Defensive question answered, Kalvin Phillips' vital role, Patrick Bamford's double figures - Leeds United Talking Points

LEEDS United's defence has been the subject of much discussion over the last five months.
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It all began in the summer - could the Whites land the previous season’s star loanee Ben White on a permanent deal?

The answer was, of course, no, with United instead moving for SC Freiburg’s German international defender Robin Koch before adding Spanish international centre-back Diego Llorente to the mix as well.

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It gave the club Llorente, Koch and Liam Cooper as their three first-choice natural centre-backs in addition to the options of Pascal Struijk, Luke Ayling and Kalvin Phillips, all of whom can do a job there if required.

JOB DONE: Luke Ayling, Stuart Dallas and Pascal Struijk with Whites 'keeper Illan Meslier after Sunday's 1-0 victory against Burnley at Elland Road. Photo by Nigel French - Pool/Getty Images.JOB DONE: Luke Ayling, Stuart Dallas and Pascal Struijk with Whites 'keeper Illan Meslier after Sunday's 1-0 victory against Burnley at Elland Road. Photo by Nigel French - Pool/Getty Images.
JOB DONE: Luke Ayling, Stuart Dallas and Pascal Struijk with Whites 'keeper Illan Meslier after Sunday's 1-0 victory against Burnley at Elland Road. Photo by Nigel French - Pool/Getty Images.

Just one week after the heaviest defeat of Marcelo Bielsa’s tenure, it was the latter trio asked to fulfil an extremely demanding job at Elland Road yesterday.

Llorente, injured. Koch, injured. Cooper, injured as Burnley fielded a front two which meant a Whites axis of a back three, as is Bielsa’s want.

It was a back three of essentially the three back-up options in Struijk, Ayling and Phillips.Yet amidst continued debate about the Whites defence it is a testament United’s back-up back three passed with flying colours for what should be a huge confidence boost for the second half of the campaign.

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Other than the fact that United’s three first-choice centre-backs were out injured, three main points stood out approaching Sunday’s clash against Burnley.

The first of them, especially in light of the absentees, was that Leeds had the leakiest defence in the division having conceded 30 goals in 14 games.

Six of those goals were shipped during the most recent outing via the previous weekend’s 6-2 hammering at Manchester United which offered a second big question - how would the Whites respond to the Old Trafford hiding?

And then there was the thorny matter of the set piece issue with Leeds having the worst record in the division at conceding from set pieces having leaked in nine goals from either free kicks or corners.

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With a tall and physical Burnley outfit a big threat at set pieces, it all threatened to create a very unwelcome cocktail in United’s first game back after Christmas at Elland Road.

Yet, whilst hardly comfortable viewing, United’s makeshift defence ultimately kept Sean Dyche’s Clarets out for a fifth clean sheet of the season that proved crucial with United failing to shine at the other end

In the end, Patrick Bamford’s fifth-minute penalty proved enough and really the questions after the game were perhaps why United failed to excel in attack like they can do, especially in the second half.

Leeds are always going to be open to conceding goals given the way they play but if the Whites continue to create so many chances and are reasonably clinical with their finishing then Bielsa’s side will get away with the odd concession at the other end.

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That was definitely not the case against the Clarets and even leaking in one would have been very costly.

Yet Ayling, Phillips and Struijk stood firm to a side that not surprisingly looked to bombard the Whites aerially with 12 corners, eight free-kicks and a continued stream of crosses throughout the game.

There were some dicey moments, particularly midway through the first half when Leeds were awarded what looked like a very soft free kick for an alleged foul on Illan Meslier shortly before Ashley Barnes walloped home a half volley.

Ben Mee was deemed to have fouled Meslier as the keeper looked to claim a free-kick but in actual fact it looked a case of the other way round.

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That said, some more fine goalkeeping from United’s French ‘keeper proved crucial in helping the Whites to victory. Leeds were also helped by some wayward Burnley finishing with Chris Wood and Jay Rodriguez in particular failing to make the most of decent chances.

Yet ultimately Leeds were also taken over the line by some fine defending and Phillips deserves particular praise for some crucial headers to clear very dangerous crosses, especially considering the England international’s height which is not enormous at five-foot-ten.

Questions will be continued to be asked about United’s defence and this week’s forthcoming opponents, West Brom and Tottenham Hotspur, will ask varying ones as the Whites seek to climb the table.

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Thank you Laura Collins

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