A few Leeds United fans have been reacting online after it was shared that no club in England’s top-four tiers have kept more clean sheets than we have since appointing Marcelo Bielsa as manager in 2018.
Since the start of the 2018/19 campaign, we have kept a combined 26 shut outs across all competitions, which is as many as joint-first sides Sheffield United and Newport County have managed.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, who won the Premier League, EFL Cup, FA Cup and Community Shield last season, are fourth with 25 clean sheets, while Middlesbrough, Colchester and Mansfield Town are joint-fifth with 24 shut outs each.
Current Premier League leaders Liverpool, along with Barnsley, Nottingham Forest, Blackpool, Tranmere Rovers and Exeter City, are joint-eighth with 23 clean sheets respectively.
Of our 26 clean sheets, 16 have come since Kiko Casilla was signed on a free transfer from Real Madrid in January, with the Spaniard denying five teams in the regular Championship campaign last term, before taking one shut out in the Play-Off Semi-Finals against Derby County. The 33-year-old has since added a further nine second-tier clean sheets to his record, plus one in the Carabao Cup.
Before we signed Casilla, club academy product Bailey Peacock-Farrell held down honours between the sticks, and kept 10 clean sheets in 28 league games, including against eventual champions Norwich City and runners-up Sheffield United.
Who has been the most important factor in our record?
Bielsa
Casilla
Defence
Midfield
Here are some of the messages shared as fans reacted to where our defensive record compares with other English sides since appointing Bielsa as manager…
@Conor_ALTV as you said defences win you champions
— Joe (@Rhino12344) November 28, 2019
In good company @samjohnson77
— Tom Johnson (@TommyJA3) November 28, 2019
Benny White in 2 of those defences at the top. Future England CB no doubt about it
— Kyle Richmond (@KyleRic51721152) November 28, 2019
Especially during some of the freewheeling times last season!
— Andrew Jolly (@IamAndrewJolly) November 28, 2019
Even more impressive when you consider we finished 13th & let in 64 goals in the season before he arrived! #LUFC
— Ben Torode 💙💛 (@BenTorode4) November 28, 2019
Sheff U more impressive – more last season and less games this year in tougher division.
— Arron Richmond (@ArronRichmond) November 28, 2019