George Overhill

Fri 24 February 2023 16:40, UK

Martin Keown has dismissed Leeds United as “rudderless” and cited “hard evidence” that they are beaten by long-ball tactics.

The Whites face Southampton at Elland Road on Saturday (25 February) in a high-stakes bottom of the table clash, with both sides having new Spanish managers in charge.

Javi Gracia’s work permit was granted, with an announcement coming minutes before his Friday press conference, on the same day Saints handed the reins to Ruben Selles for the rest of the season after he beat Chelsea 1-0 last week, leading Keown to back the visitors and criticise the Whites’ way of playing.

Speaking live on talkSPORT on Friday (24 February, 11.12am) Keown said: “When you look at this game now against Leeds. Leeds making a new appointment themselves, almost look rudderless.

“If I’m [Patrick] Bamford at the top of the team, the ball never comes in. They’ve got two talented wingers who are very tricky, but they never deliver the ball quick enough.

“They need to find a composure, Leeds, in the final third. We’ve talked about this many times.”

White added: “Do you know what, they’ve both had miserable seasons Martin, when it boils down to it. Southampton, rock bottom, and have lost more games than any other team in the Premier League.

“Leeds United, one above them in 19th, and they’ve won the fewest games in the Premier League, four out of 23.”

Keown called it a “must win game” for Leeds, but backed Southampton on the basis of Selles and James Ward-Prowse being impressive against Chelsea, despite White’s point that they have largely been terrible and that was just one game.

But the ex-Arsenal man went on: “It’s now time for Leeds to turn up and put a performance in, and actually win a game of football which is something they’ve not been able to do. They threaten.

“What teams do Jim when they play Leeds, they don’t play out from the back. There’s hard evidence that they play 10% more balls from the week before long. Last week [Jordan] Pickford said, ‘No, you’re not going to get any joy pressing, we’ll miss that out’.

“And they don’t have a way to score goals. They’ve got to find a way now with their new manager and build from there.”

Pressure

It is a small mercy that Gracia is at least going to be in the dug-out at Elland Road, which should inspire slightly more confidence from the home support than if he was in the stands alongside them.

But his preparations have been far from ideal with the work permit hold up, so the pressure is very much on for a game which could see Leeds United left bottom of the table if it doesn’t go to plan.

Southampton’s win at Chelsea was a major improvement for the Whites’ opponents, and a Selles team looks a far tougher proposition than the Nathan Jones iteration.

Gracia made clear to the club that he had a plan to win this game, so if the tactical deficiencies are as clear as Keown suggests fans will have to hope the Spaniard has identified them and come up with changes.

A win in his first game with the home fans behind him would be the perfect springboard to ignite a season rapidly spiralling out of control.

He might not be in the firing line personally if the result is a negative one, but given the chaos of the past few weeks there is going to be plenty of blame to go round.

In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay has shared news of one Jesse Marsch ally who was absent from the club’s announcement about the coaching staff.

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