MOT Tactics: Leeds finally mix things up with devastating effect v Boro
Leeds United put a few things to bed with their emphatic 4-0 win against Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Firstly, goals. Leeds hadn’t scored more than two in the league at Elland Road all season. They scored two each half on Saturday and could have got more.
However, for the first time since the opening game of the season, they smashed their xG for the game, which was 1.75. That helps level the stats for the season, although it still reads – Goals: 28, xG: 36.67. [WyScout]
There’s a way to go before Leeds get back to parity.
The fourth goal, scored by Mateusz Klich – his second of the game – was also the first Leeds had scored from outside the box since the opening game of the season against Bristol City. That one was scored by Pablo Hernandez.
However, as awesome as the strike from Klich was, the aspect of the goal that pleased us most was that it came from a short corner.
We’ve talked before about the curious case of Leeds and corners this season and have been urging Marcelo Bielsa to mix things up from the standard ‘float a long ball in and hope’ routine that had seen Leeds score just one goal from over 120 corners.
We’re not going to take credit for the short corner that found its way to Klich, who curled an incredible shot into the top corner of the net. But we are happy that Leeds have finally started to think things through and are trying something different.
The win sent Leeds back to the top, although West Brom can change that when they travel to Preston tonight – they’re also looking for their fifth win in a row.
However, the gap back to third is five points now and after flagging an easy run of fixtures for Leeds, it’s extremely pleasing to see Bielsa’s men go on the sort of run they’ve been threatening all season.
In other Leeds United news: ‘It’s important’ – Paul Robinson claims Leeds should offer 31y/o new two-year deal