Leeds 0 v 1 Wolves PL 19/10/20

Themes/Observations

(A) Wolves were fortunate to win from a deflected goal. Leeds unlucky not to get a point.

(B) Wolves defending as a back 5 was exceptionally poor, particularly in wide areas. It will be helpful to list all the occasions first to demonstrate the severity of the issue & then seek to ascertain why?

(B)(i) 3rd min - Saiss caught ball watching. Failed to track Costa’s run. Leeds win a corner.
(B) (ii) 5th min - Saiss fouls Costa. Free kick. Leeds caught out again in the channel.
(B) (iii) 9th min - Wolves exposed in behind again. Costa goes down. No penalty.

(B) (iv) In the first 15min all Leeds’ attacks were down Wolves’ left.
(B) (v) 58th min - Semedo turns his back on Harrison who ghosts in behind him.
(B) (vi) 65th min - This time Dallas gets the ball in behind in to the channel to Harrison.

(B) (vii) 77th min - Harrison in behind Semedo again via a 2 v 1 situation created by Leeds
(B) (viii) 83rd min - Long diagonal ball catches out Semedo & Rafinha gets cross in.
(B) (ix) 93rd min - Rafinha gets in behind Semedo again but can’t get cross in.

(C) So, this is at least 8 occasions when Leeds got in behind the wing backs. How does that happen when playing 5 at the back? One reason is Leeds keeper initially kept playing to Ayling in the deeper position who then dictated play.

(C) c’ued - As mentioned in a previous Wolves game, Moutinho doesn’t have the legs to get out to his man.

(C) (ii) Another reason is Saiss is simply not good enough tracking runners. See analysis of previous Wolves game.

(D) Eventually Podence dropped to help out but this meant Wolves were boxed in with less of an out ball for counters.

(E) In fact Saiss is so poor that when Podence dropped in to stop Ayling, giving him only one option, Ayling played the ball in to the channel in injury time of the first half & Kilman had to come across to cover with Saiss not in the picture.

(F) Another theme in this game was Jiminez’s lackadaisical attitude in screening passes to Phillips to prevent Leeds building up play through him. See 68th min as a good example of this.

(G) As has become norm, Wolves got better in the 2nd half, but this was partially to do with Leeds drop in intensity. Photograph attached is a good example of this. Wolves have a throw in. Ayling is a fraction slower to challenge. Podence gets there before him.

(G) c’ued - Podence lays it round the corner. Again the Leeds player is 2nd best. The ball goes back to Podence & Ayling can’t keep up. Podence shoots & Leeds keeper makes a good save.

(H) So why did Leeds not score despite getting in behind at least 8 times? Generally the delivery was poor. Costa & Harrison need to improve. Perhaps Leeds fans can suggest an alternative in their squad.

(I) Wolves have to give Marcal a shout as a wing back. Surely he can’t be any worse than Saiss.

(J) Wolves lack mobility in midfield when defending. As mentioned previously, Moutinho & Neves are weak in sprinting, closing & aggression. Wolves tried to rectify that by dropping Neves in the last couple of games, but today was not much better.

(K) Man of the Match - Ayling. Was a constant threat attacking wise and generally solid at the back, bar one or two moments.