Leeds United are anxiously waiting for the Championship season to finally continue later this month.
Resuming the season gives Leeds the chance to earn promotion of their own accord, rather than leaving the decision with the EFL.
Leeds are well placed, seven points clear of third place, with nine matches remaining.
When the matches are played, fans will not be in attendance.
This will be strange for Leeds, who are synonymous with their passionate, and often raucous crowd.
Advantage
For Leeds, not having a crowd for this final stretch may actually help Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
Elland Road can be a cauldron of noise at its best. But nerves will come into play over the final few weeks.
Leeds lost their form over the final few weeks last season, and their form at Elland Road was their undoing.
This hurt them in the play-offs too, where Leeds blew their advantage and lost the second leg where they hosted Derby.
The nervousness of the fans transmits to players. When the game is goalless after 60 minutes, the players will feel the strange silence, and fear gripping the stadium, that it is all about to go wrong again.
This was the biggest obstacle to Leeds, unavoidable nerves from fans putting the players off their games.
Now this way, it won’t be a problem.
Marcelo Bielsa’s famously well organised team can focus on the games, the opponents, and the manager’s instructions.
There are less distractions, and the players are less likely to feel the nerves.
It’s no guarantee Leeds will not falter, but it appears there is one less obstacle taken away.
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