Javi Gracia cut a frustrated figure as he sat down in front of the press at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening. The Spanish head coach insisted he was proud of Leeds United’s attitude in their 1-0 loss to Chelsea but he did voice his concerns about their fortunes in front of goal and it’s clear he has work to do to get his side firing on all cylinders.
The Whites flattered to deceive in attacking areas as they failed to trouble Chelsea’s towering backline and ultimately, that cost them dear. They mustered just two shots on target throughout the contest in west London and, remarkably, one of those came from goalkeeper Illan Meslier in the final moments of the game.
For the most part Kepa Arrizabalaga was allowed to keep his gloves clean as Leeds not only proved toothless in front of goal, they struggled to find clear cut openings at all against Graham Potter’s side. That’s not a new problem either for United, who have worryingly made a habit of misfiring of late.
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The Whites have drawn blanks in five of their last seven Premier League games and since Christmas, just seven goals have been scored. With Patrick Bamford picking up a leg injury in midweek, the responsibility of spearheading Leeds’ attack at Chelsea was handed to club record signing Georginio Rutter.
To his credit, the Frenchman had played well at Fulham in midweek, but he was unable to build on that by producing a performance that suggested he was suited to playing the lone striker role. Rutter struggled to make his presence felt at all in the final third and he certainly didn’t muster a shot on target before he was hauled off in the 67 th minute to be replaced by Mateo Joseph.
Joseph has been in fine form in the Under-21s this season, bagging 14 goals in all competitions , and few would argue that he doesn’t deserve a chance in the senior side. But, with Leeds chasing the game and attempting to play with a degree of urgency, he found it difficult to settle into the contest.
He did hit the target, forcing Kepa into his first save of the day with a low, scuffed effort, but his lack of experience was evident at times. The service into Rutter and Joseph simply wasn’t good enough, with the likes of Jack Harrison and Crysencio Summerville struggling throughout, but the absence of an experienced and established number nine told.
As such, it’s fair to say that as the season approaches its crunch period, the return to fitness of Rodrigo looks like it could be absolutely critical. The Spaniard hasn’t been seen since injuring his ankle in the win over Accrington Stanley in January, but he is pushing to make return to action over the next few weeks and as the club's top scorer that has to be seen as a huge boost.
Rodrigo bagged 12 goals in all competitions before his injury, providing confidence, potency and precision up front for the Whites during the first half of the season. That’s exactly what Leeds have missed in the time he has been on the sidelines.
An official date for his return has not been set, but he shouldn’t be too much longer and if he can even partially replicate the form he showed at times before the World Cup break, he could breathe new life into the club’s jaded attacking line when they need it most. Gracia has Bamford and Luis Sinisterra to come back, too.
The head coach will be working hard with his squad on the training ground over the next few weeks in an attempt to bolster their offensive output as the business end of the campaign nears. He believes he can coach players to find that edge in front of goal and time is of the essence on that front.
However, the return of key personnel will surely help as key games continue to come thick and fast.
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