This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
This week Leeds United fans have been complaining on Twitter that the football the club have been playing this season isn’t at the standard it was this time last term.
However, Marcelo Bielsa has been quick to refute those complaints as he stated in his press conference that his team have actually improved from 2018/19.
Somebody has to be wrong, so we’re going to explore whether or not Leeds’ start to this term is in fact better than their first 13 games last season.
The first thing to note is that numerically, Leeds are actually in a better place than they were this time last year as they sit one point better off after 13 games.
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However, the fans’ complaints weren’t about the results, they were about the manner in which their team are picking up points.
You have to say, Leeds aren’t winning in such a convincing fashion this time around.
United had won five games by two or more goals at this stage of last season including impressive victories against eventual champions Norwich City and playoff finalists Derby County.
This term, the Whites have won just four of their games by at least a two-goal margin, with three of those wins coming against teams battling it out nearer to the bottom of the table in Stoke, Wigan and Barnsley.
The Yorkshire club’s recent woes in front of goal have caused concern as well. Bielsa’s side haven’t scored more than one goal in any of their last six Championship games.
Curiously, Leeds went on a very similar run this time last year as they failed to find a second goal for five games in a row starting with their 2-1 loss to Birmingham.
Why being the away goalkeeper at Leeds is the toughest job in football in the video below…
The reality seems to be that Leeds fans are looking back on their early form last term with rose-tinted glasses.
Supporters are seemingly comparing their current run to their first five or six games of the 2018/19 campaign rather than their first 13.
The side are having slightly bigger problems in terms of finding the net this year, but due to their defensive rigidity, they’ve still been able to grind out results – conceding the fewest goals in the division.
Both parties have a point, but Bielsa is probably right, Leeds are slightly more impressive this year than last.
However, the Elland Road faithful will always look back on those first few matches under the Argentine as the barometer against which all future performances are measured, and that just isn’t a fair reflection of how the club played for the majority of the time last term.
