Marcelo Bielsa is unquestionably a legend at Leeds.
Matches Wins Draws Losses Goals Points Points PG
170 81 30 59 274 – 238 273 1.61
The Argentine oversaw 81 wins from his 170 games in charge – steering Leeds out of the Championship in 2020 before then finishing ninth in the Premier League the following year.
Daniel Farke is yet to reach the immense popularity levels of Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road – despite winning the Championship title himself last season – although the German is actually emulating the Argentine in terms of attacking output.
Telling statistic suggests Daniel Farke is holding up his side of the bargain
Interestingly, the Whites are averaging 13 shots per 90 minutes in the Premier League this term – the most by a promoted side since Bielsa’s Leeds in the 2020/21 campaign (13.7 shots per game).
It suggests Farke is getting Leeds into strong attacking positions with his tactics, although with just seven goals scored in eight Premier League outings so far, his forwards appear to be letting him down.
Type of Goal Amount of Goals Percentage of Total Goals
Open Play 3 43%
Set Piece 3 43%
Penalty 1 14%
Counter Attack 0 0%
Own Goal 0 0%
Only West Ham, Wolves and Nottingham Forest have netted fewer goals in the Premier League this season.
It means Leeds have a conversion rate of just 6.7% – their lowest on record in a league campaign since the 2013/14 season.
The numbers also suggest Farke – who could have Noah Okafor back against West Ham – is doing his job defensively too.
Daniel Farke celebrates after Leeds United beat Everton in the Premier League
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
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Leeds – who almost signed Jarrod Bowen for Bielsa – have conceded 13 goals in eight league games so far this season, only two more than Liverpool and Bournemouth who are in the top four.
Leeds also have two clean sheets in these eight games – more than Fulham, West Ham and Manchester United – which suggests to us that Farke needs to see more individual quality from his players on the pitch, with the structure seemingly in place for better results to occur.
The clash against West Ham at Elland Road on Friday night represents the ideal time for Leeds to start finishing off the many chances they create, in what is a crucial six-pointer at the bottom of the division.
What happened last time Leeds hosted a Premier League game on Friday night?
Coincidentally, West Ham were the visiting side the last time Leeds played a Premier League game on a Friday night at Elland Road, which came back in December 2020.
A penalty from Mateusz Klich put Leeds ahead, although goals from Tomas Soucek and Angelo Ogbonna saw the east Londoners snatch all three points – so Farke will hope to avoid a repeat of what Bielsa suffered on that chilly December evening.