Leeds United are in crisis. The Premier League club are floundering just above the relegation zone by goal difference with two wins in their last 11 games.
Javi Gracia has not had the desired impact at Elland Road since taking over from Jesse Marsch in February - who could have seen that coming? He is expected to be relieved of his duties later today. Gracia’s appointment was unexpected to say the least and it highlights that the club have ripped up any attempts at developing a long-term strategy to just ensure they can stay in the Premier League and keep the money tap running.
The Yorkshire outfit have been on a rapid decline in the top flight since things turned sour under the heroic Marcelo Bielsa in their second season back among English football’s elite. As soon as teams found solutions to Leeds’ free-flowing football their weaknesses were greatly exposed. The biggest has always been their defence. There is no structure, no discipline. You feel that the players who make up their back line have never played together at all, they look lost.
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In recent weeks they have conceded four goals against Arsenal and AFC Bournemouth, five against Crystal Palace and six against Liverpool. The frustration in the stands has led to the fans turning on the boardroom as they sense that Leeds will be returning to the Championship next season.
The outrage from fans has led owner Andrea Radrizzani to make some ruthless decisions. Director of football Victor Orta was sacked on Tuesday, having supported Radrizzani since 2017 and being integral to Leeds’ recent revival and return to the top flight. But the club’s current plight leaves him with no credit in the bank as failed coaches Marsch and Gracia were his appointments.
As Gracia and Orta head for the exit, familiar face Sam Allardyce is set to come through the front door to take charge of Leeds’ final four games of the season in a desperate attempt to save them from relegation. The former fleeting England head coach has a wealth of experience in the Premier League and has only suffered relegation to the Championship once, which unfortunately was his last role with West Bromwich Albion in 2020-21.
Leeds’ long-term strategy has been slowly fading into the grey since returning to the Premier League and it is likely to cost them as it doesn’t seem like Allardyce is going to have the time needed to make an impact and pull off a miraculous escape. At least in former rescue jobs he has had a period of time to bring his principles to the fore but that just isn't the case in the Whites' current situation.
The current Leeds squad have been trying, unsuccessfully, to continue their attacking football but the results are still not forthcoming. Allardyce is going to rip up the book when he takes over and do his best to organise a side that has conceded 67 goals this term, the most in the division.
Fans will need to be prepared for the difference in approach that the 68-year-old will bring because it is not going to be pretty, but it tends to lead to results. However, Leeds’ final four fixtures aren't the easiest as they face Manchester City (A), Newcastle United (H), West Ham United (A) and Tottenham Hotspur (H). With just four games to go you wonder what is the point of changing manager at this stage, but once again it highlights Leeds’ desperation and that they are only thinking about the short-term future.
Allardyce will certainly have his work cut out for him to get Leeds over the line but, regardless of what division Leeds are in next year, the club needs a huge sit down in the summer to evaluate where they go from here. The current model has failed, the club has been sleepwalking towards relegation ever since teams were able to crack the code to Bielsa’s style and Orta has failed to find a suitable solution to keep Leeds on their upward trajectory.
When the season draws to a close, Leeds need to find a new identity and put the foundations in place behind the scenes and in the dugout whereby everyone is on the same page and pulling towards the same goal. The past 18 months have been catastrophic to say the least and it has been self-inflicted.
Leeds have undone all the hard work they achieved in getting the club back to the promised land as they now look disjointed, leaving themselves in a weakened position to make an immediate return to the Premier League should the worst happen.
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