Twenty-nine days was the kind of break Jesse Marsch had braced himself for when it came to Leeds United’s plans in 2022/23, except it was supposed to only happen once. The Whites head coach knew there was going to be a 45-day stoppage this season for the World Cup, but another gaping chasm in the schedule was not on his agenda.
A two-week international break between the Manchester United and Aston Villa matches has turned into a four-week pause on the campaign, with just one under-21 fixture Marsch could really take advantage of. Behind-closed-doors matches are expected to be played in order to keep non-international players sharp before Villa visit Elland Road on October 2.
In those 29 days after the loss at Brentford earlier this month, there will be a lot of shifting and changing within the players Marsch has available to him. Injuries will heal and crop up, international duty will help some players and hinder others.
