New Leeds United head coach Sam Allardyce has personally spoken to defenders Liam Cooper and Luke Ayling, according to a report.
What Sam Allardyce has told Leeds duo Liam Cooper and Luke Ayling
The Daily Mail have reported that Allardyce, who was appointed the Leeds head coach this week, “held a separate summit with the squad’s leadership group, led by captain Liam Cooper and defender Luke Ayling” on Wednesday.
The report has added that the former West Ham United and Everton boss has outlined the importance of the senior players in the final weeks of the season for Leeds.
The West Yorkshire club are in real danger of getting relegated to the Championship at the end of the season.
“Allardyce knows his senior players will be key in the final weeks of the season,” states the report in The Daily Mail.
“He has put the onus on them to dig the club out of the relegation-shaped hole they find themselves.”
HITC Verdict: Defence key
In our view, Leeds United will have to do much better at the back in order to escape the dreaded drop to the Championship at the end of the season.
We know that striker Patrick Bamford is struggling in attack, but even if Leeds do not score, they could still pick up a point from each of their remaining games if they do not concede.
And Leeds have been conceding too many goals under Javi Gracia.
Shipping in four goals against Bournemouth, six against Liverpool and five against Crystal Palace is really poor.
And we believe that Allardyce will drill it into the Leeds defence who to defend and how to keep it tight at the back.
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