[PA Media]
The ball bounced up and made contact with Jayden Bogle’s hand. Amid a crowded situation with Chelsea players surrounding him, Noah Okafor seized the opportunity to score with a simple tap-in.
This chaotic moment at Stamford Bridge on a Tuesday night in early February marked Leeds’ last goal from open play in the Premier League.
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Their most recent league goal of any type came at Villa Park just over a month ago, when Anton Stach launched a powerful shot from 35 yards that found the net past Aston Villa’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez.
Since Stach’s goal, Leeds have played 419 minutes of football without scoring, taking 64 shots, accumulating 5.43 expected goals, and achieving 117 touches inside the opponent’s box.
For context, the four clubs they faced during this goal drought all rank in the top half of the league for fewest goals conceded: Manchester City (second), Sunderland (fifth), Crystal Palace (third), and Brentford (ninth).
Defensively, Daniel Farke has successfully organized the team, making them difficult to defeat, with Leeds drawing 12 matches—only Bournemouth (15) has more draws.
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While being solid defensively is commendable, there’s a pressing need for Leeds to find the back of the net.
The club has struggled with creating quality scoring opportunities and fluid attacking play, often relying too heavily on set pieces for goals.
The distribution of assists across the team indicates a lack of a true playmaker in the squad. Additionally, the left defensive side has not contributed to offensive play.
Leeds have frequently deployed midfielders in their forward line, but in close encounters, the absence of impactful substitutes has been a concern.
Although drawing matches might keep them afloat, Leeds’ Premier League survival hinges on their ability to generate more goals.
In Farke’s position, how would you address Leeds’ scoring difficulties?
[BBC]
For more insights from Adonis Storr, follow him on The Roaring Peacock