What’s going wrong at Leeds United?
The Yorkshire club had won just once since the turn of the year after defeat against Forest and they’re in danger of falling out of the promotion race.
It seems as though one of United’s biggest problems is mentality.
Indeed, fans, journalists and sports psychologists all agree that the Championship promotion hopefuls are struggling with their confidence, and you can understand why.
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Last season the Whites capitulated at the end of the campaign, culminating in a 4-2 playoff semi-final loss to Derby County at Elland Road, and it seems as though the demons from last summer are still haunting the squad. Graham Smyth stated that the side are suffering from unresolved sporting trauma on the latest edition of the Inside Elland Road podcast (4/2/20 42:30)
Therein lies the problem, if Leeds don’t get over the line this season, doubts will grow even more, and this group of players will start to feel like it is an impossible task.
Phil Hay shared the dressing room’s thoughts on the matter a few weeks ago, claiming that they didn’t feel secure with an 11-point lead, and if they bottle it again this term it’ll be tough for them to ever overcome the trauma that they have suffered over the past two seasons. That’s especially if they continue to neglect the need for a sports psychologist.
If Leeds go up this season it will be a triumphant defiance of all expectations after hearing years of jeers from the stands about ‘falling apart again’, but if they don’t, those niggling doubts will grow louder and louder, and it may take years for the club to recover. After all, Ben White will be back with Brighton while Kalvin Phillips could also depart after being linked with Wolves this week.
Of course, failing in their quest this season will have numerous repercussions – it’s been claimed that Marcelo Bielsa and a number of players would be on their way out of the club, but even if they stayed it’d be hard for the squad to dust themselves down and go again with the same intensity.
In other news, a Sky Sports pundit has claimed that one Leeds man is a shadow of his former self.