Nine-day breaks between matches are not common in the modern game outside an international break, but the timing of this pause for Leeds United could not be better. It’s been a good start to the season with the club in ninth and only needing 11 more wins from 32 matches to secure safety.
However, having a mini reset after a 5-2 mauling on the back of three winless games is no bad thing for Jesse Marsch’s side. Already, a few of the payers have been spotted enjoying some downtime after the Brentford loss before they begin preparations later this week for the Nottingham Forest match.
Facing a newly-promoted side under the lights of Elland Road is one thing, but it’s also pause enough for Marsch to really dig into where he needs to make improvements. There were pockets of redeeming quality in the three outings since Chelsea, but one point in nine is a backwards step from the opening weeks of the campaign.
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The nine-day turnaround also gives captain Liam Cooper that little bit longer to sharpen up in training before what he hopes will be a first Premier League appearance of the season. The skipper’s presence on the bench was the elephant in the stadium on a day Diego Llorente must have wanted the Hounslow earth to swallow him up.
The Spain international had begun the season solidly on the left of Robin Koch, allowing enough time for Junior Firpo or Cooper to find some fitness and ultimately push a left-footer into that berth. Two days after opening the door to Koch and Cooper as his best partnership in his press conference, Marsch saw Llorente chuck a full-blown invite onto the captain’s doormat.
Assuming Cooper avoids any setbacks between now and the visit of Steve Cooper’s side, his track record for performing well early in his comebacks bodes well for a start next time out. The Scotland international will be champing at the bit, while he brings authority and calm to a backline which needs it after Saturday’s dressing down.
As well as the attraction of drafting in Cooper, there is arguably the good Marsch would do for Llorente in taking him out of the firing line for a few weeks. The 29-year-old looked bereft of hope or confidence by the end of Saturday’s loss and a chance of his own to reset away from the spotlight could be good for him.
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