Why Leeds are becoming their own worst enemy

Goals from Harry Kane, Heung Min Son and Toby Alderweireld gave Tottenham their first Premier League victory in almost a month as they defeated Leeds United by three goals to nothing.

”The battle are every time less tactical. The games have two types of basic structures. You wait for the opponent in your own half or you go for them in their own half. Or you go from one box to the other accumulating passes or you go long and that’s how you attack.

”As a result there is less tactical mysteries than we think. And with respect to Tottenham and the way they are playing, they are a very difficult team to face. In every position they have solid, good players. They have options. They have strikers who can unbalance and they have it very clear how they want to play.” Those were the words of Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa ahead of the clash.

It was a game where the brains faced the heart, Jose Mourinho vs Bielsa. A patient and willing to leave the ball Spurs hosted a passionate after possession, intensity and aggression Leeds. In other words, while the Peacocks worked hard, the Lilywhites worked smarter.

Everything could be solely illustrated in the way the goals were scored, a penalty, a goal from a player that was nowhere to be seen until he celebrated his goal and a corner.

The calmer side managed to use their opponents’ quality against them, Leeds might be good on the eye and attractive by the normal football standards however, multiple flaws hide behind the fairytale-ish side.

No one can take away from them the productivity of their style and how it looks, indeed, they are proudly the highest scoring side outside the top six. Nevertheless, they have the second worst defence in the league.

As of this game they conceded more than they scored, receiving 33 and making 30. They are just behind West Brom when it comes to their poor defending, a team sitting at 19^th and one that they just beat by five clean goals away before heading to London.

In the first 15 minutes, a ferocious Leeds showed their teeth and intentions early on with Jack Harrison and Ezgjan Alioski combining to get in the box.

All while the four-man midfield line alongside striker Patrick Bamford putting high pressure on the building up Spurs defence, closing in on man-to-man style.

The visitors were able to break the Mourinho sitting back fashion by stretching their lines and exploiting the central voids moving up the pitch with a progressing fluidity. But also, the runs off the ball would always distract the hosts’ defence making the players in the middle all the more comfortable with the ball at their feet.

Bielsa was not afraid to commit multiple players forward, with both full backs surrounding the box on numerous occasions, a risk they were able to contain thanks to their fitness and relentless passionate pressing.

One that caused the penalty in the 28^th minute though, as Alioski rushed back to win the ball from Steve Bergwijn’s feet, with too much confidence though as the referee pointed to the spot.

Kane converted it from the middle to open the scoring against the run of play once again for the hosts, putting them on track for their first win since the London derby in early December.

Leeds kept executing their style so perfectly, however, with no signs of serious attempts. Giving Spurs the chance to capitalise and punish them. Kane dropped slightly deeper, gave the space for Son to slide in and played a perfect cross in between two defenders for the Korean to double the lead and mark his 100^th goal in a Tottenham shirt.

Making both players almost at the top of two remarkable league charts, with the Englishman leading the assists with 12 and Son one goal away from being the highest scorer.

The second half started like the first one ended, a cross from a corner destined for the near post and Alderweireld’s head to make it three for the Lilywhites and the first for the Belgian since July.

By the 70^th minute, Leeds had 64% of the possession, yet Spurs had still managed to score from half of their shots on target while United only had three destined between the posts.

Bielsa tried to mix things up a bit in the second 45, introducing veteran Pablo Hernandez and Ian Poveda, moving Raphinha to the left side as Harrison made way.

Hernandez installed fear in the Spurs defence, but time was on their side and so was the score line.

Despite keeping the possession and being constantly on the front foot Leeds failed to make any changes to the narrative as Mourinho’s men yet again triumphed thanks to their tactical superiority. As the hosts made their way back to third and the visitors are now running the risk of dropping two places.