Leeds United were only nine minutes away from heading into the World Cup break with all
three points as they led Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 in North London during a crucial league
game in mid-November.
Up until the 81st minute, it had been a remarkable showing from the Whites who were not
only able to trade blows with the
FedEx Champions League-chasing Spurs but also had them
on the ropes with the bell about to go. There was, however, an agonizing twist in the tail for
the Elland Road club given that in the space of 120 seconds, Conte’s charges landed two
devastating punches from out of the blue that knocked Leeds out cold. Yes, it was the Spurs
players who would head into the winter break with the feel-good factor instead of Leeds
having just
recorded a thrilling 4-3 win.
In particular, Harry Kane would have benefited from the momentum that Spurs’ late rally
generated when you consider that he is, as of the 14th of November, at just 8/1 in the latest
World Cup odds to win the Golden Boot in Qatar. The England captain did, after all, score a
vital goal in the win against the Whites and helped turn the game in Spurs' favour late on with
intelligent runs and precision passing. Naturally, Kane's timely form bodes well for England
and their fans but for Leeds supporters, it was a tough pill to swallow before the greatest
show on earth gets underway.
Notably, however, and despite the manner in which Leeds crumbled with the finish line in
sight, they were still applauded off the pitch by their traveling support who acknowledged the
effort their players had put in. Admittedly, whilst the commitment on the day couldn't be
questioned, the team's late capitulation is symptomatic of a much bigger issue at the club:
Leeds are still shipping goals at a rate that leaves them in danger of relegation from
the Premier League.
Well-documented problems haunt the Whites
Concerningly, these defensive frailties were supposed to be addressed by Jesse Marsch when
he was appointed in late February 2022. The American did, of course, arrive on the back of
Leeds conceding 20 goals in just five games in February under Marcelo Bielsa which was
ultimately enough for the Elland Road board to relieve the Argentine of his duties.
Coincidentally, the final game of Bielsa’s reign also saw Leeds concede four goals against
Spurs.
It was no surprise then to hear that when Marsch first walked through the door at Thorp Arch
following that humbling by Spurs, Leeds fans were quickly reassured that the team would
tighten defensively, even if it came at the expense of the weekly entertainment that Bielsa
used to generously dish up. Nine months on from that comforting statement and Leeds are by
no means defensively secure. In fact, if ever there was a
stat this season to prove how little
progress has been made at the back since Marsch arrived it is this one that reveals at the same
stage last season having played 14 games, Bielsa’s Leeds had conceded 20 goals whilst
Marsch’s side have let in 26. With this in mind, what can the club finally do to address these
long-standing problems at the back? Should they look to replace Marsch or is it more a case
of the American not having the personnel to repel the ruthless attacks in the Premier League?
In Marsch’s defence
The reality is that Marsch has inherited a side from Bielsa which is still punching above its
weight. At least, there are players in Leeds’ squad who are miraculously still performing
above their ability, but every so often, their limitations are shown up. As touched on, this
could be seen at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium when Spurs grabbed an unlikely lead
following a breakdown of discipline and concentration at the back, with the main culprit
being
captain Liam Cooper who was at fault for both late goals scored by Rodrigo Bentancur.
It's an important point to keep in mind given that the centre-back was signed by Leeds in
2014 when he joined from Chesterfield, who now play in the fifth tier of English football. In
many respects, it is extraordinary that the 31-year-old has managed to stay at Leeds for this
long considering how far the club has come. In part, this is a testament to Cooper’s
commendable commitment to improving as well as Leeds' frugal approach in the transfer
market.
Put another way and despite Cooper’s outstanding professionalism, the club could have
replaced him in recent seasons but instead hoped that he would carry on performing at a level
higher than he was capable of playing at; a trait that was so common during Bielsa's tenure
owing to the revolutionary footballing philosophy of the 67-year-old. Nevertheless, the
decision by the board not to adequately invest in the squad following Bielsa's departure does
lead to matches such as the one during which Leeds made catastrophic errors against Spurs
that cost them three points.
Conversely, we have seen that when Marsch has the right personnel in place, Leeds tends to
execute his plans as has been the case with the astonishing rise of Crysencio Summerville
who has replaced the misfiring Patrick Bamford. Indeed, the Dutchman was recently able to
score the winners against Liverpool and Bournemouth after exhibiting a composure that has
been sorely lacking with Bamford leading the line.
All in all, this suggests that Marsch’s system is one worth sticking to given that it works
when he has players of Premier League quality in his starting line-up.
Essentially, the American needs to be given better players so that the side becomes more
consistent.