Leeds United have a secret weapon they should be making more of in Ethan Ampadu, with Daniel Farke needing to find a way to utilise it more.
Leeds United are a more combative and physical side, which has been well-documented this season. Leeds’ defensive numbers are just behind Arsenal overall as well.
But they have not sacrificed things the other way, with Leeds still a tactically interesting counter-attacking team as well. After dominating the second tier, Daniel Farke wanted more tactical flexibility in the Premier League.
Leeds are a much taller side now in 2025/26, with the Whites’ hierarchy knowing that Leeds are having to prioritise Premier League physicality in various guises this season.
Ethan Ampadu could hold the key to Leeds on set-pieces
In terms of utilising their size optimally, Farke has a more direct approach for Leeds from the ball-dominant team of 2024/25. It suits the squad as well, even if it is not a guarantee that the decision will pay off.
One aspect is an increased focus on Leeds using set-pieces this season but the early signs were that Leeds were not proficient from set-piece situations. That has shifted of late.
Per Opta, only Arsenal, Chelsea, and Crystal Palace have scored more set-piece goals than Leeds’ three. That said, they have the sixth-lowest xG from set-pieces generated in the league.
They are still not yet getting the most out of it, and there is another string to Leeds’ bow that they must make more out of this season as well.
Per Opta, there has been an increase in long-throws this season. They state that there have been 262 long-throws into the opposition penalty area in the Premier League this season, already 45% of the total for the entirety of last season (578).
The player pictured there is Ethan Ampadu, who is the only player in the squad who has so far shown that he is capable in this sense. However, despite some excellent deliveries from his hands, the Whites have not scored from one yet.
Leeds have been going more direct to Dominic Calvert-Lewin in general play. But they need to lean into his upsides more with higher balls up to him from the defenders, set-pieces, and throw-ins. The whole system should revolve around his physicality and second balls.
Ampadu is crucial both to the throw-ins and to winning the scraps of the second balls. Farke needs to play to the squad’s strengths even more than he currently is in that sense.
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Leeds’ defensive set-piece numbers
Leeds have also got issues from set-pieces of their own to tighten up on as well. Only West Ham United have conceded more (eight) than Leeds’ four.
It accounts for 33.83% of the total chances they have conceded overall. That is the fifth-worst ratio in the league behind Chelsea, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Man United, and West Ham.
The need for a set-piece coach looks more and more necessary when you look into the attacking and defensive numbers. Leeds need to make the most of marginal gains like this.
There has been no significant update for a while on Leeds and hiring a set-piece coach.
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