Leeds United head coach Jesse Marsch is busy preparing his side for the return of the Premier League season. Manchester City travel to Elland Road on December 28 and Marsch will be keen to see his side make strides forward as they look to move away from the relegation zone in the New Year.
Seeing as it is Christmas, here’s what might be on Marsch’s festive wish list.
Injuries to clear up
The Whites were missing 10 senior names on Wednesday night as they took on AS Monaco in their final mid-season friendly and that was a cause of concern for many. Marsch moved to ease supporters’ fears on Thursday by outlining his confidence that most of those absentees would be involved against City, but it seems some are facing a race against time.
Jack Harrison, Liam Cooper, Crysencio Summerville, Rodrigo, Patrick Bamford and Tyler Adams are all carrying minor injuries at present. However, Marsch hopes to see them all in action before the New Year, along with Illan Meslier and Mateusz Klich, who missed the Monaco game through illness.
The head coach could do with good news when it comes to Luis Sinisterra and Stuart Dallas, too. Sinisterra has been out since October with a foot issue and, as one of Marsch’s chief attacking threats, the head coach will no doubt be making regular checks on his recovery.
Dallas’ return will be a welcome one, too, as he edges his way back from a fractured femur. The Northern Ireland international went under the knife once more this week for a routine procedure and he’ll be targeting a return to action in the first few months of 2023.
Transfer movement
Marsch showed a reluctance to discuss transfer matters when asked about the January window in his pre-Man City press conference. However, he stated that Leeds would be active next month, with Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani already hard at work behind the scenes to bolster their squad.
The American knows where he would like to see improvements and he’ll no doubt be hoping the club follow their summer example and do their business with plenty of time to spare. Leeds landed three targets before pre-season had started and a similar approach would, no doubt, be appreciated when the window opens on New Year’s Day.
United are thought to be on the lookout for a new striker, after missing out in summer, while most supporters would welcome a new left-back, too, despite the performances of Pascal Struijk in the role.
Defensive solidity
Marsch made improving his side’s defensive structure, shape and co-ordination a priority over the World Cup break and it’s not hard to see why. The Whites have shipped seven goals in their last two Premier League games and just three teams have conceded more than their 26 throughout the entire division.
Surviving in the Premier League is hard enough without conceding an average of almost two goals a game and while Leeds are letting them in at such a rate, they’ll struggle to climb away from the bottom three. As such, the head coach has been working on the backline and he’ll hope to get to a point where Leeds can start to rely on their defensive strength.
Consistency
The Whites started the Premier League season well, picking up seven points from their first nine available, but since then the Whites have blown hot and cold with their performances in the top flight. When Leeds play well, they can compete with any side in the division and displays against Chelsea, Liverpool and even Arsenal underline that.
However, good performances have regularly been followed by poor ones and that’s made it difficult for Leeds to build up a head of steam and climb the table. Marsch, then, will be hoping United can iron out those inconsistencies in the New Year and develop a higher baseline performance.
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