Good Morning. It's Thursday 16th October, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road Troubling struggles in the latter stages of games for Whites With almost a fifth of the Premier League season completed, Leeds United’s statistical profile is beginning to tell a concerning story about their struggles in the latter stages of matches. On paper, the Whites appear competitive in attack, averaging 12.1 shots per game—good enough for eighth in the league. Yet, the raw numbers conceal a deeper issue. When broken down, Leeds generate just 3.5 of those attempts in the final half hour, a figure that plunges them into the bottom three for late-game productivity. This lack of second-half threat may hint at waning fitness levels, ineffective substitutions, or perhaps a tactical rigidity that opponents have learned to exploit. Despite their overall shooting volume, only 3.4 attempts per match find the target, dropping Leeds to 15th in accuracy. In comparison, attacking powerhouses such as Arsenal and Liverpool comfortably surpass 15 shots per game, while relegation rivals Burnley, Wolves, and West Ham linger among the league’s least prolific sides. The most telling statistic, however, lies in their goal distribution: five in the first half, just two after the break, and none in second halves away from home. Defensively, the pattern persists. Leeds have conceded six second-half goals, raising more questions about endurance and in-game management. Daniel Farke must address whether his squad’s conditioning, tactical shifts, or squad depth are to blame. Are Leeds visibly fading in the second half of games, and what can Daniel Farke do to reverse the trend? please log in to view this image Getafe manager vetoes Bamford move Getafe’s pursuit of former Leeds striker Patrick Bamford has come to an abrupt end after manager José Bordalás vetoed the deal at the final stage of negotiations. The 32‑year‑old forward, who recently turned down the opportunity to join Sheffield United for guaranteed first team football, had been keen on a dream move to La Liga. According to Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo, Getafe’s hierarchy had made significant progress toward securing Bamford on a free transfer, viewing his experience and proven goal‑scoring record as valuable assets. However, Bordalás is said to have “expressed his disagreement” with the signing and ultimately decided to pull the plug, effectively ending the talks. The decision highlights an apparent difference in vision between the club’s sporting directors and their manager. You can't blame Bordalás for wanting a younger, fitter and less injury prone forward to lead the line at Getafe. With nine goals from the last two seasons in the Championship, the one-time England hitman cannot afford to be so picky about his next move. please log in to view this image
Maybe those who were lamenting the loss of Bamford will be realising just how much a liability he was in last two seasons. A free agent now and still nobody will take a chance on him. Will he ever play again?
Morning all Bamford - We paid him off so we never saved anything in showing him the door, I guess we might have saved a bit if we negotiated an amount but it wouldn't have been cheap
Under Bielsa we were known for playing the last 10 minutes just like the first 10 minutes. That's not a 'bring back Bielsa' statement, but what has changed? We were sometimes naive back then, tying to play the 'we'll score one more than you' game, but its worrying that we're fading in the second half.
Exactly this. We’re getting found out by the extra quality of premier league teams, we could see games out in the championship.
Ipswich fans were all moaning last season that they dropped off in games for the last 15 minutes and the fitness levels required in the PL were greater than imagined I do find it strange as I would have said you'd need to be fitter in the Championship. I think it is more a mental approach than physical, just switching off for a moment and getting punished when the opposition quality is far great than the Championship
