Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown believes Leeds United's strong start to the Premier League season is due to the balance Jesse Marsch has brought to Elland Road.
Marsch replaced Leeds legend Marcelo Bielsa last term with the Whites in free fall. While the latter will always be fondly remembered at Elland Road, Leeds had to act in order to secure their Premier League status, which they did by appointing Marsch.
With no reinforcements brought in January, Leeds and Marsch were forced to make do with what they had for the relegation run in last term.
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And in the end, they managed to scrape Premier League survival by the skin of their teeth with a final day win over Brentford.
However, if the end of last season saw Leeds wracked with relegation doubt, this season could not have started in starker contrast.
Leeds seem to be back to their high-pressing best under Marsch, with the Whites having picked up seven points from their opening three league games - which includes a rampant 3-0 win over Chelsea.
And Keown believes Marsch deserves plenty of credit for helping Leeds to regain their sense of identity following last terms struggles.
"Last season, Marcelo Bielsa’s obsession with man-to-man marking was doing Leeds more harm than good," Keown wrote in his MailOnline column.
"Opponents were leading their markers on a merry dance around the pitch. But Leeds are looking much more balanced under Jesse Marsch, whose pressing philosophy was on show in last week’s emphatic 3-0 win over Chelsea at Elland Road.
"Marsch’s top priority is to regain possession high up the pitch. It’s even evident when the opposition have a throw-in on the left — James will come all the way over from the right to condense the space and try to win the ball.
"The fanbase feed off this. I know all too well that Elland Road is one of the toughest places to visit as an opponent. The fans like their team to be tough, aggressive and attack-minded, and they got all of that against Chelsea."
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