Ilia Gruev details Leeds United tactical tweak that provides 'huge advantage' over opponents — YEP 22/3/24
The Bulgarian has been central to Leeds United's incredible defensive form in 2024.
By Kyle Newbould
Ilia Gruev has provided a crucial insight into the on-pitch
work behind Leeds United's incredible defensive record.
Gruev's emergence as a first-team regular at Elland Road has
coincided with Leeds enjoying an imperious run of form, closing the gap on
Leicester City and eventually usurping them as Championship leaders. The
Bulgarian has started 12 of his side's 13-game unbeaten streak and played the
full 90 minutes in all but one - he was taken off at 3-0 up against Rotherham
in February.
That streak has also included a ridiculous 10 clean sheets
and Leeds have not conceded a single Championship goal from open play since the
1-0 defeat at West Brom in December. Gruev has not been the sole reason for his
side's defensive strength but the Bulgarian, along with centre-backs Joe Rodon
and Ethan Ampadu, has mastered the art of keeping teams out and owes it to
maintaining focus when his side are attacking.
“When Cree [Summerville] has the ball on the wing or DJ [Dan
James] or Willy [Gnonto] or Jaidon [Anthony], I know we're going to do a cross
or going to play a risky ball or shoot and then I know my tasks aren’t any more
to watch the ball,” Gruev told Leeds Live. “My task is then to watch their
striker or their offensive midfielder and to be very close to him, so if
something happened, we're close, we can get the ball as quickly as possible
back and I can play again to those guys and we can create something.
“This is very important in this time of football because you
have so much good players and if good players have a lot of space and time,
then they will punish you. When the ball is in these areas, where I know it's
going to get dangerous for the opponent, I watch Ampa [Ethan Ampadu] or Joe
[Rodon], they watch me, we talk and then we organise: ‘You take him, I take
him, we play two against three, we are good, move up.
“This is crucial for our game because when you lose it, you
have a direct opponent and direct pressure again. If you don't do it well, they
will do a counter-attack and then you have to sprint 70 metres down and then
you have to, again, get back to the opposite goal and it's a long way to get
there again. If you do it directly, there is a huge advantage for our game.”
Such has been Gruev’s form in midfield that Ampadu’s
presence has not been missed, with the Welshman dropping into central defence.
It was Ampadu’s ever-presence that restricted minutes for the £4m summer
arrival but with Pascal Struijk injured, doors opened and even the Dutchman’s
return could not deter Daniel Farke from changing things up.
Gruev came second in Bulgaria’s 2023 Player of the Year
earlier this week and upon receiving the award, made clear his desire to win
promotion with the Whites. "I hope that next season I’ll be playing in the
world’s best league, the Premier League," the midfielder said while
receiving his award.
