3 things that Leeds must do to overcome Brentford
I think we should have a good deal of optimism heading into the weekend following the draw at Pride Park on Wednesday. Hecky`s men would have been disappointed with only picking up one point after going in front twice, but there are certainly reasons to be hopeful that the new manager`s first win is just around the corner.
However, Brentford are going to be tricky opponents. They are just one place above us in the table, but we are 4pts behind going into the encounter. So, what will we need to do to come out as winners tomorrow?
1) Tighten up at the back or be punished
Our next opponents thumped five past Birmingham last time out, and their attack will be heading into the game high on confidence. In contrast, our defence against Derby was extremely shaky. Only Pontus Jansson really came out of the match with much credit for his performance. Wiedwald in goal continues to look uncertain while De Bock had an abject display.
We must tighten up at the back to get the three points. The Bees` two top goalscorers Ollie Watkins and Neal Maupay were both on the scoresheet in their last game and are likely to cause our backline a lot of problems. If we are able to keep them quiet, we will have done half the job. It wasn`t long ago that Dean Smith`s side conceded three away at Derby so we if we can keep their attack quiet, we should have the chance to capitalise at the other end of the pitch.
2) A certain Spaniard has to start
Following his six-match ban, Samu Saiz was only picked to start as a substitute mid-week, but his impact from the bench no doubt reminded our fans of what we have been missing over the past month. After replacing Kemar Roofe early in the second half, we improved immeasurably in the final third with the Spaniard on the pitch.
With Lasogga now back in form, and Pablo Hernandez performing well, the playmaker could make an attacking triumvirate that will trouble even the best Championship defences over the coming weeks.
3) Resolve the goalkeeping situation
Wiedwald again looked unconvincing against Derby, and it maybe time for Heckingbottom to consider reinstating Andy Lonergan. In the long term, neither look to be the solution for our troubles between the sticks, but the German`s confidence looks to be shot.
One of the reasons why I believe our defence is not keeping clean sheets is due to the lack of faith the defender`s have in their keeper. Uncertainty can spread from the man in goal to the players in front of him, and with the experienced Lonergan, perhaps this could restore some confidence amongst the backline.
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