Ben Dawson's attempt to try something different in his first and only game in charge of Leicester was understandable. The interim manager fielded a very different lineup at Brentford, both in formation and personnel, as the incoming Ruud van Nistelrooy observed from the stands. Unfortunately, Kevin Schade's remarkable hat-trick at the Gtech not only added to the visitors' woes, keeping them just one point above the relegation zone, but also highlighted that their issues go beyond a mere tactical shift.
Brentford nearly scored within the first five minutes when Schade's looping header was pushed onto the roof of the net by a leaping Mads Hermansen. Leicester were under constant pressure, and Dawson's choice to deploy a back three left the penalty area overcrowded, with Bryan Mbeumo's seven crosses in the first half all being met by blue shirts.
Leicester's determined defensive stand was momentarily rewarded when Jamie Vardy shrugged off Ethan Pinnock and passed the ball to Facundo Buonanotte for a straightforward tap-in. The Argentinian silenced the home crowd in celebration. However, the joy was short-lived as Brentford quickly turned the tide with Yoane Wissa's first-time finish for the equaliser. Leicester's concentration waned, and Mbeumo soon found himself unmarked for the second goal, his pass to Schade resulting in a shot at the back post.
The gaps in Leicester's defense became even more apparent for the third goal when Wilfred Ndidi was caught out of position, allowing Mikkel Damsgaard to pass to Schade, with Wout Faes being the only defender not holding the line. Schade's precise finish bounced in off the far post.
The second half saw more of the same, with Leicester struggling to maintain any defensive coherence. Nathan Collins felt confident enough to step out from Brentford's backline to find Schade, whose run between Faes and James Justin felt like a repeat as he scored his team's fourth goal. It remains to be seen how Van Nistelrooy will fare at Leicester, but the quick concealment of the large Dutch flag in the away end after Schade's first goal suggests he has a challenging task ahead.
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