OPINION
Leeds United’s hopes of tightening their grip on the Championship title took a blow on Saturday afternoon with Stoke City taking revenge on their opening day defeat with a 2-1 victory at the Bet365 Stadium.
Elland Road played host to the Potters on the first day of the season after their relegation from the Premier League, the Whites securing a comfortable 3-1 win back August, but it was Nathan Jones’ men who sealed the three points, the manager’s first win in charge at his new club.
To make matters worse for Leeds Pontus Jansson saw himself dismissed for two bookable offences, Ezgjan Alioski’s late strike merely a consolation for the visitors.
So just what can the Elland Road faithful take away from a disappointing result?
This is Futbol has picked out three things learned from defeat in the Potteries:
Bielsa unstuck by 3-5-2
Saturday was not the first time that Leeds have come up against a congested midfield and three central defenders and it was not the first time they have struggled either.
The vast numbers in the middle of the pitch meant that the likes of Adam Forshaw and Mateusz Klich were overrun, while Pablo Hernandez was unable to make anything happen up top for Kemar Roofe, who found himself completely out of the game.
When Leeds find themselves struggling there needs to be an alternative tactic employed by Bielsa.
Anonymous Clarke marked out the game
One of the brightest things about Leeds’ season – other than the fact they are leading the rest of the chasing pack – has been young winger Jack Clarke.
However, Saturday was not his finest 90 minutes and it was all thanks to Stoke’s focus on his talents.
Whenever the teenager found himself on the ball there were two or three home players immediately on his case, meaning he was immediately forced to move the ball on.
He has shown his danger when given time and space and there is no plan B in his locker right now, Stoke silencing him with some close attention and man marking.
Klich needs to be axed for some creative spark
The midfield was the real issue against the Potters and while Forshaw cannot escape criticism, the real problem lay at the feet of Mateusz Klich.
The Polish international struggled to hold any sort of influence on or off the ball where others offered at least a little something and with there needing to be a creative spark from somewhere, Klich deserves to be axed from the starting XI to shake things up.
With Izzy Brown closing in on a comeback and Jamie Shackleton waiting in the wings, there are plenty of options for Bielsa to pick from – but a change is definitely needed and a shock axe for ever present Klich is the answer.