The contrast between the two halves in last Thursday’s defeat to West Ham offered a “big lesson” to the Leicester City players, Ruud van Nisterlooy suggested.
“We saw in two different halves, for me, very clearly how to move forward,” he said. “It’s the approach of the second half. The way the players went out there to win the game. That has to be a big lesson in the mindset of trying not to lose.”
That seems fair. While City didn’t exactly test West Ham in the second period at the London Stadium, they at least played with a level of intent that had been non-existent in the first half, when they produced a display lacking in the fight the relegation battle requires.
But if it’s true of the players, it’s perhaps true of van Nistelrooy too. He also needs to take on board this “big lesson” and make decisions that show he is trying to win games and not merely trying to avoid losing them.
With the fixtures City have remaining, they will likely need an upset or two to stay up. They have to be bolder and braver. Here are four ways van Nistelrooy can do it.
Tip the balance in the team selection
“I look for a balance in being solid and not conceding, and then the other side is creating.”
That’s what van Nistelrooy has said he is seeking when he picks his wingers. But right now it’s not working. City are not solid and they’re not creating.
So perhaps he needs to go with the most forward-thinking options he has. The manager delivered what fans want to see when he picked Facundo Buonanotte in the starting line-up against West Ham and while the Argentinian did not do himself any favours of retaining his spot, it remains the case that City have looked at their most potent in attack when he has been on the pitch with Bilal El Khannouss.
Stephy Mavididi, having not started any of City’s last six matches, perhaps deserves another look too.
Jordan Ayew and Bobby De Cordova-Reid have not helped out the defence enough to stop the goals going in. All that’s happened is that the goals at the other end have dried up. That’s got to be addressed.
Earlier substitutions in games
It had seemed like early substitutions would be part of van Nistelrooy’s plan at City. Thirteen of the 20 changes he made in his first four games were before the 65th minute.
But that consistent use of his bench has not quite been the same since. It feels like he needs to look to his substitutes earlier when the game isn’t going to plan.
Thursday’s game at West Ham was a perfect example. Mavididi was introduced around the hour and livened City up, but they still weren’t creating chances.
But it wasn't until the 87th minute that Patson Daka came on alongside Jamie Vardy and van Nistelrooy switched his formation in searching for a comeback.
What can Daka do in three minutes of normal time and three minutes of added time? It was too little too late. When City are trailing and showing few signs of recovery, more changes have to come earlier.
Put more attacking players on the bench – including teenagers
On a similar theme, van Nistelrooy should change the make-up of his bench too. Right now, attacking players make up just three of the nine available to him.
That limits how bold he can be when he’s making substitutions. It’s not even enough to totally freshen up the four attacking positions in the team.
Why not put Jake Evans on the bench? Van Nistelrooy said he would use him when he’s better than what they have, but is he not already a better option than having two centre-backs on the bench?
In the very unlikely that both central defenders either get injured or sent off, there’s always Wilfred Ndidi who can fill in.
Even at 16, Evans is a much more worthwhile option to have on the bench than a second centre-back.
He’s a wildcard right now, having never played at senior level before, but he’s the joint-top scorer in Premier League 2 so it’s not out of the question to suggest he can make the step up. He certainly knows where the goal is and that’s what City need.
Experiment with formations
Ricardo Pereira is back to fitness and van Nistelrooy now has the option to play how City did last season, with an inverted full-back. It’s worth a go.
But maybe he can be even more experimental than that. Perhaps he should pack the midfield or maybe play with a back three and wing-backs.
So far, he’s rigidly stuck to the 4-2-3-1 shape, but if it’s not getting results, or even the performances, that City desire, then alternatives have to be considered.
The latest Leicester City headlines sent straight to your phone
Get the latest Leicester City news sent straight to your phone by joining our Foxes WhatsApp community. Just click here and select ‘Join Community’ to get started.
No one will be able to see your personal information in the community and you will only receive messages from the LeicestershireLive sports team. We will not spam your WhatsApp feed with constant messages, but you will receive updates from us daily with the latest City stories. All you need to participate in this free service is to have WhatsApp on your phone.
If for some reason you decide you no longer want to be in our community, you can leave at any time by clicking on the name at the top of your screen and then 'Exit Group'. It's as simple as that. You can read our Privacy Notice HERE.
Which of the four approaches is most important for City? Click HERE to have your say.