There has been a problem at Leeds United all season, and it quietly went away, but now is back and even more serious. The club went on a fine run of form at the end of the year after Daniel Farke made some changes.
He made some tactical tweaks and changed the shape of the team, and it worked out brilliantly. From December, the Whites were getting huge results against the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool. It continued into the New Year, but tailed off in the last month.
| Opponent | Expected Goals (xG) | Goals Scored |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham City | 1.22 | 1 |
| Aston Villa | 1.35 | 1 |
| Manchester City | 1.49 | 0 |
| Sunderland | 1.15 | 0 |
The lack of goals continues to be a serious problem in the team, and it has been painfully obvious in the last few games. In their last four games in all competitions, they have managed just two goals, with one coming from a set piece.
Leeds United are missing £18m star man
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been fit and available during this run, but has not been able to find the back of the net in his last four matches. And in the games against Manchester City and Sunderland, it was painfully obvious that the game plan did not work. Leeds United dominated the first halves in both games, but failed to convert their chances. After going behind, the team struggled to create any clear cut chances.
One would think the absence of Noah Okafor has done a real number on the attack. The winger has not been prolific this season, but his run of games before his recent injury showed a lot of promise. He netted twice in two games before going off injured in the FA Cup tie against Birmingham City. And now, Daniel Farke will be desperate that the £18 million man can return to action soon.
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Team have lacked Noah Okafor’s directness
He has not been prolific this season, but Okafor has the ability to run at players and stretch defences. The winger was key in the comeback against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge; when he came on, the team was much better at getting out of their own half. Okafor’s relentless movement confused defenders on transitions, and he was able to capitalize on that and score. Out of the options on the bench so far, none have provided that spark – Daniel Farke will be hoping his star man returns soon.
