Leeds United's staggering defensive record forces Liam Cooper rethink ahead of Man City - YEP 27/4/22


Leeds United did not keep a single Premier League clean sheet during Liam Cooper's three-month injury lay-off earlier this season

By Joe Donnohue

Leeds United captain Liam Cooper has always had to battle detractors throughout his time at Elland Road.

The Scottish international recently made a comeback to the side following a three-month injury lay-off, which has coincided with an upturn in form.

There is little dispute over the impact Cooper has off the pitch, leading the squad, setting the standard and generally being an example to the younger, more inexperienced players at Thorp Arch.

However, due to Leeds' uncharacteristic wealth of options in central defence, the club captain has not always been supporters' first choice pick in front of goalkeeper Illan Meslier.

This view is somewhat at odds with the team's ability to earn positive results on the pitch, though. Since Cooper's return to the starting line-up this month, Leeds have conceded one goal in three matches.

In the Whites' last two league games, the team have registered back-to-back clean sheets for the first time this season.

During Cooper's three-month absence, which he shared in the treatment room with fellow defensive lynchpin Kalvin Phillips, Leeds were unable to record a single shutout over a 15-game period.

That said, attributing Leeds' recent improvement exclusively to Cooper would ignore the fact they have faced comparatively lesser sides; Southampton, Watford and Crystal Palace all occupy places in the bottom half of the Premier League table.

In the reverse fixtures this season, Leeds also conceded just a single goal against these same opponents. Cooper saw out the full 90 minutes in all six matches, home and away, versus the Saints, Eagles and Hornets.

Most sobering of all, during the 15-game stretch in which Cooper was either left out entirely, or only made the substitutes' bench, Leeds conceded 45 times - an average of three per game.

That is more than nine Premier League teams have conceded all season, equal to 17th-placed Burnley's goals against column and accounts for two-thirds of all the goals conceded by Leeds in the top flight this campaign.

When asked by reporters after the 3-0 win over Watford earlier this month about Cooper's performance, head coach Jesse Marsch immediately praised his captain's aerial supremacy: "He won his duels, he won his aerial duels, he was positionally in the right spot, he was aggressive against the ball, he was sharp, he didn't lose any balls. I had him speak to the team afterwards because I told them that I haven't had a better captain in the entire time I've been a coach.

"He was great," Marsch added. The American was correct to mention Cooper's ability in the air because despite missing a large chunk of the season, no Leeds player has contested or won more aerial battles than Cooper during 2021/22.

His success rate stands at 70%, as per FBRef.com, ranking him among the best in the league, alongside Virgil van Dijk, Pontus Jansson and Ben Mee.

At the very least, the data suggests Cooper's physicality and leadership is paramount to effective rearguard action at Leeds United, forcing something of a rethink among those detractors of his.

Popular posts from this blog

The huge initial fee Leeds are set to receive for Crysencio Summerville’s move to West Ham — Leeds United News 31/7/24

Leeds United board break silence after transfer window with statement on upcoming Elland Road development — YEP 2/9/24

Leeds United transfer state of play as Whites knock back low bid and assert wing pair stance — YEP 3/7/24