Survival in the Premier League is becoming an increasingly difficult task for promoted clubs, which the 49ers and Leeds United will be well aware of.
Leeds United have made four signings thus far, with three defenders and an attacker arriving at the club in the last month. However, there is plenty more to do ahead of their Premier League return.
The 49ers have to ensure that they give Daniel Farke what is required and add to all areas with depth but also quality, allowing the team to be effective in both boxes and both in and out of possession as well.
The blueprint for survival has been made clear during the course of the last two seasons. In that time in the Championship, Leeds undertook extensive research on the types of players, profiles, and tactics needed to survive relegation back to the second tier.
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Leeds’ data model explained their approach to Premier League survival
The need for the amount of research they have put in has become increasingly more apparent after the last six teams to gain promotion then suffered immediate relegation.
Bere Cross of The Athletic has explained what Leeds’ chiefs have ascertained as the best plan of action this summer, with the club already enacting that with numerous profiles they have acquired so far.
Physicality and set-pieces will be key for Leeds. Beren Cross has explained what they learned and has revealed aspects of the research that’s been done concerning ways to avoid another relegation from the top flight via The Athletic.
He wrote: “Based on the numbers the data department had crunched, taller and stronger players would give Leeds the best chance of staying up at the end of the coming campaign.
“The signings, and targets, who have since emerged would seem to underline that this is the approach Leeds are taking.”
However, he caveated that having tall players is no guarantee of efficient defending, but there is value in it. That’s because a more physically imposing niche is something with a longer shelf life than other recent efforts.
He cites “Southampton’s doomed philosophy of playing out from the back was last season.”
Even if Leeds have fewer technically gifted players than their more-established Premier League rivals, it’s possible that they can legitimately level the playing field with additional physicality.
How Leeds choose to use their newly acquired physical presence remains to be seen but starting from the back with solidity in defence is seen as key to having a platform for the rest of the team to build on.
He adds that: “Keeping their heads above water when they are under the pump and then maximising that advantage in each box at their attacking set pieces could be one avenue to points for Leeds next season.”
Ali Maxwell explains why Fulham are the blueprint for Leeds
Paraag Marathe says Leeds will spend every penny available to improve the squad and the early signs are promising from a Leeds perspective, even if there is plenty more to do and things have slowed since Gabriel Gudmundsson’s arrival.
Clubs like Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, AFC Bournemouth, and Fulham have been able to quickly consolidate and establish themselves higher up the table, with those being the sides that the Whites can look to for inspiration.
In fact, Leeds have been compared to Fulham previously by EFL expert Ali Maxwell. He even added that Leeds can learn from Marco Silva’s side in the Premier League in their approach to squad building and the way they attack.
Leeds need to add a blend of physicality with Premier League experience. Leeds also need to ensure they have enough athleticism to cover every blade of grass for those much-needed duels for turnovers and transitions.
It cannot just be about strength and size, but also those other marginal gains.
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