MOT Tactics: Leeds United have to expose glaring Everton weakness
Leeds United travel to Goodison Park today (Saturday) to take on relegation-threatened Everton and they need to keep the Toffees at arm’s length.
Frank Lampard has recently taken charge of the Merseyside club but their misery was compounded by Newcastle in midweek, losing 3-1 at St. James’ Park.
It’s a crucial game for both sides and Marcelo Bielsa has to make sure he gets things right to stop the Whites from being dragged into the mire themselves.
Thankfully, and understandably, there are some glaring problems with the way Everton defend and it plays right into Leeds United’s strengths.
The best players at Bielsa’s disposal are fast and tricky wingers, something that Everton simply couldn’t cope with in the Northeast as Allan Saint-Maximin tore the defence to pieces on more than one occasion.
The Magpies’ second goal perfectly highlighted the lack of discipline in Everton’s defence and how it can be exploited with little trouble.
As Newcastle attacked down the right, they quickly shifted the ball into the midfield and forced Mason Holgate to come charging out of his position towards the ball.
That left a huge gap behind him that any onrushing midfielder could surge into and have a free shot on goal which would suit the likes of Mateusz Klich and Rodrigo if they were to start.
There was no onrushing midfielder on this occasion so Joelinton, the player on the ball, managed to role across Holgate and start bearing down on the penalty area.
Here, he could have used his strength to power through the gap left but Seamus Coleman does well to cover his teammate’s error.
He becomes very narrow which opens up room for Saint-Maximin out wide.
Usually, that is where you want the ball to go as a defender but the Frenchman had so much more speed than the ageing Coleman that he easily made it to the byline and crossed for Ryan Fraser to eventually convert.
Raphinha, Dan James and Rodrigo himself can all play out wide and cause similar problems for Lampard’s Everton and that will be the key to unlocking the door in Merseyside on Saturday.
In other Leeds United news, the Magpies are locked in talks over this AFCON star who Leeds also want to sign this summer.