Many Leeds United fans have been reacting on social media, after LUFC Data noted that we have conceded 60% of all goals allowed at Elland Road in the Championship this season following the 81st-minute.
Marcelo Bielsa’s men have shipped six of the ten allowed on home soil this term during this timeframe, which only Queens Park Rangers can beat with nine of their 27 allowed at Loftus Road coming in the closing stages of matches.
QPR’s defensive record of 27 goals allowed in West London is the worst home form in the division by one to Barnsley (26), while we boast the joint-second-best by one goal to Brentford (nine).
LUFC Data noting our tendency to concede late on at home has proven alarming for some of the Elland Road faithful, who fear the stat highlights a “soft under belly” of the first-team and that we could be set for a repeat of last season’s late slump that brought Play-Off football to West Yorkshire.
Are you concerned by our late-game record?
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This all comes after Saturday’s defeat at home to Sheffield Wednesday made it one win in six for Bielsa’s men in the Championship, after Jacob Murphy and Atdhe Nuhiu struck home twice following the 87th-minute.
Of our previous four goals allowed after the 81st-minute at Elland Road this league season, Wayne Routledge’s won the match for Swansea City in August and Chris Martin’s equalised for Derby County in September, while Sean Morrison and Robert Glatzel’s strikes were enough for Cardiff to Salvage a point last month.
Here are some of the messages shared as fans reacted to our position as the second-worst side in the Championship for conceding late goals at home this season…
Because we haven’t taken our chances and are chasing the game!
— Joe Dickinson (@average_joe1982) January 11, 2020
Soft under belly
— Jonny (@cyclingjonny) January 11, 2020
I reckon it’s largely because we are pushing too hard from full back positions and leaving acres of space behind us on the break. We seem to do that as we don’t have other attacking options and it’s quite risky but sometimes works.
— Robert Gray (@RobertG76210733) January 11, 2020
Convinced this is because we’re knackered by 70 minutes because of the high press and no reinforcements on the bench. At one point today Bamford ran from the halfway line to press their keeper. Ridiculous waste of energy when there’s no Eddie to replace him.
— Nigel Turner (@bunsey73) January 11, 2020
Who has best defence in league…..oh and who do we know leading it there???? Great business that was 😢
— AW (@AWwhite1) January 11, 2020
Like I say, it’s a mental thing with us. We aren’t strong enough and when it comes to bottle we don’t have it. Last season when we lost to Wigan we’d gone. A team with mental toughness would have gone down to London, shown their teeth and made a fight of it.
— Mr Popular (@Russlufc) January 11, 2020
Running low on energy
— Sveifors (@sveifors) January 11, 2020
And how many have we scored? Could it be because we’re pushing forward for goals late on leaving ourselves more open at the back?
— Mark Carrington (@Mad_Marko) January 11, 2020
In other Leeds United news, a Sky Sports pundit doubts we would be any better off signing a £5m target this month.