Leeds United ‘feeling the pain’ as Javi Gracia looks to lift players amid ‘most fragile’ verdict
Javi Gracia must lift the “most fragile” dressing room at Leeds United with his players “feeling the pain” according to The Times.
The Spaniard was at a loss to explain two consecutive home thrashings at the hands of Crystal Palace and then Liverpool, but must rouse his players to a response somehow when they travel to Fulham in the early Saturday kick off (22 April).
However, with the relegation battle hanging in the balance the suggestion has emerged that the fortitude of the group that he has at his disposal is not that strong, after 11 goals conceded in the space of eight days.
In the Times report Martin Hardy writes: “The former Watford head coach is no ranter but even he called the current run of form and performances “unacceptable”.
“He accepted the growing criticism from Leeds supporters that the players have given the impression that they do not actually care, but assured fans that they are feeling the pain during this run as he tries to keep the most fragile of dressing rooms together.”
Brittle
Leeds United fans are painfully aware that this is not the united front it once was under Marcelo Bielsa, and while the wheels had come off of his second season the squad has gone through a huge amount of change since.
Star men Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha left in the summer, and fan favourite Mateusz Klich departed in January, while now-former manager Jesse Marsch was backed heavily in the transfer market by Victor Orta and then sacked.
Previous leaders like Liam Cooper and Luke Ayling are at best in and out of the line up, while long-time iron man Stuart Dallas has been missing for a year with injury.
Rodrigo stepped up this season under Marsch but he and Patrick Bamford have both been cycling from the pitch to the treatment room themselves, while a number of the other key players are youngsters.
All that, coupled with Gracia only being in place for two months, and the fact that it is widely known that there is set to be a change of ownership, makes for an unsettled environment at Elland Road when things take a turn for the worse.
That might explain why conceding a leveller to Palace on the stroke of half time on 4 April has apparently shaken the side so badly when prior to that they had picked up some key results.
Whether “most fragile” is an accurate description or not, a fight back of some description is going to be necessary at Craven Cottage or the slump could become terminal.
In other Leeds United news, £350million in profit is on the table and the Champions League winners are not out of reach.