Shoring up the defence and holding leads
It’s fairly conclusive where Leeds United’s to-do list starts. To have led on nine occasions in the Premier League since beating Chelsea, but converted just two of them into victories is a jagged pill to swallow.
On those seven occasions the lead was relinquished, opponents were equalising, on average, in less than nine minutes. Jesse Marsch has to address why this team cannot sit on a lead or see matches out for wins.
Only three clubs have conceded more than the Whites this season and no team has conceded more in the last six matches. While the goals have finally started to flow at the other end, it’s clean sheets and being hard to beat that really see you rise up this table.
READ MORE: Leeds United return ahead of testing regime with training camp and friendlies in the offing
Reintegrating the injured parties
The low-key good news from the final pre-match press conference before the break was Adam Forshaw’s return to training. Marsch said if the Tottenham Hotspur match had been three days later the midfielder would have possibly been in the matchday squad.
The 31-year-old has not played since the loss at Brighton & Hove Albion on August 27, or been on the bench since the Brentford loss on September 3. While his team-mates will be resting and recuperating, Forshaw should be continuing to ramp up his training ready for the return to Thorp Arch.
Patrick Bamford’s hip problem was described as a seven-day injury when he first did it, but the number nine failed to show at Tottenham on Saturday, eight days after the injury. The striker has to be in a position to help the team on December 28 with another six weeks to now get his body right.
There are bigger question marks for Luis Sinisterra and Stuart Dallas. The former’s Lisfranc injury has a vast breadth of recovery times based on rudimentary web searches, while Dallas, at long last, is approaching the 2023 return everyone hoped for.
Marsch has continued to be positive about the Northern Ireland international’s progress, but going from running to training and then full contact is a huge leap. There will be no pressure on Dallas to play by a certain date, but this break puts fewer obstacles between him and the light at the end of the tunnel he is working towards.
Marsch has previously said Dallas would be involved in any kind of training programmes put together for the December break. He said: "Stuart is making good progress and we’re planning on bringing him along with us with whatever we do.
"Hopefully we’ll have an announcement for what we do exactly in December soon, but he’ll be part of the group so that’s big progress there."
January transfers and contracts
Also on the order of business before Manchester City roll into town: the present and future of United’s squad. The January window will be four days away when Pep Guardiola’s side usher domestic football back into Leeds lives and Victor Orta needs to be in a position to move quickly.
The conversations between the board of directors, Orta, his scouting team and Marsch have been ongoing for some time, but final decisions will need to be made on who their targets are. A left-back and a striker seem the obvious picks from afar, but we have seen Leeds go against the grain in the past.
Marsch and Orta also need to boil down their prospective list of departures, permanent or loan. There are sure to be some craving more game time further afield and looking for that move.
Arguably before they even come to the new faces, United need to look at their current crop and tie down those they are serious about keeping beyond the 2024 expiry many of the contracts seem to have. Liam Cooper, Mateusz Klich, Rodrigo, Dallas, Diego Llorente, Robin Koch, Pascal Struijk and Jack Harrison will all be inside the final 18 months of their terms when 2023 arrives.
Living without Adams
Tyler Adams will be suspended for that first match after the break and based on how the team played without him against Fulham, they need to be in a far better spot for coping against the 21/22 champions. Forshaw seems to be the obvious solution if his training goes in the right direction and the club’s December friendlies will be vital in testing his mettle.
Sam Greenwood and Darko Gyabi seem to be the best alternatives alongside Marc Roca on December 28, but Marsch at least has a long period to prepare for the game without his American lynchpin.
Addressing Firpo’s status
The final decision in the summer took Leeds out of the window with Junior Firpo as their only natural, senior left-back, even if he wasn’t fit to start the season. It was a bold gamble United took and while Struijk has played better than many expected, it’s a stretch to say they have prospered without a natural back-up.
The aforementioned transfer plans will hopefully address the problem, but Firpo’s situation needs to be addressed too. The former Barcelona man has a deal to 2025, with major investment tied up in his transfer from 2021.
It was widely expected he would soon oust Struijk once fit, but after 14 matches, Firpo has played twice, amounting to 114 minutes. His Leeds career is meandering, trust in his abilities wanes and if the club are serious about his future they need to break him out of the current slump.
READ NEXT:
La Liga insight into Raphinha's Barcelona troubles and possible departure of ex-Leeds United man
Leeds United supporters' player ratings with Tyler Adams and Crysencio Summerville leading the way
Leeds United's Tottenham clue and transfer record may expose overpriced premium
Tyler Adams' and Kalvin Phillips' World Cup contrast mirrors familiar Leeds United story
Luke Ayling's broken with Leeds United tradition and taken key dressing room role
