Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch facing 'huge problem' ahead of friendly but he's far from alone

Leeds United title winner Tony Dorigo writes exclusively for the Yorkshire Evening Post as the Whites eye a much-needed improvement in the second of three public mid-season friendlies, when Real Sociedad visit Elland Road on Friday night.
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Leeds United's second friendly has to represent a big step forward from their first.

I suppose it looked like both sides hadn't played football in a while, because it was more about getting a foot in than a foot on the ball. It was a little surprising how well Elche played in the first half, with a new manager for the umpteenth time this season, and hard to believe they haven't won a game in LaLiga. They started well, we had to combat that and didn't do it very well at all. In the second half things got better, both sides made changes and in the end we came through it.

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These sorts of games are really important for the mental and fitness side, they're about getting back at it because you can do all the training you want but any player will tell you there's just nothing like playing a proper game. In that sense it was good, and the downsides were obviously injuries, no one wants to see that.

I was trying to detect any hint of new tactics, or set-piece work during the game, but in general it didn't really come together enough for me. That's what we'll want to see against Real Sociedad, when we'll probably have a stronger XI starting that one.

Tyler Adams is back from the World Cup, although he's in a slightly strange situation because he'll be suspended for Manchester City and so Adam Forshaw will be the one being prioritised and built up for that game, along with Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen. They might well get their first post-tournament minutes.

It will be frustrating for Adams - he had a wonderful time at the World Cup and he would have liked to have got straight back in and showed how much he's grown even over the last few weeks. It's not to be, but no doubt he'll be helping, cajoling, supporting the team, both the youngsters and those more experienced, to produce against Manchester City.

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What we need is to see on Friday night, no matter who starts, is a little bit more accuracy on the ball and being more in control, because were weren't at all at Elche.

BIG IMPROVEMENT - Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch will want to see some more progress in his side's performance when they take on Real Sociedad at Elland Road. Pic: GettyBIG IMPROVEMENT - Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch will want to see some more progress in his side's performance when they take on Real Sociedad at Elland Road. Pic: Getty
BIG IMPROVEMENT - Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch will want to see some more progress in his side's performance when they take on Real Sociedad at Elland Road. Pic: Getty

Jesse Marsch will want to build some momentum and generate some positivity around Elland Road in the first home friendly, and that's a huge problem with this crazy mini-break, for everyone. You don't know where everyone is, across the the division, in terms of player focus, their fitness levels and it's almost as if everything has being thrown up into the air again, like it is in the summer. It’s just like pre-season, again. All momentum has gone, fans don’t quite know what to expect, and that could be true for any side. It's frustrating because when you look back at Liverpool, the comeback against Bournemouth and even when we played at Tottenham and looked full of goals, even if there were defensive lessons to learn, there was a slight pattern developing.

Now, and certainly judging from the Elche game, that has gone out the window and you're starting to piece the bits together again, so it's all about making sure things start to come together. It is fitness, it is minutes in the legs, but you want to see some progress as well because when we start again we'll be into arguably the most important part of the season, when you can make great strides and get a lot of points in a short space of time. There are interesting and unique times ahead.