Leeds United face Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on Saturday, hoping to return to winning ways following disappointing 1-1 draw with Luton Town in their last game. The Whites have already dropped five points since the restart. In this article, we will discuss what Leeds United need to do to bounce back against Blackburn Rovers this weekend as Marcelo Bielsa’s side looks to move one step closer towards securing promotion to the Premier League next season.
Play Tyler Roberts upfront
Bielsa should take a huge gamble this weekend by deploying Tyler Roberts in the number nine role, ahead of Patrick Roberts. The Welshman has been one of Leeds’ most promising players since the restart, showing impressive work-ethic and willingness to find the back of the net.
Bamford, in contrast, has struggled a lot, and his lack of physical and aerial prowess means that the ex-Chelsea star is not the most potent option when operating as a target man.
Roberts playing as a number nine could open up a host of tactical options for Bielsa, which, of course, includes the possibility of Pablo Hernandez receiving his first start since the lockdown. The Spaniard should come well with Mateusz Klich in attacking midfield, thus adding more creative essence to Leeds’ approach play.
A more casual approach
One of the biggest problems Leeds United have faced over the last three matches is their direct style of play which gives the attackers very little time to settle themselves. While such aggressive attacking philosophy, no doubt, keeps the opposing defence on its toes, it does reduce the overall quality of the chances being created.
It is a reason why Leeds United have lacked that final ball despite offering a lot of threat going forward. So against Blackburn, the Whites could take a more casual approach and try to unlock the opposing defence through slow and steady passes in a systemic positional oriented game.
How to replace Liam Cooper and Stuart Dallas?
Leeds United are set to start without Liam Cooper and Stuart Dallas against Blackburn this weekend. Both the defenders picked up injuries in the last game and are likely to be out for this fixture. For Bielsa, replacing them in the right order should be imperative given their respective importance to the starting lineup.
The Argentine mastermind has minimal options when it comes to replacing Cooper though, with Gaetano Berardi being the only other option in central defence. But as far as Dallas is concerned, the Leeds manager could either opt for Ezgjan Alioski or Barry Douglas.
Alioski showed a lot of promise in the last game and should be a better fit in a more attacking role. Douglas, therefore, could be an ideal alternative for Dallas as Leeds United look to cope without their two first-team regulars this weekend.
