What do Leeds United need to do to turn around this run of form?

Christiansen and Radrizzani – keeping the faith

Until this weekend just gone, Leeds had lost four of the last five matches in all competitions, a seriously bad run for a team aspiring to promotion. The fact that three of those were league games serves to highlight the sharp contrast between our form up until just three weeks ago when we were top of the league and the present – when we now sit in fourth place only thanks to Saturday’s three point, three goal haul at Bristol City.

As we said in our post mortem of the Reading game last week, and even given the victory at Bristol – as one swallow does not a summer make –  the situation is dire at the moment. So what do the Whites have to do to turn it around? Let’s assess the options…

Is the manager the problem?

Absolutely not – I’m not even going to pussyfoot around with this one. Part of the problem at the club in recent years is the revolving door they seem to have installed in the manager’s office. We’ve had six managers in the last three years and none of them have had enough time to make their mark. What we need now is stability, not someone else coming in to rock the boat.

Leeds were unbeaten until mid-September when we lost 1-0 to Millwall and the team were a real joy to watch. Our emphatic 5-0 win over Burton Albion was a masterclass in tactics and showed the quality in the squad. Just a few weeks ago, the Whites were second favourites for promotion at 2/1 (mid-September). Now the odds our higher at 4/1, it may be worthwhile taking advantage of those bonuses and free football tips at Bethut.

After the Burton game, Nigel Clough held his hands up to concede Leeds’ sheer quality. None of the five goals we scored against Clough’s side were his goalkeeper’s fault – our movement and finishing made us unstoppable.

Despite the drop in our fortunes of late, the Leeds United board are clearly confident Christiansen can turn things around. After starting the season with all guns blazing, time is the very least the new manager deserves. Let’s face it – three wins won’t get us into the Premier League and three defeats don’t mean our campaign is over either.

Do we just need to regain confidence?

As the Secret Footballer says in an article in the guardian from 2012, there’s a strong correlation between lack of confidence and loss of form. Footballers are only human, after all. It stands to reason that confidence can waver when a run of four defeats in five games follows such glorious form.

Some players’ heads had started to drop – this was clear to anyone who watched the nervous way in which Pablo Hernandez took that late penalty against Reading. When we were flying high at the start of the season, Christiansen told us to expect ‘bad moments’ – and he was bang on. So instead of panicking, what we really need to do is get behind our team!

Post-Bristol update

And, as if to confirm the wisdom of that philosophy – what a difference a week has made! Saturday’s comprehensive win over a Bristol City with only one previous league defeat all season has completely changed perspectives. It’s amazing how one good win can do that. We’re still going strong in the playoffs and, apart from Beradi (anyone know what went on there – the footage was hardly conclusive), there was much to be pleased about – although we must not now rest on our laurels.

As many fans commented during the match, the Viera – Kalvin Phillips – O’Kane trio in midfield worked wonders and looks like the way forward, with far more energy and bite in that midfield area..

Top marks to TC and the lads too for dedicating the match to Stuart Dallas after his mother’s tragic passing last week – we also extend our condolences to Stuart and his family. MOT always.