The results in the Championship so far this season are definitely not what was required to really get our promotion push going. I understand that the circumstances have been a bit unusual with loan clause, contracts and players wanting away, but there's something specific I want to focus on that I feel has contributed to Leeds struggling on the pitch.
Both Jesse Marsh and Javi Gracia both deployed two defensive midfielders sitting in front of the back line to make it harder for teams to play through us. They played around us instead, but that is a different issue. In the Premier League when your team is battling for points it may be understandable to sit so deep in games against much better sides, but not in the Championship, especially when you are one of the biggest clubs with promotion a target.
But Daniel Farke has also been disappointing in this regard so far, playing Ethan Ampadu and Archie Gray as two deeper midfielders whose first task is to protect the defence. Here's what I've seen that's hampering our ability to really have a go at teams…
Example One
This is the first half against Birmingham. Ayling has found space down the right and Birmingham are facing the wrong way, perfect for Leeds to attack. If we look at all the space behind their defence, and with Ayling ahead of the centre backs, it's the perfect scenario to get runners in behind for an opening to be created. The move actually slowed down, and ended with a deep cross beyond the back post that James needed to control before scuffing a shot which was easily blocked. So why didn't we get a proper strike on goal?
Both Gray and Ampadu are well inside the centre circle, which means the rest of the attackers are starting from deeper positions to try and close the gap to build play. If Gray had been further forward and started from the red X, he would easily have run beyond the defenders into space to get on the end of a quick cross
Look at Poveda, the attacking midfielder, he's starting too deep, if he started five yards further forward from the black X then he too would easily have been in behind the defenders, giving us two midfielders running free into the box. Joe Gelhardt would also have been able to start a higher, drawing the right sided centre-back towards him, creating a massive gap to their right-back.
Because both Ampadu and Gray start so deep together, it means we tend to play slower in front of defences rather than getting in behind quickly. Yes, it looks good in terms of keeping the ball and passing stats, but it's not effective. So far we have faced teams willing to allow us to play in front of them and trying to catch us on the break, but that won’t help us when the likes of Saints and Leicester turn up.
Example Two
Second half against Birmingham, 0-0 and pushing for a goal. The ball has gone wide to James, Ampadu and Gray once again in centre circle. Poveda too deep and starting his run too far away to cause danger. Gelhardt covered by four defenders and unable to get in behind. Shackleton also ten yards too deep to run beyond the defenders to give James a target to cross to. It only takes Archie Gray to be up where Poveda is, Poveda was up where Gelhardt is and Gelhardt running off the shoulder of 26 behind him to create a good chance for a goal.
Example Three
Late on, and we need a goal. An attack has developed with Sam Byram on the ball with Dan James in support. Birmingham able to smother Byram with an extra defender. Ampadu and Gray a bit further up but standing still and not helping the attack. Gray is marking their 9 for no good reason, because there's two centre-backs behind him to cover. All this play needed was Ampadu in the Gray position and Gray up in the D on the edge of the box. This would have forced Birmingham to get their 6 back in defence, giving Leeds a more space out wide. Gray would also have been a threat in the box.
It's just not good enough against, let be fair, very average teams for Leeds continue to give up space and attacking options by using two deeper central midfielders sticking close to each other. I'm sure Farke and his coaches will have seen this, hopefully they change it otherwise teams who come to win and don’t sit back will hammer us.
The fix is easy, to leave Ampadu as the solo defensive midfielder to pivot play off, and release Archie Gray further up the field into the No. 8 role to join up play and get into the box. When Farke was at Norwich he used Vranjcic as more of an attacking option, he should do the same with Gray. Using Archie Gray's talent further up the field will be so much more effective than having him play from deep, he'll cause havoc against most teams in the Championship.
View the original post by Billys Statue on our message boards.