Javi Gracia's Leeds United tweaks revealed including 'L-shape', width and limiting factors

The Spanish coach has only been afforded a limited number of training sessions with the squad, but Leeds’ players have already delivered one win and a litany of goalscoring opportunities during their second encounter under Gracia’s stewardship.

First-team coach Michael Skubala preceded Gracia as caretaker boss for three Premier League matches and spoke of the need for pragmatism prior to the Whites’ trip to Old Trafford at the beginning of last month. Despite Tuesday evening’s FA Cup exit to Fulham, Leeds did manage to restrict the Cottagers’ attacking effectiveness as the London side registered just 0.20 in the way of Expected Goals (xG) on the night. Similarly, Southampton recorded just 0.36 xG at Elland Road last Saturday, according to InfoGol. Leeds, meanwhile, have exceeded 1.00 xG in both of Gracia’s fixtures.

Gracia’s Leeds have attempted to utilise the wide areas of the pitch more than under predecessor Jesse Marsch. United’s full-backs have been encouraged to overlap in attacking phases of play, remaining close to the touchline in order to stretch the pitch. Leeds’ 1-0 win over Southampton saw Junior Firpo and Willy Gnonto combine well down the left flank during the first half, before eventually finding the game’s only goal courtesy of Firpo’s advanced position whereby the Spaniard darted inside from the left and slotted underneath Saints stopper Gavin Bazunu.

Against Fulham, only Gracia’s second match at the helm, Leeds started with Rasmus Kristensen as right-sided centre-back and Luke Ayling at right-back, where the Dane has previously been utilised. In build-up phases of play, Leeds would see defensive midfielder Tyler Adams drop between the central defenders, allowing Kristensen to shuffle towards his more natural position, whilst encouraging Ayling to join the midfield line, resembling something of an ‘L-shape’.

Instead of retaining numerical superiority in the middle of the pitch, where play tends to be more hurried and congested, Gracia instructed his team to overload the wider areas. As a result, Leeds were able to penetrate Fulham down the sides and in the channels more often, forcing the home side’s shape to oscillate from left-to-right as they looked to put out fires on one side of the pitch, then the other.

Question marks remain over the suitability of Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams as a double pivot at the base of midfield, though, concerns which are likely shared by Gracia given his decision to push McKennie forward and deploy Marc Roca alongside Adams on Tuesday night. The American pair are destructive, shuttling players who cover lots of ground, but lack line-breaking vision or ball-retention qualities synonymous with most Premier League midfields.

Adams and McKennie’s strengths are quite considerable for a team designed to play dynamic, transitional football, but if Gracia intends to adopt a possession-based system, the pair’s on-ball weaknesses will be a limiting factor. Furthermore, if McKennie is seen as a viable option at No. 10, does he require the creative nous to service the likes of Rutter, Bamford and Rodrigo with through-balls, all of whom are capable of running the channels?

These are the practical questions that will be put to Gracia and his staff over the coming weeks as Leeds prepare to face Chelsea this Saturday, before hosting Brighton and Hove Albion the following weekend.