Leeds complete the comeback at gusty Yeovil

Leeds United fought back against the weather and recovered from going a goal down to beat Yeovil 2-1.

Strong winds dictated the fixture, making it difficult for both sides as the ball forked in random directions when flighted through the air with any pace.

Leeds captain Ross McCormack celebrating his goal with Matt Smith.
                                                                             Picture from http://www.bbc.co.uk

Leeds were chasing the game after Ishmael Miller thrust Yeovil ahead with a fine header after 32 minutes in Somerset. The same player then failed to double the home side's lead, missing a penalty conceded by Sam Byram just before half time.

United Captain Ross McCormack, who scored a hat-trick in Leeds' 5-1 derby win over Huddersfield last week, levelled for Leeds with a beautifully curled shot from 22-yards out - only a minute after the restart.

Whites' left-back Stephen Warnock stunned Yeovil with his 40-yard free-kick on 62 minutes played, putting Leeds 2-1 ahead. The long-ranged effort was picked up by the wind as the ball sailed through the air and looped over static keeper Marek Stech. 

"What we want to avoid now is drama off the pitch. On the pitch we want drama but if we can avoid that for the last 17 games I'll be very happy." said Leeds manager Brian McDermott after the game.

Under pressure: Leeds manager Brian McDermott.
                                                         Picture from http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk

A poor first half performance played in equally poor conditions in Somerset suggested that McDermott - who is already under considerable pressure following the botched attempted sacking of him last week by prospective owner Massimo Cellino - had his work cut out for him at half-time. 

But whatever the Leeds boss said in the dressing room during the interval definitely worked, as did his tactical change to 4-4-2.

The manager introduced the big handful that is Matt Smith, who returned after serving his three-match-ban for a harsh red card that he received during United's 6-0 thrashing at Hillsborough almost a month ago.

As the second half ticked on so too did the chances for Leeds. Ross McCormack, Rudolph Austin and Jimmy Kebé all had decent chances - the latter blasting the ball into the car-park with just the goalkeeper to beat.

Accuracy is an area that Leeds need to address if they are to pose a serious play-off challenge this season. They totalled 20 shots but only managed to get five on target - a 25% shot accuracy on the day.

Yeovil's chances dried up considerably in contrast as the game went on. The home side struggled as they played against the same wind that held United back in the first half.

Busy period takes its toll on United

The string of games around Christmas in the English game has been criticised as of late and the FA are under increasing scrutiny to slacken the workload of squads - especially those who are shy of investment.

Leeds manager Brian McDermott.
                                                                                 Picture from http://www.bbc.co.uk

Leeds took just two points from three games so far over the busy period and after a disappointing display at Nottingham, United now sit at 7th place in the table. In a press conference with the Yorkshire Evening Post, McDermott took the positives after two difficult back-to-back away games but also highlighted an issue that needs addressing at Elland Road, should United wish to issue a real promotion challenge this season: “My lads have done fantastically well for me and we’re seventh in the league. We've got results and we’re in an okay position. But we know we need to add to what we've got next month.”

And the White's manager has a point. The proposed take-over - led by Leeds managing director Andrew Haigh and Andrew Flowers - will ideally provide much needed investment in order to strengthen a United squad that gave a tired performance against Nottingham Forest.

Nottingham Forest's Matt Derbyshire and Gred Halford 
                                                                            Picture from www1.skysports.com

Leeds struggled to get in the game during the first half at City Ground and looked off the pace for most of the match. Forest did a good job of closing down quickly, restricting possession and pressuring the ball. The home team looked by far the superior side for 90 minutes and an ankle injury sustained by Kenny in the opening minutes of the match did not help matters but he battled on and played through it admirably.

Andy Reid's free-kick found its way to Forest's make-shift striker Greg Halford, who jumped above Zaliukas to force his header past Kenny after 23 minutes. Forest pressed and almost added a second moments after the restart but Reid's attempted chip landed on the roof of the net. Leeds showed some signs of life however, as Luke Murphy fired in a corner that Matt Smith almost got his head to on 33 minutes. Radoslaw Majewski's drive for Nottingham was tipped past the post by Kenny, who was blatantly struggling. Djamal Abdoun's lay-off then looked to be a gift for Jamie Mackie but the Scot put his effort wide of goal.

During the interval Leeds assessed Kenny's ankle injury and allowed him to carry on but it wasn't long before Forest  produced another effort on target, in the form of Abdoun's shot that was saved by the United keeper. Leeds continued to hang on, despite significant pressure from the home side and United introduced American youngster Gboly Ariyibi to make his debut. Nottingham went close again when Reid hit the post with a long range strike but Leeds broke forward and Byrams's effort almost found its way to goal before being cleared by the Forest defence but only as far as Ross McCormack, who didn't need to be asked twice to thrash the ball past the scrambling Forest goalkeeper on 83 minutes played.

The two teams were not on level terms for long as the home side's attacking restart provided substitute Matt Derbyshire with a yard of space and the former Olympiacos man sent a 25 yard missile into the corner of United's goal, sparking an intense argument between Kenny and Leeds captain Rodolph Austin.

Blackpool's Tom Ince.
                                                       Picture from www1.skysports.com

The defeat at Forest was the second away game Leeds played in three days, visiting Blackpool on Boxing day and playing out to a 1-1 draw. The game at Bloomfield Road was another difficult battle for McDermott's men who, after a strong first half culminating in an excellent looping header by Lee Peltier, fizzled out as Tom Ince proceeded to thrust the Tangerines forward. The England under-21 international lashed a shot from distance which took a wicked deflection from Marius Zaliukas and Kenny was unable to adjust. Although an away draw on boxing day at Blackpool would usually be a decent result, it did feel like a loss for Leeds after the Whites dominated for most of the game.

The referee was certainly not on Leeds' side either. When Ross McCormack was pulled down by Kirk Broadfoot after controlling the ball and appearing to be through on goal, the Blackpool defender was only shown a yellow card for his foul on the Scot. In an interview with the YEP, McDermott said: “It’s a certain sending off and when the referee looks back at it he’ll realise that he’s made an error. It’s unfortunate for him and for us." United were given some reprieve on 85 minutes, when the same man was the culprit of a wildly dangerous tackle and referee Scott Mathieson made no mistake this time, showing a straight red card. The man advantage came too late for the Leeds though, who were unable to find a goal late on.

United will host Blackburn Rovers at Elland Road on New Years Day and fatigue will undoubtedly play its part in a fixture that will be integral if Leeds are going to threaten a play-off place this season.

Mac's tacs - from old to new with 3-5-2

Brian McDermott's tactics have stood out this season, especially in the more difficult games Leeds have won. It's no secret that the United boss has been experimenting with the squad to find his best eleven and the last couple of games, in particular at home to Birmingham, seem to be a turning point for the team tactically. 

McDermott has changed the formation to a less rigid 3-5-2, with Warnock and young Sam Byram operating as wing-backs - patrolling the channels to provide support for the forwards and strengthen the back three when the opposition attacks from wide. The defensive side of the formation for many teams who have used it has been consistently criticised in the in the past. Several pundits have ironically targeted the vulnerability of the back three (the three centre-backs that make up the defensive line) as the specific problem.

The back three in the formation are often accused of sloppiness, not as such individually but rather as a unit. The formation demands a high level of chemistry and understanding between that defensive unit and this can be difficult to obtain because intensive practise and training is required. In a recent article for the Yorkshire Evening post, former Leeds United player Brendan Ormsby highlighted the confusion that swapping two centre-backs for three at the back can cause. "With two central halves, they know what they are doing in picking up two strikers between them. With three, one is spare and two are marking and when strikers switch, you've got to be able to pass them on, pick up or drop off."

Leeds United's Rodolph Austin at Elland Road against QPR.
                                   Picture from http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk

The 3-5-2 formation that Leeds have adopted is almost an exact mirror of Brendan Rodgers' current formation with Liverpool. Rodgers has recently abandoned his famous 4-3-3 approach, the formation that he so spectacularly utilised at Swansea, for the 3-5-2 in order to incorporate both Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suárez as central strikers and it has paid dividends in almost every match that he has deployed it. However, at the weekend against Arsenal, the Liverpool back three saw their defensive confusion punished time and time again as the Chelsea attacking quartet pulled and pushed them out of position. Kolo Toure - a player who was arguably one of the best defenders in the Premier League at one time and part of the famous 03/04 Arsenal "Invincibles" side - was made to look like a school-boy centre-back at times as he was twisted around in a daze, not knowing who to mark or when to cover, oblivious to runs made behind him.

The formation then clearly does have its draw-backs, but it gives a hell of a lot going forward, especially when Leeds' Jamaican international Rodolph Austin puts in a shift and runs the opposition defence ragged. His link up play with McCormack has proved to be invaluble in the last few games as Austin seems to have slipped effortlessly into his role in the 3-5-2. He operates as an all round midfielder within the formation, pushing high up the pitch during build up play and acting almost as a trequartista but equally giving a balance to the team through his tireless defensive tracking work. This defensive part of Austin's game in particular is what sets him apart from his fellow midfielders, it gives his game an edge and when coupled with his aggression and intensity on the pitch. The worry for Leeds is that it does seem that regardless of the formation, when Austin doesn't play or has a bad game then United have a bad game as a whole and that is not a good sign. 

Talismans are of course integral to any team with ambitions to gain promotion to the Premier League but to rely on one player to be the backbone of your squad is a big ask. Leeds fans will be hoping that Austin can keep his match fitness up and continue his excellent form because his presence is beginning to seem irreplaceable.