
Leeds United sit at the summit of the Championship table with 60 points from 29 games. They have a two-point lead over second-place Sheffield United and more importantly, a three-point buffer over Burnley who are sitting just outside the automatic promotion spots. The Whites have been the most consistent team in the Championship this season and are massive favourites to get promoted to the Premier League at the end of the regular campaign. With regards to points scored, they are in a better position than last season when they finished third and lost the playoff final. However, if we look at the underlying numbers of the campaign it is easy to feel that Daniel Farke’s side should be miles ahead of their promotion rivals at this stage of the season.
The Championship season is promising to be a humdinger with as many as four teams legitimately in the race to finish in the top two – the automatic promotion spots.
Leeds United lead the table at the moment but Sheffield United and Burnley are at a striking distance and even Sunderland are just five points off the top spot at this stage of the campaign.
The race for automatic promotion is expected to go down to the wire. Leeds are the favourites because of the consistency they have shown but last season’s experience showed that nothing can be taken for granted with as many as 17 games left in the campaign.
Leeds felt that the point they earned at Burnley on Monday night would prove to be crucial at the end of the season and it kept the Clarets in third in the table.
However, Leeds should be miles ahead of their promotion rivals if the season’s underlying numbers are closely analysed.
Leeds United are creating more and missing more
Leeds have been the entertainers of the season and have scored the most number of goals in the Championship. They have netted 53 goals, which is far more than Sheffield United and Burnley.
The 0-0 draw at Burnley on Monday night showed some of the issues Leeds have, especially the way Joel Piroe has been struggling in the last few weeks.
However, Leeds are the most attacking team this season no matter how predictable Daniel Farke’s team look. They have scored the most number of goals but they should have scored more.
The Whites are by far the most attacking team of the top three sides in the Championship but their goals per game is not as much more than Sheffield United’s.
If we take a look at Leeds’ underlying attacking numbers, it is easy to think that they should have scored the most number of goals. The 1.8 goals per game figure is not more than Sheffield United’s 1.4 or Burnley’s 1.2.
However, a deeper look will show how much better Leeds have been in attack compared to their Championship rivals.
Leeds create close to three big chances per game, which is far more than Sheffield United’s 1.7 and Burnley’s 1.6. But why are the Whites not far ahead of their promotion rivals?
The Whites miss as many big chances as Sheffield United and Burnley create per game, which is a staggering stat given how close the three sides are in the league table.
If Leeds had a more clinical forward, they should have been in a more dominating position and could have been planning for next season in the Premier League.
The good news is they are creating more
Leeds fans have an excuse to wonder what could have been had their side been more clinical in front of goal this season or if they had a more proven goalscorer as their number 9.
However, their side sit at the top of the Championship table and are looking like the most consistent team in the league over their rivals.
They failed to create much against Burnley on Monday night but that game was an anomaly and Daniel Farke would have been worried if it had been a regular occurrence.
But Leeds create plenty in every game to win all three points and the supporters should celebrate that rather than bemoaning what they don’t have in the squad.
This is the blueprint for Farke to win promotion this season, control proceedings and create enough to get three points in most games. An average possession of 62.3 percent shows that the Whites dominate the ball in most of the fixtures.
The Leeds boss is confident that despite the lack of a clinical striker, his side’s ability to create chances and control games will be enough to get them promoted to the Premier League this term.
