Noel Whelan identifies where Leeds need to improve after Brighton defeat
By Harvey Byrne
Noel Whelan believes that Leeds need to improve in the final third in future fixtures after losing 2-0 against Brighton on Friday evening.
The Yorkshire giants fell down to 10 men within the first half an hour after Kalvin Phillips blocked a shot on the line with his arm.
The resulting penalty allowed Glenn Murray to step up and slot home from the spot, while Leeds conceded a second penalty in the second half, which allowed Tommer Hemed to strike home.
Garry Monk’s outfit managed just two shots over the 90 minutes with neither hitting the target and former midfielder Whelan believes the club must do better going forward.
“We’ve got to attack better,” started Whelan, speaking to BBC Radio Leeds after the defeat. “We’ve got to find the spaces better, we’ve got to make sure that our passing is a bit crisper and a little bit more positive going forward. I feel that it was a little bit too sideways, going backwards at times.
“We’ve got to create more chances and I know it’s very difficult for 10 men against a good Brighton side that retain the ball so well, but I just think that we need to raise our game again to that bar that’s been giving so much success against teams who have been coming to Elland Road.”
The defeat has left Leeds lying in fourth place with the rest of the Championship still to play over the weekend.
Monk’s team will face Reading and Brentford at Elland Road in the next nine days, which should produce two contrasting fixtures for the Yorkshire side.
The Royals are flying high in third place under Jaap Stam and will be looking to obtain all three points against Leeds.
However, Brentford are sat down in the opposite end of the table in 18th and may be happy to leave the famous ground with a point.
In other Leeds news, Monk has given his verdict on this key incident against Brighton.