Ayling, Jansson, Bartley, Taylor; does Garry Monk’s back four have the makings of a promotion winning defence?
Of all Garry Monk’s decisions since taking charge of perennial crisis club Leeds United, the loan signings of Pontus Jansson and Kyle Bartley must surely be ranked among the best.
While Chris Wood’s impressive goalscoring streak has been widely credited with The Whites’ rise from mid-table mediocrity to the play-off positions for the first time since 2013, it certainly helps that only four teams in the second tier can boast a better defensive record than Leeds going into Christmas.
Two of the four, Newcastle United and Brighton, are in the automatic promotion positions.
And, thanks to the front-foot commitment of Jansson and the towering reliability of Bartley (below), not to mention unsung hero Luke Ayling and the ever-improving Charlie Taylor, Leeds have shut out the likes of Aston Villa, Reading and Wolves this season, ensuring their festive celebrations are made all the more merry by their current standing of fifth.
You have to go back a long way since Leeds conceded fewer league goals from August to Christmas. This season, the damage stands at just 22, the best of the Massimo Cellino era. In fact, no Leeds side has been more statistically watertight since Simon Grayson’s 2009/10 vintage, underpinning Leeds’ march to promotion out of League One.
Monk has certainly laid the foundations for a another promotion this season – only this time there’s even more at stake.
Leeds United goals conceded up to Christmas
2016/17 – 22
2015/16 – 24
2014/15 – 32
2013/14 – 23
2012/13 – 35
2011/12 – 30
2010/11 – 35
2009/10 – 10
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