Former Arsenal defender Lee Dixon believes one of the reasons Leeds United are not working under Jesse Marsch is due to how they are pressing. One of the key aspects of Marsch's philosophy is to press high up the pitch in order to win the ball back in dangerous areas and counter when the opposition is at its weakest.
However, in recent matches against Leicester City and Fulham, Leeds were often unable to do this, with the latter in particular able to play their way through the pitch on a frequent basis. For Leeds to be able to execute the press successfully, they need to ensure they are working coherently as a team.
However, where Dixon sees it going wrong is that players are too often pressing on their own, making it easier for the opposition to pass through their structure and break into Leeds' half.
READ MORE: What the pundits have said on Jesse Marsch's Leeds United future
Speaking on Premier League Productions, he said: “He is no fool and knows what’s coming. He will know. All he can say now is exactly what he said ‘I am doing everything I can and working really hard’. And he will work the players hard.
“You have to be clever as well. You have got to be shrewd and work out a way. It’s easier for us to be critical sitting here. But he’s going out on the training field, from Monday-Friday, trying to work a way to get results.
“The way they are playing, at the moment, with his high press and it’s not joined. None of them are holding the piece of rope. They have all let the piece of rope go.
“How many times did we see in breakaways with nobody in Leeds’ defensive half? They pushed up so high, from set-pieces, and people were just running through on goal.”
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