Rudd van Nistelrooy was disappointed with Leicester’s passive first-half display which led to a 2-0 defeat at West Ham.
The 19th-placed Foxes slipped further towards relegation with a limp display in East London, with two “easy” goals before the break all West Ham needed to record the victory which leaves them five points from safety.
The under-fire Leicester boss told TNT Sports: “The goals you concede are easy goals. It’s a reflection of how we played in the first half.
“If you see the difference in the first and the second half, how we as a team moved forward to press the opponent, play with urgency after winning duels, in the first half we were waiting way too much.
“We have to put the opponent under pressure in the right way.”
Leicester ‘too passive’
With their relegation rivals Wolves, Ipswich and Southampton losing this week, Leicester missed the opportunity to take advantage and their display lacked urgency.
Van Nistelrooy added: “We were way too passive. We are in a situation where we are not winning games and we are in a situation where we are in the bottom three.
“The pressure is on. The way to get out of this is to move forward literally on the pitch as well. It doesn’t mean you have to go and press in a one v one situation, but we have to take initiative.
“We cannot wait and sit back. That is the situation we are in.”
Captain Fantastic 🫡
West Ham double their lead, and it’s Jarrod Bowen who sneaks it home for his 8th PL goal of the season ⚽️
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Leicester have not scored in the league in four games, shipping 12 goals across those outings since a 2-1 win over Tottenham.
“If you play like this in the first half you are not going to score,” Van Nistelrooy said. “We were not even close to scoring. In the second half we were much closer.”
On how he keeps morale up in their relegation fight, the Foxes boss said: “By believing in work, in turning this around, by literally moving forward, not sitting back. That is what we need to do.”
Potter excited at West Ham’s potential
West Ham boss Graham Potter praised his side’s professional display and said he was excited by the potential his side are showing.
He told TNT Sports: “The first half we were decent in our struture, we drove them back, had good control of the game. Overall it was a professional performance. Not fantastic, but we are delighted with two wins, two clean sheets and six points.”
“We were aware of it for ths season but not for that long. Delighted for the players.
“They have been working really hard. Now they have two wins back-to-back which isn’t easy in the Premier League.”
“There is a lot of potential for sure. Talent is one thing. The foundations have to be good. Hopefully they are getting rewards because talent isn’t enough in this league.
“You have to keep clean sheets, defend well, do the ugly side of the game well and the players have done that and got their rewards.”
