Up in the Championship play-off places, Leeds United are having a much-improved season under Garry Monk.
Former Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday boss Howard Wilkinson once said, “We don’t necessarily have the best players in Britain – I hope we do – but we can be the fittest.” A sentiment echoed by many modern managers who put great emphasis on fitness.
Euro 2016 displayed just how important late goals have become in football today, with a goal being scored in the 80+ minute in what seemed like virtually every game. This is one area in which fitness can be pivotal, and the statistics suggest Leeds United’s fitness is much improved under young boss Garry Monk, and the Whites appear to be reaping the rewards.
Yorkshire rivals Barnsley are the only team in the Championship to have scored more goals after the 76th minute in games than Leeds United. Monk’s men have scored a whopping 13 goals in the 76th minute or later and 8 goals in the 85th minute or later.
Leeds United’s fitness levels have improved under Garry Monk
The Whites statistics compare very favourably to last season, when they conceded more goals than they scored from the 76th minute onwards (scored 11, conceded 16). Having already beaten that tally half way through the campaign this season, late goals are a big reason why the Whites are sitting so pretty in the Championship.
Of Leeds’ late goals, five have proved particularly decisive. Chris Wood’s 93rd minutes equaliser vs Fulham, Kyle Bartley’s 86th minute winner vs Blackburn, Chris Wood’s 83rd minute winner vs Burton, Ronaldo Vieira’s 91st minute winner vs Norwich and Kyle Bartley’s 89th minute winner vs Brentford.
Chris Wood has become a specialist in late goals at Leeds United
Those five alone account for an extra 9 points on the board for Leeds, a points difference which if detracted would see them drop to 11th in the table, level on points with Fulham and Preston. In addition to those decisive goals, there has been Souleymane Doukara’s 91st minute goal vs Reading, Chris Wood’s 94th minute strike against Aston Villa and Chris Wood’s 85th minute effort away at Sheffield Wednesday, all of which were scored with the game at 1-0. Whilst not decisive, their importance in ensuring Leeds took maximum points from those games cannot be overlooked.
Of course, there are a number of factors which contribute to late goals. Many people believe Sir Alex Ferguson’s teams scored such a high number of late goals due to having exhausted the opposition for much of the game, dominating possession and bombarding them with attacks, often leaving them physically and mentally drained as the game dragged on.
However, the stats do not point to this being the case. Whilst Leeds certainly seem to be playing ‘better’ football under Garry Monk, they have in fact the exact same possession stats as they averaged last season – 50.7%.
Leeds United are seeing just as much of the ball as last season in the Championship
All pointers then would suggest that improved fitness is the major reason for Leeds’ improved record in the latter stages of games. This will come as no great surprise to many Leeds United fans, who have often criticised former managers and coaching teams for a lack of fitness at Elland Road.
Whilst Monk has recruited well, instilled belief and confidence in his players and got them playing good football, one could argue that the improved fitness levels of his team has been the major factor in their transformation from middling second tier side going nowhere to an expensive and entertaining team battling hard for promotion to the Premier League.
Even in the EFL Cup the Whites scored in the 89th minute against Fleetwood Town, the 85th minute against Blackburn Rovers and the 109th minute against Norwich City. The Yorkshire side has scored more goals from the 76th minute onwards than they have in the entire first half of games, a telling statistic which cannot be put down to chance at the halfway stage of the season.
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