.38 Expected goals was far below their opponents' 1.68.

"There wasn't any chances," Morrison added.

"If you looked at the xG it would show you a lot about the game. West Ham won at a canter. Leicester didn't carry enough threat with their defensive block which is why the West Ham fans stayed onside with their team.

"If they could have caused the home team some problems by nicking the ball a few times they might have got on their back but it was a defensive block and not a defensive press by getting out to people, blocking crosses and laying a glove on them. West Ham just had possession the whole time in the first half."

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We asked for your views after relegation-threatened Leicester City fell to their 11th defeat in 12 Premier League games against West Ham United.

Here are some of your comments:

Wes: Disgraceful. How difficult is it to play in the other team's half of the field? Stop passing backwards and play with heart - these are not difficult tasks.

Neil: "Still in the fight". Are you joking, Ruud? The players have given up. It is a really sad demise. Do they realise that fans pay good money to go and watch whatever that was? Where has the pride gone? 'Foxes never quit' - well they certainly did here.

Andy: Our performances are deteriorating, with comical defending costing us dearly. On the evidence shown in this game, this group of players will struggle in the Championship next season.

Tom: Just awful. Those at the top of the club need to swallow their pride and admit they made a massive mistake in appointing Ruud van Nistelrooy. The players have downed tools and are accepting defeat from the first whistle. We have a manager who refuses to try anything new, even after so many losses and goals conceded. Insanity is ruling the roost at this club right now.

Jonathan: Utter rubbish - disconnected, naive and toothless. The players are way below their best levels. Ruud is way out of his depth. He must be sacked so the team has one final chance to turn it around, or it's certain to be Championship football next season and possibly for several seasons after that. Neil Lennon would be worth a short-term contract until the end of the season, then review.

David: Bin Ruud van Nistelrooy and put Brian Barry-Murphy in charge for the rest of the season. The players apparently respect him, he has some management experience, plus there's his association with Pep Guardiola. We are going down, but let's at least do it with our dignity intact.

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Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy speaking to BBC Radio Leicester after the defeat to West Ham: "I look back at a very disappointing first half. We were very passive and looking for safety by going back. We sat too deep and lacked initiative.

"We need to push forward and play with some courage. We need to not be afraid to make mistakes but I understand that the confidence levels are very low. That showed in the first half. We get so passive because of that and we were not in the game. At least in the second half we went for it and created some opportunities.

"Players look for safety by going backwards, not forwards. At least in the second half, they showed what they were capable of that. That's the way forward.

"In the right moments, we put the opponent under pressure and took initiative in the game. That's the way we have to continue.

"We have to approach the games with initiative and not be afraid to lose. That was the difference between the first and second half.

"Confidence is a big part of this."

Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalist

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Things are looking bleak for Leicester as yet another defeat leaves them five points adrift of safety.

The Foxes have lost 11 of their last 12 Premier League games (W1), while in his 14 games in charge, Van Nistelrooy has picked up just seven points, three fewer than previous Foxes boss Steve Cooper managed this season (10 in 12 games).

The deficit to safety could quickly shrink, but the problem is Leicester look simply incapable of winning.

They currently have the dangerous combination of conceding lots of goals due to poor defending, whilst also struggling to score at the other end.

Where Leicester go from here is unclear but the pressure will no doubt be mounting on Van Nistelrooy.

West Ham eased past Leicester City to leave the Foxes deep in relegation trouble as their desperate form continued.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on West Ham's performance

What did you make of Leicester's display?

Come back to this page on Friday to find a selection of your replies

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter

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Boss Ruud Van Nistelrooy admits Leicester's public disagreements cannot happen again.

Mads Hermansen and midfielder Boubakary Soumare argued on the pitch after Fabio Carvalho scored Brentford's final goal in Friday's 4-0 defeat to the Bees.

The second-bottom Foxes go to West Ham on Thursday looking to close the five-point gap to safety after Wolves lost to Fulham on Tuesday.

Van Nistelrooy, who has lost 10 of his last 11 Premier League games, now only wants displays of unity.

He said: "We have to address this type of behaviour. As a team it's good to hold each other accountable. But it can't be like that, out in the open.

"It was the first time it's happened. The players handled it themselves, within the team, so that was a good reaction in the dressing room.

"This week it's been assessed and it's not something that will help us going forwards. I can't see that happening again. The players know.

"I didn't think it was a huge incident but it was something we discussed. The players handled it and, for me, it's a finished matter."

After the defeat to Brentford, Van Nistelrooy described Leicester's situation as alarming and he will continue to honest as the Foxes need to face reality.

"The situation we are in is alarming because we want to stay in the league," said the former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker.

"But it's also the reality of where we are in comparison to the competition we face. In that context, I try to explain how I see the challenge we are facing.

"At the same time, we are so motivated and we believe we can go against all odds, because that's what we have to do. It's possible. It's been done before at this club."

West Ham defended really well against Arsenal on Saturday and countered really well.

Manager Graham Potter will be looking for his side to build on that victory, and with Jarrod Bowen up front, they will have too much firepower for the Foxes.

This is a gimme for West Ham, and it should be a routine victory for them.

I just cannot make a case for Leicester to get anything here and it looks like their hopes of staying up have had it too.

Like Southampton fans, the only thing Leicester supporters have to look forward to is the chance to visit Norwich next season. It is a nice city, and I fully recommend it for a day out.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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Leicester have won each of their past three Premier League games against West Ham, more than they had in their previous 10 beforehand.