‘I want to be honest with you’: Gracia says what he has changed at Leeds after Marsch

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Javi Gracia has told Thursday’s press conference on Leeds United’s YouTube ahead of Saturday’s clash against Chelsea that he believes he main change between Jesse Marsch’s Leeds – and his Leeds – is he has added balance to the side.

Gracia, 52, has guided Leeds to a win in his only League game – before suffering defeat in the FA Cup this week, away at Fulham. A game in which Leeds were quite unlucky to lose, given our disallowed goal and amount of chances.

But it is a growing issue at Elland Road. Throughout the season, Leeds have had more chances and outplayed teams – but lacked a clinical edge. With Rodrigo sidelined until the end of March, that has reduced. Chelsea are up next.

Marsch’s Leeds had us playing all out attack. Win the ball back and instantly move forward. Under Gracia, it has calmed down. More pragmatic, balanced. Gracia believes that this small tweak to the way Leeds play, could keep Leeds up.

“I want to be honest with you, when I arrive – they work other managers and other staff, they did their job. When you arrive, you do what you can do. I try to give them different options to attack or to defend, to be more compact.

“All the balance I feel we needed to do. You have the time you have, but we are limited. But I believe in the team and I think they are playing with a balance. This way, I’m sure we will have chances we need to stay up,” Gracia said.

Gracia believes main change between his Leeds and Marsch is balance

The Spaniard is bang on. The difference is that when Leeds won a match under Marsch, there was never any control. No game management. Even in wins over Wolves, Liverpool and Bournemouth, we simply outscored the opposition.

We had to rely on luck, that the other team would miss a few chances. But when Leeds are playing against teams that are – more often than not – boasting better players, they are not going to miss. Leeds need more balance, pragmatism.

Under Gracia, they got that in his first game. Southampton looked as if they would fail to score if they played another 90 minutes at Elland Road – while Leeds could have scored three or four. Hopefully, Leeds can get a result on Saturday.