Leicestershire

Arnav Bhatia
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

It's a grim period for Leicester City.

The former Premier League champions seem destined for their second relegation in three years, and the disconnect between fans and the club has never been greater.

There was much excitement when legendary striker Ruud van Nistelrooy was named Steve Cooper's successor. Van Nistelrooy had fared reasonably well in his managerial career, but the Leicester board were gambling on a largely inexperienced manager to steer them to safety.

Two months into his appointment, the gamble appears to have failed. Leicester sit 19th in the league standings, and have managed just two victories in the 13 league games Van Nistelrooy has managed.

Statistically, Van Nistelrooy is performing worse than Cooper in some key metrics. Leicester have managed fewer goals scored (0.75 per game vs Cooper's 1.25), expected goals (0.87xG vs 1.01) and have conceded more (2.33 vs 1.92).

However, a closer look at other statistics such as xG, shots taken, and final-third touches show Leicester's creativity hasn't dipped much. The attackers were overperforming their xG under Cooper, and that overachievement has simply balanced out under Van Nistelrooy. Still, the number is low. Leicester need to create more chances, and Facundo Buonanotte's lack of minutes is not helping.

Van Nistelrooy has given Leicester an identity, and performances – especially from the midfield – have been good. Defensive issues and individual errors persist, though, and the lack of signings in January, alongside injuries to key players, makes his job even more challenging.

While a more experienced manager may have fared better, it's hard to fault Van Nistelrooy entirely. A manager can only do so much. The players have escaped accountability far too many times, especially under Cooper's tenure, and they now need to step up and find the spark to inspire Leicester to another great escape.

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy believes fans are showing "pure passion" amid recent protests.

A section of supporters held a protest march against the Foxes' hierarchy before the recent home defeat by Arsenal.

Director of football Jon Rudkin has come under increasing pressure from fans with the club sitting second from bottom in the table after winning only four of their 25 Premier League games this season.

Foxes chairman Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha called for fans to unite behind the team in his programme notes before the game against the Gunners, but Van Nistelrooy does not feel the protests impacted the team and believes there is still enough support for his players.

"I do. I think it's pure passion what you see around you," the Dutchman said before Friday's home game against Brentford.

"Passion for the football club to do better and that is a great thing to see and to feel and to represent that.

"I feel in the Arsenal game we were supported really well. I didn't hear any negativity. The fans were all behind the team.

"We all suffered, off and on the pitch with those late goals. The protest, I haven't really seen that because we were already in the stadium preparing for the game.

"So the supporters did that separate from us. So that helped. We were focusing on the game and when we went out there was nothing visible about that and that felt like great support."

Leicester City and Crystal Palace are watching Midtjylland and Guinea-Bissau forward Franculino Dju, 20, who came through Benfica's academy. (Bold - in Danish, external)

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Nicola Pearson
BBC Sport journalist

Leicester City boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has been speaking to the media before Friday's Premier League game against Brentford at King Power Stadium (kick-off 20:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• James Justin is a "question mark" for Friday but the issue is "not really bad" and "looks more a question of weeks than [anything] more".

• Ricardo Pereira is "making good progress" in his comeback and training with the team: "Hopefully in the coming weeks that can be more and he can be part of games as well."

• On whether new signing Wolo Coulibaly could be in line to make his first start: "James [Justin] is the only right-back in the squad with Ricardo [Pereira] being injured. It's good we have him. He made a good impression against Arsenal when he came on as well. Everybody's in line for a start. Of course, he's the second right-back - he came in when [Justin] came off. We'll see how the rest of the week goes and the team is picked later on."

• Van Nistelrooy announced that former midfielder Andy King is now part of his first-team coaching staff: "Andy is one of the people in the club with Leicester City in the DNA that I wanted to speak with and get to know. Over the course of past few weeks, I asked him to be more part of the first-team setting and coaching staff. He really liked it - we all did, the players did - and he is a full part of that set-up now. He is helping us now with all his knowledge and experience of this football club."

• On why he has brought the Premier League winner into the coaching set-up: "What has impressed me most is his eye for the team and for the details of the game. He's very bright in his ideas and we're aligned in the idea of how to bring Leicester City forward. When you feel that connection with someone of that stature, he has been the example of winning a championship, a league, but also being relegated. He is someone we can all learn from - a great addition for our coaching team."

• Van Nistelrooy believes the Foxes have "missed" points they deserved but says there is "no mercy" in the Premier League and "consistency" is the key for them to avoid relegation.

• Asked if there are now just three times fighting to avoid two relegation spots, Van Nistelrooy said: "There are 13 games remaining and we have to do our bit. It is about results and performances, and after 13 games the table will be clear. So, for me, it is not a topic - we have to do it ourselves, we really have to."

• He added: "I feel that commitment from the team and their performances on that pitch. I can't ask more than that. I cant ask for more than the maximum of my team."

• The Leicester boss praised opposite number Thomas Frank for the "excellent" job he has done at Brentford and said it is "a dream for a manager to be able to think in those long terms" and believes they are an "example" for other clubs.

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester are unbeaten in their last four home league games against Brentford (W2 D2), having failed to win in any of their first eight home meetings with the Bees between 1937 and 1953 (D4 L4).

However, the Foxes have lost each of their last five Premier League home games – they have never lost six in a row on home soil in their league history.

Image source, Getty Images

Former Leicester City winger Matt Piper says the Foxes will need to learn how to grind out results "quickly" if they are to fight relegation from the Premier League this season.

Last weekend's defeat and the results of rivals saw Ruud van Nistelrooy's team drop to 19th place on goal difference.

Speaking on BBC Radio Leicester's When You're Smiling podcast, Piper said: "They will have to find a way to do it - and quickly. If you can replicate the kind of performance we saw against Arsenal against Brentford, then you are going to have a big opportunity to grind out that result at home.

"Ruud should set up in most of the games that are left to play aiming to keep a clean sheet.

"That has to be the basis to build from because staying in the game as long as you can gives the players confidence. Then you can try to build on that.

"It is just about ironing out the small details because time and games are running out.

"If you want to stay in the Premier League, you have to find a way to start picking up points - and that needs to happen really quickly."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Kate Blakemore
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Yet again, we find ourselves talking about activities off the pitch and this week it came in the form of an organised fan protest.

'Project Reset' is a fan movement demanding change within the Leicester City leadership team and some took to the streets prior to Saturday's match against Arsenal to let their voices be heard.

The rumblings during the week obviously reached the Leicester board as owner, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, released his matchday programme notes a day early - acknowledging that improvement is needed, calling on fans to get behind the team and outlining that the lack of activity during the January transfer window was hampered by Leicester's PSR predicament.

Finally, some communication! A starter for 10? Who knows.

Sadly, the performance on the pitch, while resilient and competitive in periods, had an all too familiar ending for Leicester - zero goals scored and two late goals conceded.

Playing defensively can be useful when you are up against it, but there has to come a point - especially when you find yourselves 19th in the table with 55 goals conceded - where you have to accept that goals are going to be conceded in every game and attention has to be turned to creating some of our own to try to counteract our terrible defensive record.

Our goal threat has depleted since Ruud van Nistelrooy's appointment and while one can see some cohesion and style of play under him, the aim of any match is to score more than the opposition and the hard facts are that we are not creating or threatening enough.

We have not scored at home since early December and have only scored four goals in the league since then. The old adage of "attack is the best form of defence" could not be more apt right now and in this apparent mini-league of four teams in the relegation scrap, I think we need to place more focus on scoring goals.

Find more from Kate Blakemore at Leicester Till I Die, external