Junior Firpo's unseen Leeds United influence revealed as Gracia tactic unlocks Barcelona potential

Leeds’ perceived lack of width under Javi Gracia’s predecessor Jesse Marsch was a bone of contention amongst Whites fans throughout the American’s tenure as head coach at Elland Road. Since arriving, Gracia has delivered seven points from four Premier League games, including wins over relegation rivals Southampton and most recently Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The head coach has not explicitly stated his intention to play with greater width, but his team have certainly operated using all available space on the pitch. Combined with a more balanced, level-headed approach – as seen by Leeds’ reluctance to engage Brighton’s central defenders in possession, instead waiting for specific pressing triggers – United have in recent matches resembled a team who appear more mid-table than relegation fodder.

There remains a long way to go before the end of the season and several important matches to come versus teams around Leeds in the table, but Gracia’s introduction has coincided with an upturn in form by individuals, not just the collective.

One such player seemingly benefitting from the change is left-back Junior Firpo who started his sixth league game in-a-row last weekend. The defender has buddied up with Willy Gnonto and Jack Harrison on the left flank which has paid dividends in terms of Leeds’ ability to create chances.

The 26-year-old was signed from Barcelona as a full-back who frequently made runs into opposition penalty areas and carried a threat going forward but left a little to be desired in his defensive duties. His spell at Leeds has been a difficult one, until now, beset by injuries, poor form and illness, all robbing him of continuity in the side.

While the team’s marked improvement is not solely due to Firpo’s influence, there is enough evidence to suggest he is certainly contributing.

Prior to Gracia’s arrival, when central defender Pascal Struijk was preferred at left-back, Leeds attempted 119 crosses from the left-hand side in 28 matches – an average of 4.25 per game.

In Leeds’ last five matches, all of which Firpo has started, the team have recorded 33 crosses from the left flank – an average of 6.6 per game.

Furthermore, the success with which Leeds are finding men in the middle has increased, too. Of the 33 attempted open play crosses in Leeds’ last five fixtures, 16 have been successful, per InStat. This is compared to just one successful open play cross from the right-hand side in the same period.

Diversionary runs which occupy defenders, aggressive positioning when Leeds attack, accurate link-up and pinpoint crossing have all been employed by Firpo and his peers on Leeds’ left-hand side.

There were several warning signs for Southampton during United’s 1-0 win in Gracia’s first game at the helm. From the first minute, Firpo made underlapping runs into the penalty area from the left-hand channel to afford Gnonto additional time on the ball, allowing him to send crosses into the box. It was from that area of the pitch that Firpo drifted into, took receipt of Harrison’s back-heel and scored the game’s only goal.

Against Wolves, Firpo employed the same tactic ensuring that his run – or the threat of making one – needed to be tracked by either Pedro Neto or Nelson Semedo, denying Wolves the chance to double up on Gnonto who was ultimately able to drive to the byline and cross for Jack Harrison’s opener.

Teams will wise up to Leeds’ attacking patterns but the very existence of them is a step in the right direction, tactically. Harrison’s aforementioned opening goal last weekend came after a 90-second passage of play in which Gnonto and Firpo used the full width of the pitch to stretch and knead Wolves’ defence in order to glean an opening. It was on the third occasion of finding Gnonto during that brief window that Leeds went in front.

Gracia will not have the benefit of working with the teenage Italian during the international break, but Firpo and Harrison will remain at Thorp Arch, where the possibility of working on further attacking patterns is something the coaching team may explore.