The Leeds United fans were forced to undergo the full range of emotions once again at Elland Road, before settling on acceptance after the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth.
It is hard to know how to judge just how well Daniel Farke and his Leeds side have performed since returning to the Premier League, with the Whites sitting on eight points after six games.
After the frustration of deadline day, when Leeds failed to bring in the attacking reinforcements to support Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Noah Okafor, most fans would have gladly taken this points total.
However, as Farke was left to rue more missed opportunities against Bournemouth, there is a nagging doubt that Leeds are losing out on essential points that could prove to be the difference at the end of the season.
Although Bournemouth’s late goal hurt, Leeds fans should not despair. The stats from that game paint a healthy picture for Leeds’ attack and suggest they should have enough in the tank to survive in the Premier League this season.
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Misfiring Leeds United can come good
When Leeds failed to find the scoresheet in consecutive games against Newcastle and Fulham, registering an xG of 0.69 and 0.79 in those two games respectively, Farke’s side looked to be attempting to bore their way to survival.
But Leeds’ attack has burst into life since then, scoring five goals in two games. Had Calvert-Lewin brought his shooting boots in the first half, Leeds could have been 3-0 up in the opening 20 minutes and been celebrating consecutive wins.
The stats from FotMob highlight Leeds’ dominance in the game. The Whites led Bournemouth on every xG category, with 1.84 expected goals to Bournemouth’s 0.39 overall and 2.04 expected goals on target to Bournemouth’s 1.31.
Leeds had a total of 19 shots, with eight on target, compared to Bournemouth’s 12 and five in those respective categories.
According to Opta’s Jonny Cooper, posting on the social media site X, the Cherries had only allowed 21 shots against them in their last four Premier League games, which highlights how much Leeds challenged them, as Ryan Christie admitted after the match.
While fans are entitled to be frustrated after a last-minute defeat, overall, the signs for Leeds are good. If they can replicate that performance every week, the finishes will come, and Leeds can steer clear of relegation.
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Dominic Calvert-Lewin is close to Erling Haaland on key metric
Although Calvert-Lewin was culpable of missing several good chances, he was praised for “causing carnage” by Jermaine Beckford, after giving the Brentford defence a torrid afternoon.
Calvert-Lewin would be the first to admit that he should score at least one of his three big chances, but his all-round play has been impressive for Leeds since his transfer, and his goal against Wolves showed what he is capable of at his best.
Shots on target per 90 mins in the Premier League:
- Erling Haaland – 2.3 (46.4% of shots are on target)
- Callum Wilson – 2.1 (66.7% of shots are on target)
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin – 2.0 (85.7% of shots are on target)
The overall FotMob stats can offer some hope to Leeds fans that the goals will come for their number nine, as only Erling Haaland and Callum Wilson have averaged more shots on target per 90 minutes than Calvert-Lewin this season.
However, 85.7% of Calvert-Lewin’s shots have hit the target, compared to 46.4% for Haaland. This is enough to suggest that if Calvert-Lewin can keep putting himself in the right position, the rewards will come.
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