What has happened at Leeds United? It seems only yesterday that they looked like a revitalised club as they picked apart Chelsea 3-0 at Elland Road in August. But now they are winless in their last seven Premier League matches and they lie 16th in the table on nine points, the same amount as Wolverhampton Wanderers in 18th.
As the Yorkshire outfit were beaten by fellow strugglers Leicester City 2-0 at home on Thursday night, some fans showed their discontent towards American boss Jesse Marsch with the name of former manager Marcelo Bielsa being sung around the ground. It doesn’t sound good for Marsch's future at the helm, does it?
The 48-year-old took over from Bielsa toward the back end of last season as things began to spiral on the pitch. He managed to steer the club to Premier League safety as they finished one place and three points above the relegation zone.
READ MORE:
-
How Much Each Point Has Cost Premier League Clubs So Far In 2022-23
-
Pochettino, Beale and Frank: The names in the frame for the Aston Villa job
Hoping to avoid another nightmare scenario in 2022-23, the club invested significant funds in six key signings in the summer who have all cemented places in Marsch’s starting lineup, including two fellow Americans, Brenden Aaronson and Tyler Adams.
Each player appeared to be bringing some much-needed quality to Leeds and things were looking promising as they picked up seven points after their first three games, capped off with their stunning victory over the Blues.
But since that match, the Whites haven’t won a single top-flight game, losing five out their last seven, three of which have come in their last three. This has gotten fans concerned about the style of play which Marsch has implemented, with some feeling it leaves them too susceptible to defeats.
@Radabe_Leeds is a fan who is concerned, particularly at how easy it was for Leicester to attack and exploit their weaknesses in their most recent outing.
He tells The Sportsman: “I'm starting to doubt the style of play over anything else. Leicester exposed how easy it is to pick us apart on the wings. We play very narrow and Marsch prioritises causing chaos down the middle of the pitch over working the ball out wide and creating space. I'm not sure it's going to work over the course of the season.”
He also states that a lack of goals are costing Leeds massively. In their 10 games played so far, they have scored 11 - with only AFC Bournemouth, Everton, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers scoring less.
“Put simply, we need to start scoring more goals and cut out individual errors.
“Silly mistakes are costing us points and at this level you can't afford to be doing this. We're currently spiralling towards the relegation zone so it's easy to say Marsch isn't the right man. But we are crying out for a fully fit striker who can score and a natural left-back that is better than what we already have. So maybe the issues we are having run deeper than the manager. Only time will tell.”
Under Bielsa, their main source of goals had been Patrick Bamford, who has scored 19 goals in the Premier League since Leeds were promoted in 2019-20. But the striker has had a tough time of it over the last year as he picked up three injuries in 2021-22 which saw him miss a total of 30 games. The Grantham-born star has not looked the same player since and it is having an impact on Leeds.
But for the amount the club have spent this term, Marsch should arguably be achieving better results than he is currently getting. In the 22 league matches he has overseen, he has won just six, giving him a win rate 27%.
To put this into context, Steven Gerrard, who was sacked by Villa on Thursday night after a 3-0 loss at Fulham, had a 31.5% win rate from 38 Premier League matches. The ex-Liverpool star had been subjected to a campaign from the Villa supporters who wanted him out. Before his sacking after the Fulham loss, they were heard chanting "Steven Gerrard, get out of our club".
And if results don’t improve for Leeds, Marsch could suffer a similar fate. Following Bielsa’s name being sung on Thursday evening, the fuse that Villa fans lit calling for Gerrard's head could have just ignited among the Leeds faithful towards their own manager.
While @Radebe_Leeds is not calling for the American to go just yet, there is a former Premier League boss he would love to come in and follow in their former Argentine boss’ footsteps.
He says: “Having lived through an era where we changed managers every six months, I'm always wary of changing faces and the impact it can have on the team. If push does come to shove though, I'd love to see Mauricio Pochettino at the club, but that is very much wishful thinking.”
Leeds face Fulham at Elland Road this afternoon in a match that could intensify the pressure on Marsch's position if their torrid run were to continue.
