'They crumbled' - Leeds United must learn from Championship promotion failure amid 'pressure' criticism
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Danny Mills insists Leeds United must handle the promotion pressure better after ‘crumbling’ in the final weeks of last season.
Leeds are well-placed to fight for a top-two spot again this season, with their 2-0 win over QPR before the international break leaving them two points off both Sunderland and Sheffield United. Daniel Farke’s side are considered hot favourites with Blades boss Chris Wilder labelling them ‘head and shoulders’ above anyone else following their defeat at Elland Road last month.
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Hide AdBut Leeds were also widely fancied last season, particularly after a 13-game unbeaten run which sent them top during the March international break. But after extending that run by two more, Farke’s side took just four points from their final six matches before losing the play-off final against Southampton.
Another busy summer was well-managed in West Yorkshire and Farke might argue to have a more balanced squad despite losing more than £120million worth of talent, with the Whites certainly enjoying a faster start. But Mills has warned of the increase in pressure once the margin for error slims.
“I think that was always gonna be big, players that had left or gone away when they first got relegated coming back in,” Mills told talkSPORT. “Most of them have settled in pretty well, so they're doing okay within that. I think recruitment has been decent. Tanaka looks a really good player. And his relationship with Rothwell in that midfield has been really key. They are good players, and they have energy as well. So they're doing well.
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Hide Ad“They've just got to find that consistency, and they just have to make sure that the pressure doesn't get to them. Towards the end of last season, expectations were that you have to win every single game, you have to win, and they just couldn't quite get over the line. They crumbled a little bit. They crumbled under that pressure.
“I've always said they are one of the best groups of fans in the world when things are going well. When things are not going so well, you get murmurs very, very quickly, because they expect. They've had a long tradition of fantastic players, of great teams and they expect heart, desire, work-rate and quality. And that's not easy to match, especially when you're in the Championship.”
Leeds will hope to have learned from last season’s failings and brought in plenty of experience over the summer, with Joe Rothwell and Jayden Bogle both enjoying Championship promotion campaigns recently while Ao Tanaka and Manor Solomon are international regulars. The likes of Willy Gnonto, Ethan Ampadu and Junior Firpo will all have learned valuable lessons from last season as well.
The Whites return to action at Swansea City on Sunday, the first of a more favourable fixture run that Farke will be desperate to take advantage of. Leeds could go top if they win and results elsewhere go their way.