Leeds United are the worst side in the Premier League this season for taking their chances, while their opponents West Ham are 19th for the same stat.
Daniel Farke should know that tonight’s meeting with West Ham has to yield three points in order for United to stand a good chance of survival. Not only that, but for him to feel assured of his own job security too.
Defensively, Leeds have looked capable of dealing with what the Premier League can throw at them to a certain extent. Issues for Farke to resolve largely stem from the attack.
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The Athletic reveal Leeds United are the worst side in the league at taking chances ahead of West Ham meeting
If the Premier League table was decided on xG for and against, United would be sitting pretty up in seventh, qualifying for Europe.
However, it’s not. It’s actual goals and actual goals conceded that are the deciding factor in games. And that’s something Farke has to resolve, translating these big chances into goals and points on the board, after another ‘dominant’ performance at Burnley.
Leeds United are missing chances more than any other Premier League side. (Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers)
The Athletic have underlined where Leeds’ standout problem lies, and it’s in the conversion rate of their chances.
Team Goals-against Goal diff. Points Big Chances Conversion Rate League Position
West Ham 6-18 -12 4 10 20% 19th
Leeds United 7-13 -6 8 17 17.7% 20th
Incidentally, while Leeds are 20th in the Premier League for their chance conversion (17.7%), their next opponents are 19th in the league on just 20%.
United are interestingly ninth in the table for their volume of big chances at 17, and are up against the most porous defence in the division tonight. West Ham have conceded a league high of 18 from their opening eight matches.
Leeds United’s finishing will be the difference between survival and relegation
All the underlying metrics suggest Leeds should be well up the table and nowhere near a relegation scrap this season.
However, we all know that ruthlessness to take these chances, and not concede when the opposition get forward is the difference.
Last season, Leeds were conceding more than the stats suggested. This season, it’s flipped as we’re scoring fewer than the stats suggest.
A saving grace from this reveal is that tonight’s opposition are freely giving the opposition plenty of chances.
Read more: Leeds United v West Ham team news and Predicted XI…