Schade devastates Leicester as Brentford shows Van Nistelrooy scale of rescue work | first division

Nobody can blame Ben Dawson for trying something different in his first and only game in charge of Leicester. The acting director appointed a very different side in Brentfordfit and personal, while incoming Ruud van Nistelrooy watched from the stands. Unfortunately for him, Kevin Schade's incredible hat-trick at Gtech not only inflicted further suffering on the visitors, who remain one point above the relegation zone, but showed that their problems will require more than a simple formation change. .

Van Nistelrooy's first session with the team will be on Sunday morning, Dawson confirmed and, although the two will meet for the first time, he hopes there will be a combination of analysis of the defeat and looking ahead to West Ham.

“The challenge we have in the future will be to have more good parts for longer periods of the game and try to achieve a 90-minute performance. (Goals conceded) are not something that is looked at in isolation. “We attack as a team and we defend as a team.”

Brentford came close to scoring five minutes after a jumping Mads Hermansen sent Schade's header into the roof of the net. Leicester were pinned but Dawson's decision to name three defenders left the box crowded and Bryan Mbeumo's seven first-half crosses were met with a blue shirt.

Leicester's brave defensive effort was rewarded when Jamie Vardy shrugged off Ethan Pinnock before offloading the ball to Facundo Buonanotte for a simple tap-in, the Argentine hushing the home fans in celebration.

The joy did not last long, as the locals turned the score around in just under nine minutes thanks to Yoane Wissa's first goal that marked the tie. Leicester seemingly petered out after that and Mbeumo immediately found himself in space for the second, his ball to an unmarked Schade firing at the back post.

The differences became even clearer in the third after Wilfred Ndidi was caught out of position, allowing Mikkel Damsgaard to slide a pass to Schade, with Wout Faes the only blue shirt not to hold the line. The German's good shot hit the far post. It was a spectacular performance from a player who had scored just two goals in his previous 41. first division appearances.

“The shining star today was Schade. I celebrated a lot when he scored his first goal because I know how difficult it was for him not to score,” said Brentford manager Thomas Frank.

It is to Frank's credit, who has been forced to adapt following the departure of Ivan Toney, that Brentford are three points away from a top-four spot with six wins out of seven at home, more than they managed all of last season. . Schade, Mbeumo and Wissa worked hard to stretch the Leicester defense and find space, with Damsgaard's eye for passing the key behind the hosts' attacking play.

“Damsgaard was amazing. His two passes at first and third are the highest at this level. “It's a big reason why we're creating so many opportunities,” Frank said, but he was still hesitant to label him one of the best players in the league. “I want to see more. Have a full season. A consistent season. He deserves praise and I hope he can move forward. I like to push it, in a positive way. “The best players are doing it week in and week out for decades.”

The second half brought more of the same, with the visitors struggling to maintain any semblance of defensive shape.

So much so that Nathan Collins felt comfortable enough to break out of Brentford's backline to find Schade, whose run between Faes and James Justin felt like deja vu as he scored his team's fourth goal and 27th. goal conceded by Leicester in the league, the second most behind Wolves. .

It is difficult to predict how Van Nistelrooy will fare at Leicester. There is clear enthusiasm for his tenure, as evidenced by the large Dutch flag in the away field which was quickly hidden after Schade's first goal.

But the chants against director of football Jon Rudkin and the players, most of whom went straight out the tunnel at full-time, are an indication he has his work cut out for him.