Five issues Leeds United must fix including ‘10 in 11’ squad tinkering and league-worst passing

The Whites are positioned precariously above the drop-zone, currently outside the bottom three by the skin of their teeth. Leicester City’s contest with fellow strugglers Everton on Monday night brought Leeds’ task into sharper focus with United set to visit the Etihad Stadium in their next Premier League encounter.

Leeds have defeated Manchester City since earning promotion in 2020, but were also reminded just how ruthless the champions can be, with their seven-goal thrashing at the Etihad last season.

Ahead of that fixture, there are several on-field issues which will need remedying if Leeds are to stand a chance of survival come the end of the season.

What to do with Illan Meslier?

Joel Robles was sent to warm-up with the rest of Leeds’ substitutes at the weekend, hands taped and ready to go if called upon, after Meslier had flapped at a Bournemouth corner, presenting Jefferson Lerma with the opportunity to score a second goal in the space of four minutes.

The French goalkeeper has largely been able to put mistakes behind him during his Premier League stint, but increasingly of late, the 23-year-old has cost Leeds with avoidable errors. Meslier has chalked up three such errors leading to goals this season, with only Hugo Lloris recording more.

Taking Meslier out of the firing line might be the course of action Leeds’ head coach takes this weekend, favouring the experience and resolve of Robles, nine years Meslier’s senior. Leeds’ No. 1 has in recent weeks set a low bar for Robles’ hypothetical performance to meet, especially in terms of his kicking, which continues to present itself as an issue.

Passing accuracy

This season, Leeds have the third-poorest pass success rate in the division at 74 per cent. Only Nottingham Forest and Brentford have recorded lower figures throughout 2022/23 with both sides averaging less possession in any given fixture, meaning the Whites have made the most inaccurate passes of any team this year. Under Javi Gracia, the team do not appear to have made an improvement in this department, recording an average of 73.7 per cent accuracy across their 11 matches.

Leeds have likewise recorded the lowest pass accuracy of 42.9 per cent for long passes, categorised as those made over 30 yards, according to Opta data, too.

Left-back

The longest-running positional issue in Leeds United’s recent history appeared to have been resolved with the resurgence of Junior Firpo during Gracia's early encounters but the Spanish full-back has been out of the side in two of Leeds’ last three games. At Bournemouth, Jack Harrison was deployed on the left-hand side of a back five, required to cover the entire wing which proved too much as the Cherries targeted that side and forced an opener.

Recalling Firpo to the XI away at Man City, which is likely to see Leeds line up with a back five again, would provide greater defensive nous, whilst setting Harrison free to focus on his counter-attacking responsibilities and chance creation in transition.

Settled attack

Due to myriad reasons, Gracia has hardly been able to name a consistent attacking setup in his starting XIs since arriving in February. Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo’s fitness has been an issue, meaning one has been rested whilst the other plays and vice versa, starting alongside each other just once, against Leicester last week. Willy Gnonto was in the side, then out, and then recalled at the Vitality Stadium and it’s a similar story for Crysencio Summerville, while Luis Sinisterra’s season has been cut short by ankle ligament damage.

Then, there is Georginio Rutter, who featured from the start away to Chelsea out of necessity, but has found minutes hard to come by since then. In all, Gracia has used ten different attacking compositions in 11 league games.

Midfield two

Weston McKennie and Marc Roca’s central midfield partnership has left the pair helplessly exposed and struggling to complete the defensive work previously undertaken by the injured Tyler Adams. Neither player is a destructive presence off the ball and increasinly, no longer composed in possession, either. Due to the roles asked of them, both are now failing to perform their primary functions. Roca – primarily a technician – has been tasked with putting out fires throughout the middle third, while McKennie’s acclimation to the Premier League’s intensity has left the American in opposition headlights and behind developing play all too often.

Unfortunately for Leeds, alternatives are few and far between, with Adam Forshaw summoned from the bench on 70 minutes last weekend. But the 31-year-old recently returned from injury has only featured in 200 Premier League minutes this season, and reservations remain about his ability to play week-in, week-out.