‘Frail’ Leeds stars ‘found out’ as pundit unhappy after Sky update
Noel Whelan has insisted the Leeds United squad need to be more “aggressive” and “streetwise” after struggling defensively this season.
The former Leeds striker and club ambassador, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted there have been too many “lapses in concentration” from Marcelo Bielsa’s men.
As detailed by Sky Sports on Friday (17 December), Leeds had faced the most shots (265) in the Premier League this season ahead of their clash against Arsenal on Saturday evening.
Only one team has seen more shots on target (91) against them, while the Whites have conceded the third-most amount of goals (32).
Whelan insisted the whole team need to take responsibility and need to be more “disciplined” both on and off the ball.
Whelan told Football Insider deputy editor Russell Edge: “I think it’s a collective thing. You always say when you score a goal, where do we start the play off? At the back.
“So defending starts from the front. That’s trying to stop that ball from defence into that midfield area. Yes, we need to be a little bit more aggressive. Yes, we need to stay with men.
“We know there’s been a lack of concentration with some of the goals scored against us, where players are running off the back of people. That happened again against Manchester City. That can’t happen again.
“They’ve got to be on it because it’s fine margins in the Premier League. It doesn’t matter what team you’re playing against, whether it’s Norwich or Manchester City.
“If you don’t do your jobs properly, any Leeds player, you will get found out. It’s as simple as that because it’s ruthless, it’s relentless, the Premier League.
“There are plenty of special players in every team from bottom to top and you’ve got to be on it. You can’t afford too many mistakes or lapses in concentration over the 93, 94 minutes because you will get punished.
“That’s what happens at the highest level of football. We need to get back to being solid, being disciplined.
“We saw that frailty in set pieces for the last goal against Manchester City. Giving the ball away in the wrong areas, probably 35 yards from our goal. Handing them possession in the final third.
“These sort of things have got to stop. We’ve got to be a little bit more streetwise, a little bit more aggressive and disciplined in everything that we do.”
Leeds currently sit 16th in the Premier League table.
They are five points ahead of the relegation zone, although 18th-placed Burnley do have two games in hand.
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