Why little details are key for Leeds United to rectify Marcelo Bielsa's set piece problem - Dominic Matteo

The golden rule in defending, especially at set-pieces, is that you have your man and you take care of him.

The one thing Leeds United are not doing very well is staying with men properly – we’re letting them get away from us.

What I didn’t like in the West Ham defeat was seeing Dallas marking their biggest man, Tomáš Souček, because it’s a big a mismatch. We could be more organised when it comes to who is picking up who.

I know sometimes it comes down to height but you’ve got to be strong, you’ve got to get your body in the way.

You have to get in his face, right in his face, as tight as you can. I know players are scared to give fouls away now but looking at that first goal, it looked like Soucek wanted it a bit more.

You don’t often see that from Dallas or Leeds.

The attention to detail isn’t good enough, we’re not blessed with good height, I know Liam Cooper and others will throw their heads in but you’ve got to get really close to your man and not give him the space to get a good leap and a header in.

Leeds will always be fine in open play but I don’t think they understand the reading of a cross that well. The flight of the ball is so important and when opposition sides are attacking them, we’re not.

I didn’t see the necessary anticipation from our defending, where you read the situation and get to the ball first.

David Moyes will have said let’s stand a few crosses up and see how they cope and Leeds struggled.

In those first few minutes, look at the best defenders in the world, like Virgin Van Dijk, they win their headers and their tackles. I don’t think we’re winning enough battles.

Maybe it’s a conversation the players need. When I was playing sometimes we needed to get together, a little group, and ask what we were getting wrong, how we were going to make it better. I’m sure they are doing that, because we know the attention to detail at Leeds is incredible.

It’s the little details that need to be done well if you want to play at the highest level. In the Championship you might get away with it but against West Ham if they get a chance it’s usually in the back of the net.

We are going to get goals, we got a bit of luck against the Hammers with Klich’s penalty because I think we’re going too far with VAR, but the concentration levels have maybe dropped a tad defensively.

You would like to see a settled back four but injuries have made that difficult.

I’m a bit nervous watching Leeds defend at the minute, every time a cross comes in you just fear the opposition will get a chance and that can’t be the case in the Premier League, teams will find you out and take advantage.

I hate being so critical, it maybe seems as if I’m always going for the defenders but that’s just how I see the game. I’ve conceded goals, I’ve made mistakes myself and had to learn harsh lessons.

If you want to play at the highest level you have to rectify it at some point, it can’t happen week in and week out.

It’s alright playing the nice football but I’ll harp on all day long about the basics. With the players we have, if we get the basics right, we’ll achieve a lot more.

The Premier League is tough, you have to be up for that fight and tonight’s game will be difficult, yet again.

You wouldn’t think Steve Bruce will go completely open against Leeds. He’s a shrewd boss, a good guy who knows football inside out, played at the top level, has managed at a high level.

Set-pieces will be massive. That was something he was brilliant at, as a player. He’ll be saying to his players ‘stick a few balls in the air and let’s see how they get on.’

Bruce has got goals in a couple of players, Miguel Almirón looks like the one for me who can go on and achieve more.

This is a game Newcastle will feel they can win, so they’ll be motivated and they’ll be physical. It’s so important Leeds start well, not just on the ball.

And then it’s the big one, probably the biggest game for Leeds fans, against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

You’ve heard Paul Scholes and Fergie talk about how difficult it was to play against Leeds in that era, how tough and physical it was, how aggressive the fans were.

I’m gutted the first league game between the sides will be behind closed doors. Even at Old Trafford the Leeds fans made a racket.

The players will know what’s at stake and they know this Manchester United team will give you opportunities. It’s winnable.

In a year when we’ve already lost so much and so many, the news about Gérard Houllier is incredibly sad.

He was a lovely guy who really understood the game.

We had a few disagreements at Liverpool but everything he said was right.

I met him briefly at a charity dinner and we had a good chat, I’m so glad we did.

He was a top manager and he was a fighter. I’m gutted for his family.

Dominic Matteo's column, in association with Data Facilities