Leeds United are bidding for promotion under Marcelo Bielsa.
Former England international Chris Waddle has told the Sheffield Star that there is no clear leader in the Championship this season – and has fears that Leeds United will ‘fall way’ due to fatigue.
As things stand in the Championship, Sheffield United sit top of the table with 29 points from 15 games, but just seven points separate them from 12th placed Blackburn Rovers.
Three clubs sit on 27 points in Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Norwich City, whilst West Bromwich Albion and Derby County round out the top six with 25 points.
It’s as tight as many can remember in the Championship this season, with no clear leader emerging a third of the way through the campaign – certainly not like last season when Wolves quickly emerged as the team to beat.
Now, former England international and current pundit Waddle has offered his view to the Sheffield Star, suggesting that the league is there for the taking, with not a lot between the teams at this point.
Waddle added that he thinks Leeds could fall away under Marcelo Bielsa due to the high intensity of their play and the energy needed to play his way.
“You look at the league and it’s there for the taking,” said Waddle. “People said Stoke and WBA were going to do this that and the other but look at where they are in the table. There is not a lot between the teams. Wednesday gave Middlesbrough a good game and had chances to win it and Leeds are up there but we know with the way they play and their high energy that they could fall away.”
“There are some good, decent teams but they are not outstanding. They are all beating each other. Let’s be honest, the teams who go up this season will find it hard to survive. I don’t think there is a Wolves or a real top, outstanding team who are a cut above the rest. Wolves stuck out by a mile last year. They were the best team but there is no team like that this year so there is no reason in my eyes to fear anyone in the league. It is all about consistency. You have to be at it every week if you want to get out of the league. You can’t turn it on one week and off the next,” he added.
This is a concern that many have about Leeds this season, and recent results have taken a dip amid major injury woes, but Bielsa teams tend to cope well in his first season, and once players come back from injury, the Whites should show that they are a very real contender for promotion to the Premier League with as strong of a squad as most in the Championship.
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