Marcelo Bielsa’s side is enjoying a solid start to their first Premier League campaign in 16 years.
Their place in the table may not reflect it, but Leeds United has been a breath of fresh air in which has been a very unpredictable start to the Premier League season. The Peacocks currently sit in ninth spot with a 2-1-1 record, having beat Fulham and Sheffield United thus far.
Right off the bat, Leeds made a loud statement in their opener, giving the current title holders, Liverpool, a run for their money, losing 4-3. Each side went goal for goal until the end, with Mo Salah netting the winner from the spot to give the Reds three points.
But, Marcelo Bielsa’s side showed serious guts, picking apart one of the finest backlines in Europe. Their vibrant attack consisting of Patrick Bamford, Jack Harrison, and Mateusz Klich were brilliant, all getting on the scoresheet.
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From that point on, it was clear that Leeds was here to compete, not just hover at the bottom of the table. In their next two fixtures, they grabbed six points, including a 4-3 victory over Fulham, who were also promoted before this season.
However, it was in their last match against Manchester City, who always control the majority of the possession, where Leeds really proved they belong.
Bielsa’s tactics proving worthy
Although it was by a small margin, Leeds controlled 52% of the play compared to 48% for City, while generating seven shots on goal to just two for their opponents. Bielsa usually plays a 4-1-4-1 formation, with four attacking midfielders pressing high and usually, Bamford as the lone striker. Kalvin Phillips is a number six as the lone defensive central midfielder who provides an outlet from the backline to their attackers.
In this match, Leeds was constantly creating havoc in the final third. They did the same thing against Liverpool as well, but it was even more evident against City, especially in the second half. Bielsa encourages his side to press high at all times and get all forward players involved, even if it results in getting caught in their own end.
They’ve already conceded eight goals in just four matches which isn’t great by any means. But, the Whites have also netted nine times. The style of football that Leeds plays put their opponents at unease at all times. Frankly, if it wasn’t for several key saves that Ederson made, Leeds would have grabbed three points in this fixture. Their attack proved to be too electric for the Citizens, which goes to show that Bielsa knows exactly what to do to get the most out of his players.
You also don’t see them attempt a lot of long balls. It’s short, precise passes from flank to flank while moving up the pitch. Leeds is also an extremely fit team, proven by their ability to control the majority of the ball against such prolific sides like Man City and Liverpool. They’ve also outdone every opponent except Fulham so far this term in the passing category in each match.
When it comes to defending, they’re always in touching distance of their mark. Bielsa has instilled it into his player’s minds that the number one goal is to get the ball back into possession so they can surge up the pitch, evident by how tight Leeds defend their opponents, giving them minimal breathing room.
Sometimes, this can result in them getting exposed by long balls over the top or through balls into space with pacey players, but it’s a work in progress. It may seem like a high-risk, high-reward style of play, but at least when they do concede goals, it comes to down to individual mistakes, not because of their shape as a whole.
New signings also doing their part
The club realized they needed to bolster their squad after being promoted. With this in mind, the Peacocks brought in a few players who have proved to be vital to their squad in former Valencia standout Rodrigo and Robin Koch from Bundesliga outfit SC Freiburg. To boot, they also signed Rennes star Raphinha on the transfer window deadline day, who will add more versatility to the attack.
Rodrigo, who enjoyed a productive five years with the La Liga side, has fit in nicely with Leeds, scoring the equalizer against City just after coming on as a substitute. A vibrant player who has tons of pace and skill, the Spain international has an attacking mindset, which is perfect for Bielsa’s tactics.
Koch has been an ideal addition to Leeds’ backline, taking Ben White‘s spot, who is on loan at Brighton. The German has paired beside Liam Cooper at center-back and after a disappointing beginning to his United career where he conceded two penalties early in the term, Koch has responded in his last two appearances against Sheffield and Man City. For him, it’s taken ample time to adjust to Bielsa’s possession-heavy style after being on international duty, but he’s now looking to feel more comfortable at Elland Road.
Top six is possible
Given their form to this point, Leeds could make a push for a top-six finish. Sure, their backline will need to tidy it up, but there’s no way you can look past their exciting style of play.
With a boatload of talented players on the attack and a top-notch central midfielder in Kalvin Phillips who plays a crucial part in the build-up of play, Leeds looks to be the full package right now. When a side comes up to England’s top-flight for the first time in 16 years and outplays two of the country’s best, it’s going to turn heads.
It’s still early in the campaign, but Leeds United should not be taken lightly after their torrid start. They will be looking for another three points this weekend against Wolves.