Javi Gracia confident Leeds United will keep calm as they head into storm of final 10 matches - Yorkshire Post 3/4/23

There was no getting away from it. More than once in his press conference ahead of the visit of Nottingham Forest he referred to the most important phase of Leeds United's season starting on Tuesday night.

Stuart Rayner

That is the first of three consecutive home games – two this week against relegation rivals (the other being Crystal Palace on Sunday) and another versus a Liverpool side they beat at Anfield but who have tended struggle much more away from Merseyside this season.

It goes without saying Elland Road will be pumped up. The players must be too – but not too much.

Being too desperate to succeed almost cost Leeds in last season's run-in. Two of their three red cards in 2021-22 came in May, Luke Ayling at Arsenal and Dan James at home to Chelsea throwing themselves into unwise tackles. It ruled both out of the decisive end-of-season games.

Tempers are fraying and patience is already snapping elsewhere.

On Monday Wolverhampton Wanderers were fined £57,500 for their players losing their heads when Leeds were visitors in the last game before the international break.

Matheus Nunes was sent off for his angry reaction to Rodrigo's goal in the Whites' 4-2 win. Nunes was not even playing but had to be held back by his team-mates after referee Michael Salisbury stood by his decision to allow the goal having consulted his pitchside monitor.

Somehow the unused substitute’s card was rescinded on appeal but the reaction of the squad as a whole was punished. Jonny Otto had already been sent off for a lunging tackle on Ayling.

On Sunday Leicester City's patience with Brendan Rodgers finally snapped when the Foxes dropped into the bottom three. Leicester followed the lead of relegation-threatened Leeds, Wolves, Bournemouth, Southampton (twice), Everton and Crystal Palace and sacked their manager.

Despite that, Gracia is confident he will get cool heads from his players, both in terms of staying the right side of the referee and not losing their tactical discipline.

"We have to live the games calmly," says the understated Spaniard. "We try to be focused on the game and the things we have to do but we have to feel the support of our fans.

"We know we always have the unconditional support of my fans and it's crucial."

But those fans will want to see their team attacking teams they need to beat and that does not always fit the gameplan of their reserved coach.

"I don't have any doubts about that, you can see it in the other games," says Gracia when asked how hard it will be for his players to keep ice in their veins if Elland Road reaches boiling point.

"Against Brighton it was really difficult to keep that discipline. We were losing twice and we kept our shape, stayed constant and didn't do movements we didn't want to do.

"It wasn't easy but we were really disciplined so I don't have any doubts the players are going to follow the plan and do their best."

But there will have to be more intent than was shown away to Arsenal in Saturday's 4-1 defeat.

"I expect a more offensive game for us than the last one," acknowledges Gracia.

"Against Arsenal it was 33 per cent of possession for us. We had to manage that percentage of possession to try to be offensive, to try to be brave and I think we did that. We created some chances – five shots on target, Arsenal had six.

"Now playing at home I expect a different game, a more offensive game with more possession and most importantly a better result."

Working out how to beat Forest is easier said than done, not because they are so good – they have the worst away record in the Premier League – but because their scattergun approach to the transfer market makes them are extremely unpredictable.

"They have many different options," points out Gracia. "If you compare the last line-up with the one before they made many changes. They can play with different shapes, different players.

"They have quality players and it's a team that defeated us a short time ago. We have to be aware of that.

"They are a good team and we have to do something different and better to try to beat them."

With seven points from his first five games there is no doubt Gracia has had a positive impact on Leeds but now is the real sharp end of things.

"We've had different feelings – won, lost, drawn – but in my opinion we competed in all the games," he says.

"We were close to getting better results and now is the moment to give our best and show what we are able to do.

"It's the key moment and we have to do it now. It's an important moment for us."