Something interesting happened at Leeds United this week.
Well, aside from the obvious interest around Eddie Nketiah being recalled and their game against West Brom.
The Whites broke an all-time club record as they benefitted from their sixth own goal of the season, a tally higher than in any campaign in the club’s history.
Some may call this lucky, but it was always going to happen under Marcelo Bielsa.
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Own goals
The idea that own goals are lucky is a bit outdated and too simplistic.
No player wants to put the ball in their own net, but if a ball comes in that a player simply can’t deal with they’re liable to put one past their own goalkeeper.
Leeds’ system is set up to put defenders in these types of positions.
Always going to happen
Bielsa’s system basically invites teams to score own goals due to the number of counter-attacks Leeds launch, and the number of crosses they put in.
Think about how hard it is to clear a regular cross to safety, and that becomes even harder when you’re running back in the wrong direction.
Leeds have scored the joint-highest number of counter-attacking goals in the Championship this term, while also putting in the highest number of crosses per match in the division.
Those two stats create a deadly recipe that defenders simply won’t want to deal with. It inevitably creates dangerous situations where opposition players are left in perilous positions to defend the ball.
Leeds breaking this record was inevitable under Bielsa and the fact that it has taken just 26 league games for it to happen shows that it’s no fluke.
In other news, Phil Hay has urged Marcelo Bielsa to make one change at Leeds.
