Van Nistelrooy on Leicester's 4-0 hammering at Everton

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Van Nistelrooy on Leicester's 4-0 hammering at Everton  01/02/2025  Goodison Park, Liverpool, UK

Transcript

00:00Jürgen, can we start with your immediate reaction to that performance today in defeat?

00:22Yeah, first reaction is that after ten seconds and after five minutes you're 2-0 down at

00:30Goodison against a team that concedes one of the most clean sheets. That sums it up,

00:41give yourself a mountain to climb and didn't really come back from that.

00:46Last week you seemed to be a lot more defensively strong,

00:49today you looked like you were so open, they created so many chances. Any idea why?

00:55No, if you have a start like that, then it's difficult. Then you have to open up early,

01:05and Everton did well in being as effective as they were,

01:12attacking our back line with deep runs. But then again, if you go into half-time with 2-0,

01:21it's a different game, you can see the fairly easy goal in the 47th minute,

01:26so that summed our first half up, I think.

01:30Disappointing afternoon, but also credit to Everton, of course.

01:33What can you do to shore up that defence?

01:37Now it's clear we've been talking about this for weeks, where the work is, where the development

01:43was, and I see this game as a disappointing one and an off one, because the performances

01:52over the last week also defensively showed difference, and we have to go quickly back to that.

02:00Would you consider changing your shape?

02:04Well, you consider everything for the best results. After last week there was a lot of

02:11credit for the performance and the way we were playing defensively and offensively,

02:15something to build on. We couldn't do it today, but we will be doing the same things

02:21and keep going into the cup next week, and after that back into the league.

02:25Do you think you'll get any help before the window shuts?

02:30No, the focus is on this squad, and we are better than we showed today,

02:37that is clear, and we go back to work next week to prove that in the next game.

02:54Hi, Ruud, good to see you. It wasn't the best of days for you today,

02:57unfortunately, but there's some bright sparks somewhere on the wing as well,

03:00you've got Mbappé-Didi to come off the bench as well.

03:03How are you looking to build their confidence after not really creating

03:06as many chances today compared to last week?

03:09No, we are used to coming back from setbacks. When you are a promoted side

03:18and you have to fight for every point in the Premier League to stay in,

03:23that's the reality at Leicester City at this moment. You have to be robust and be able to

03:28deal with disappointment and loss, and get back and train and prepare for the next one.

03:35That's it. Today we weren't ourselves, we lost the game in five minutes,

03:40and we were better than that, and it's about us to react to that.

03:45And of course you've got your game at Old Trafford on Friday,

03:47where you're going back as an away coach this time after having a good tenure,

03:51as an interim coach as well. Are you looking forward to facing off against

03:54Ruben Amber in Old Trafford?

03:56Yeah, I'm looking to start working next week with this team again,

04:00and represent Leicester, and do well for Leicester, and make sure that this team

04:08can show that we're better than what we showed today. We showed great fight and resilience

04:15over the last weeks, where we had good performances without points, with a big away win at Spurs.

04:24We wanted to build on it, but we threw it out of the window in five minutes.

04:28But, OK, not good enough, you have to acknowledge, and bounce back and do it again next week.

04:40The first three goals all felt quite simple, a long ball, two straight passes

04:46through your defence. Where did that go wrong? Was that the set-up,

04:50was that players not doing as they should? What can you put your finger on with that?

04:54No, it's clear that those are not our best moments as a team. It's not the back line,

05:04it's not the midfielders only, it's not only the nine and ten, but it's a collective

05:14error where there's not enough pressure on the ball, the middle is open,

05:18the back line is not in line. That's what cost us today, but we are better than that,

05:27and today wasn't good enough, that was clear.

05:30In your opinion, were the players' effort levels up to scratch?

05:33Because I think there's probably a lot of fans that wouldn't believe that to be the case.

05:38No, I think after five minutes, when you're 2-0 down, you give yourself a mountain to climb,

05:44and also just before half-time, you can see the third, the second half was a quiet half,

05:54to stay in the game, maybe get a goal and see what can happen. I think the players tried,

06:00but today, in the performance, I think it's about the level of performance,

06:08that wasn't to our standards, and we have to bounce back from that.

06:14If you don't get any players in before Monday night, would that be the club going back on

06:21their word from that conversation you had before you joined the club?

06:26No, it's about getting more out of these players, because they're better than our performance today.

06:33If you see last week what they're capable of, and also in performances before that,

06:38against Champions League opposition, then it's getting the best out of those players again,

06:45in the next games, and focus on these players, improving them, and the consistency,

06:50that it's not one game, but game after game after game, to get out of this situation.

06:56That is the focus, and other than that, I don't have a focus.

07:00It doesn't sound like you're very hopeful of getting any new players in.

07:05No, the focus is on this squad, and that's what I believe in, that's what we're working on,

07:11and any other situation is a bonus.

07:18As long as that's not happening, then we're focusing on these players.

07:23Luke Thomas not in the squad today, is there a possibility he leaves before the window shuts?

07:29Not when there's no players in.

07:34Hi, Ruud. When Spurs were 3-0 down at half-time here,

07:40they were able to get back into the game with a couple of goals,

07:43but your team only managed one shot on target for the whole game.

07:47You said you're mainly focused on the players you've got at the moment,

07:50is there an opportunity for someone like Odds and Edouard to force their way back into the fold?

07:56Of course, because he's training with us every day, and we make a selection there for the games.

08:04There's three number nines in the squad and a decision to be made.

08:08So far it's been Jamie and Patson in the squad, and Oddson not,

08:15but he's there and he can show himself every week when he's ready to contribute,

08:21but with three strikers on the bench it's too much.

08:25Also, you mentioned the FA Cup game there, naturally the focus is going to be largely on you.

08:31Do you think being in a Cup game and some of that focus may actually free up some of the players

08:36and maybe take the pressure off them of what is an intense relegation battle at the moment?

08:42Yeah, I think next week it's important to show that we bounce back from this performance,

08:47because we are aware that it wasn't good enough, we are better than this.

08:52It was too easy, the game was lost after six minutes or almost, that wasn't good enough.

09:01We want to react and bounce back from that, and that starts early next week when we are back in training,

09:08and Friday night to prove against a good team away what we are about.

09:18Ruud, I know your team is the focus, but Jarred Bramfoort was a player who really came on

09:22under your coaching at PSV, maybe not today it was easy for you,

09:26but how satisfied are you to see him establish himself as a top Premier League star now,

09:30and how far do you think he can go?

09:33It was a joy to work with him, he came as a young lad on loan,

09:38learned a lot at PSV, won trophies there together.

09:46The way he improved was fantastic, through hard work, through training every day,

09:54and he got himself to a great level and I believe also into the national team.

10:00So, yeah, great future ahead for him.

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