Marcelo Bielsa has no plans to dip into the January market to reinforce Leeds United’s leaky defence.
The United manager explained at his media conference on New Year’s Day, as quoted by Yorkshire Evening Post correspondent Phil Hay, that the team’s “defending is not a big concern” and that “signing a player wouldn’t solve the issues” they had in the 4-2 defeat to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.
Goals have gone a haywire over Christmas. Eighteen conceded by Leeds in the first 22 league games. Ten conceded in the last four. But Bielsa insistent tonight that the defending is not a big concern and that signing a player wouldn't solve the issues they had today. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) January 1, 2019
The message from the manager is that the team has no problems in defence other than with dealing with set-pieces, even though Hay pointed out how Leeds have conceded 10 goals in their last four league matches after letting in just 18 in their first 22 of the campaign.
Bielsa on whether he will try to find a defender in the transfer window: "We don't have any problem in defence. If you take out the goals that are scored on set-pieces, we are the team who concede the least." #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) January 1, 2019
OPINION
Leeds do have a clear issue in defence, but they would be better off addressing other areas of their squad as they look for January reinforcements. At times, it felt like Pontus Jansson was a one-man barricade preventing a Forest demolition as the visiting side were far too porous in sinking to their second consecutive defeat. Mitigation came in the first-half dismissal of Kalvin Phillips, the midfield anchorman who has filled in manfully at centre-back in recent weeks, as well as a playing style in which the team takes risks to score goals. To their credit, Leeds went all-out for the win in the second half at the City Ground. With Liam Cooper set for an imminent return, and Gaetano Berardi expected back in February, Leeds should have enough at the back to cope, although Luke Ayling and Barry Douglas need to up their games big time. What would help immensely would be the signing of a proven goalkeeper. Bailey Peacock-Farrell is an accident waiting to happen and it can’t help the men in front of him how erratic he is between the sticks.