Javi Gracia wasn’t able to explain Leeds United’s second collapse in as many games on Monday night, but he’ll know changes have to be made this weekend. The head coach takes his Whites side to Fulham on Saturday and he’ll be desperately hoping his side can stop the rot and get back on track in their push for survival.
Gracia could only watch on last time out as his side offered next to resistance against the Reds, allowing them to find the back of the net with all but one of their seven shots on target. It was a miserable night defensively and it followed what was another hugely damaging performance and result against Crystal Palace just a few days earlier.
Improvement simply has to be seen across the field this weekend at Craven Cottage, but it’s fair to say the head coach will place a focus on a defensive line that has conceded 16 goals in their last four games. He does have options to tinker with personnel and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see an overhaul at the back.
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Max Wober will surely be one name brought into the fold after overcoming the thigh injury that has prevented him from playing a minute of action in April so far. Gracia has a number of other decisions to make, though, and here’s a look at some of the more likely defensive line-ups he could go with this weekend.
Wober returns
Backline: Rasmus Kristensen, Robin Koch, Max Wober, Junior Firpo
This option would represent just one change to the back four that capitulated against Liverpool on Monday night, with Wober replacing Pascal Struijk in the left-sided centre-back slot. Struijk struggled against both Palace and Liverpool and the availability of Wober, who has been Leeds’ strongest defender since his arrival in January, makes the switch make sense.
Such a selection would see Koch reunited with the man he thrived next to before the international break. Koch has struggled over the last couple of games and his spot in the side is far from secure, but his selection would be a confidence-boosting show of faith from Gracia and the same can be said of Kristensen and Firpo on the flanks.
Ring the changes
Backline: Luke Ayling, Max Wober, Liam Cooper, Junior Firpo
It wouldn’t come as a surprise to see Gracia completely overhaul his defensive line on Saturday afternoon and that could mean returns for Luke Ayling and Liam Cooper. Junior Firpo would likely be the only man to keep his spot in such a situation given he is still the club’s only recognised senior left-back.
But, Struijk, Koch and Kristensen would make way after their poor showings against the Reds. The experience and leadership provided by Cooper and Ayling would theoretically help Leeds to overcome the mental fragility they have shown in recent weeks.
A show of faith
Backline: Rasmus Kristensen, Robin Koch, Pascal Struijk, Junior Firpo
This one seems unlikely given their respective and collective showings on Monday night, but there is a possibility that Gracia resists the urge to tear things up and gives the above quartet the chance to redeem themselves. Neither man managed to produce the goods last time out, but Gracia will be keen to work closely with them and dropping them could have a psychological impact moving forward.
Questions would be asked about the fitness of Wober in this instance, though, while Cooper, who hasn’t started a game under Gracia, would have every right to be knocking on the head coach’s door.
Five at the back
Backline: Rasmus Kristensen, Robin Koch, Liam Cooper, Max Wober, Junior Firpo
In an attempt to shore things up at the back, Gracia could look to play a new system with five at the back being a possibility. Leeds have the depth needed in order to play three centre-halves, with Cooper and Wober stepping in to potentially play alongside Koch.
This might also play into the hands of Kristensen and Firpo, who would be given more of a license to get forward in such a formation, knowing they have slightly more cover behind them. This might suit Ayling, too, who could play as the right wing-back or on the inside shoulder of Kristensen.
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