The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Wednesday 17th September)

Good Morning. It's Wednesday 17th September, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road

Why have Leeds waited until now to employ set piece coach

Statistics released by LUFCDATA paint a stark picture of Leeds United's struggles with set-piece effectiveness. In the 2023/24 season, a mere 10 goals originated from a substantial 276 corners, followed by only 11 goals from an even higher 327 corners in 2024/25. These figures suggest a concerning inefficiency, with less than 4% of corners converting into goals across both campaigns.

The situation with direct free-kicks is even more dire; the memory of Kalvin Phillips' stunning strike against West Brom in the 2020/21 season feels like a distant relic, marking the last time a Leeds player scored a direct league goal from such a situation (Gruev's playoff effort, while memorable, wasn't a league goal).

This prolonged struggle begs a critical question: why has Leeds United operated without a dedicated set-piece coach since the 2018-19 season? In modern football, where marginal gains can determine promotion or relegation, the absence of such a specialist seems inexplicable.

There is no downside to employing an expert to design routines, identify weaknesses, and drill players on both offensive and defensive set-pieces. It's thus particularly perplexing to learn that the club has only now decided to address this glaring omission, four games into the current campaign, after a start that has yielded just one goal and eight efforts on target.

Set-piece proficiency isn't just a bonus; it's a fundamental aspect of the game that offers critical pathways to breaking down stubborn defences and securing vital points. The delay in appointing a set-piece specialist represents a curious oversight, potentially costing Leeds valuable goals and points over several seasons, making this belated recognition of its importance all the more baffling.

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Pressure was beginning to get to Tanaka last season.

Ao Tanaka proved to be one of the bargains of the summer for Leeds United, arriving from Dusseldorf for a mere £3 million and quickly establishing himself as a fan favourite. The Japan international recorded a career-high 43 appearances, contributing five goals and two assists, but has since revealed the immense personal toll of the club's tense promotion run-in. In a candid interview, Tanaka admitted the final two months were "really tough," describing the high-stakes chase for the Premier League not as a race, but as "heaven or hell."

This intense pressure manifested on the pitch, with his form dipping towards the season's end, most notably when his error led to a crucial Luton Town goal. The midfielder’s emotional exhaustion was laid bare when he was seen in tears in the dressing room after a vital subsequent victory. Tanaka confessed he was "so nervous" he almost didn't want to play for fear of costing his team points. However, the experience solidified his understanding of the club's stature, instilling a "sense of mission and responsibility" to achieve promotion. He believes his fighting spirit is why he has earned such affection from the supporters, whose cheers have become a source of pride and motivation.

After full-time at the Riverside Stadium, Tanaka cut an emotional figure and was in tears in the dressing room due to the exhaustion of the run-in. The midfielder has since opened up on how anxious he felt during this period.

He said: “The last two months were really tough. Every week, I played while thinking that I didn't want to play. If I played, there was a chance that we would lose points. I was so nervous that I thought, ‘I'll do anything, just give me three points’.

“It's not like a Championship ‘race’, it's more like ‘heaven or hell’. Finishing third and not getting promoted is the same as finishing 18th. And if we get promoted, we'll go to the Premier League, the dream stage of the world.

“That's how important it is for the team to get there. Coming here really made me realize just how big a club Leeds is, which is why I wanted to get promoted. “I didn't really understand it before I came here. Not even the history or the atmosphere of the stadium. But once I got here, I really realized that this is a club that has to be in the Premier League.

“It's not often you get to play football at a club with such a history. It was my first time playing football at such a club, so I felt a sense of mission and responsibility. “So, even if we came in second or third, it would be a completely different story, and I don't want to experience that tension again, and I don't think I'll ever experience it again.”

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Morning all. The set piece coach situation is alarming but a word of caution. If a player is in his early twenties and can't perform the basics of lifting a ball off a corner then amount of coaching wont improve him at that stage

 

I remember having a similar conversation with an old poster on here when he was advocating shooting practice during our relegation year.

There are always skills to work on, areas to improve, practice and repetition to be done as a professional athlete. What do people think they do all day?!? But you’re not fundamentally changing their ability level.

Stating the obvious but attacking Set piece coaching revolves around numerous ploys/decoys/blocks to get your target free/right side of markers… but always requires you have someone who can drop the ball in the right spot.

 

Set piece coach means someone who dictates changes to what players do for corners, free kicks from certain areas. Bringing new thinking and ideas based upon real data. Tweaking roles…….. ah but that means Farke not being in control of something and I think therein lies the problem

 

Should say it’s criminal to be 1 of 3/4 prem teams not to have a set piece coach… what do they cost for the value they can add? By definition the other sides who have one are watching what we do and making plans for it. You need to have one just to get parity.

I’m as concerned about defensive set pieces as attacking ones… though, arsenal aside, we’ve defended them pretty well. The frustration with arsenal was not that they scored from them, they’re very good at it, but it looked like we hadn’t prepared for what they do every week.

 

Older than Eire

 

He said old, not older. Anyway old means wise

 

Agreed but hard to plan for them when you use a zonal system and how many times have we seen Gnonto or James or Solomon marking giants?

 

Not alot to say re Leeds.

Alot of negativity around but I've seen us outplay Everton, edge the game against Newcastle and been better than Fulham for 70 minutes at Craven Cottage. Plenty of sides will get hammered at the Emirates.

Im absolutely fine with the start we have had. Im fine with how we are setting up. We got unlucky against Fulham. If we got a point then a majority of fans would be very happy.

Im not judging on 4 league games. I'll wait for 10-15 games in when things have settled down.