Square Pegs into Round Holes – How Should Leeds United line up next season (Part 2)

In my last article, the ‘part 1’ version to this article, I was looking at the importance that a particular tactical formation (the 5-3-2 formation) played in Leeds’ fortunes last season (Championship 2013/14 season). In this article, I argued that the 5-3-2 formation was a success for Leeds last season; a season where, apart from Ross McCormack, there were very few successes. By utilising the 5-3-2 formation between 26^th October 2013 and 25^th December 2013, Leeds United fans were left opening their Christmas presents safe in the knowledge that the previous 2 months (9 games) of football had left the team in a very nice 6^th place position in the Championship table. The games using the 5-3-2 formation returned very close to 63% of the available points in that two month period (17 of 27 points) and Leeds were the 3^rd ranked team, based on this points return, over that time period. Then the formation was altered and Leeds’ fortunes, along with their lofty position in the Championship table, began to spiral downwards, and rapidly so; this can be seen in the table (below).

Table comparing Leeds United’s performance with/without using 5-3-2 formation

Games played using 5-3-2 formation 26-10-13 to 25-12-13
P	W	D	L	CS	FTS	F	A	GD	PTS	PPG*	RANK**
9	5	2	2	4	2	18	10	+8	17	1.89	3rd
Games played without using 5-3-2 formation 01-01-14 to 11.04.14
17	3	3	11	1	7	17	35	-18	12	0.71	23rd

Source – Statto.com

* PPG – Points per game

** RANK – Rank in division based on figures

So, bearing this in mind, what tactical formation might Leeds possibly use come the 2014/15 Championship season? That depends on two things: the tactical formations used in preseason and also the two-way movement of personnel likely to affect the starting line-up come August 9^th at Millwall F.C.’s ‘The Den’. Thus far, in the preseason friendly games against Chesterfield F.C, Swindon Town and Dundee United, Coach Hockaday has employed a 4-4-2 Diamond formation. He has also intimated that he is settled on his starting XI come 3p.m. against Millwall; bearing this in mind it is likely that this will be the formation of choice for Leeds come the initial blast on the referee’s whistle. What I’d like to do is look at each area of Leeds’ team, draw out some of last year’s statistics from players currently at the club and then look at the ‘intangibles’ – the new signings being made in Cellino’s ‘Rivlouzione Gloriosa’ down at Elland Road.

Attack – Forza attacanti!

The £11 million sale of striker Ross McCormack by Leeds United to Fulham leaves ‘The Whites’ a 28 goal hole to fill. Such was McCormack’s importance to Leeds that his goals return of 28 represented 47% of Leeds United’s goal total for the 2013/14 Championship season; these goals coming at a rate of 1.64 games per goal. Bearing this in mind, what do McCormack’s former strike partner Matt Smith and Leeds’ player but Millwall loanee Steve Morison bring to the top table at Elland Road this season?

Photo Credit The72.co.uk

Comparing the main Leeds strikers 2013/14 Championship season

	Games  (sub)	Mins	Goals	G/PM*	G/PG**	% team goals	Assists
Ross McCormack	46	4128	28	147	1.46	47.5%	11
Matt Smith	20 (+19)	2051	12	171	3.25	20.34%	6
Steve Morison	25 +(16)	2668	8	334	5.13	17.39%	2

·         *G/PM – Goals per minute

·         ** G/PG - Games per goal

Sources WhoScored.com and footballzz.co.uk

Numbers-wise, if Leeds are looking for a current player to ‘step up to the plate’ then you’d obviously think it would be Matt Smith, Ross McCormack’s old strike partner. Compared to Steve Morison (who was loaned out by Leeds to Millwall for the 2013/14 season), Smith has: more goals than Morison, 12 to 8; a much lower goals per minute (G/PM) score than Morison, 1 per 171 minutes to 1 per 334 minutes and a much better games per goal (G/PG) than Morison 3.25 games per goal to 5.13 games per goal. However, in pre-season friendlies so far it is Morison who seems favoured by Coach Hockaday to become Leeds’ ‘designated hitter’. He has started the last three friendly encounters (vs Chesterfield, Swindon Town and Dundee United) and, after being rounded on by sections of the Leeds support at Chesterfield, he has responded with two goals (against Swindon Town and Dundee United.)

The intangible – l’intangibile

Photo Credit Caught in Action Blog - Dave Maud

Starting all preseason friendly games thus far has been Leeds’ recent purchase Souleymane Doukara who has enamoured himself to the LS11 faithful with his speed, power and willingness to run off the shoulder of the last defender. In this preseason he started off slowly in the rain and mud at Guiseley FC, leaving Leeds’ fans to scratch their heads in bewilderment and dismay. A slightly better performance in the 2-0 loss to Mansfield gave some hope but it was his running in the Chesterfield game that first piqued the interest of Leeds’ supporters. In the Swindon preseason game Doukara was, at times, simply untouchable; his running opening Swindon’s defence wide at times. This resulted in the assist to Steve Morison’s opener after a surging run into the penalty area following a neatly chipped pass from Tomasso Bianchi; later on in the game, another surging run drew a challenge from the Swindon Town goalkeeper resulting in a converted penalty for Rodolph Austin. 

Souleymane Doukara 2013/14 season statistics (playing for Juve Stabia)

Games (+ sub)	Minutes played	Goals	G/PM*	G/PG**	% team goals	Assists
17 (+ 4)	1602	6	267	3.5	16.21%	2

Sources Soccerway.com and transfermarkt.co.uk

It seems that Souleymane Doukara is not viewed a ‘designated hitter’ in Massimo Cellino’s Leeds United revolution, to be brought on when the team is struggling in the hope of getting a result; it seems that Doukara has a full starting spot in the team as it stands.