Sideways Sammy

Coventry City swept aside Swansea City at the weekend to extend their winning run in the league to four games. Having managed to beat teams that the Sky Blues were, more or less, extended that further will test just how much substance there is in this up-tick in form. It’s not just that a run of four games in ten days begins with the league leaders, Leeds United, but how that schedule is managed that will surely push this team to its limit, potentially in a season-defining manner.

The toughest of this run of games has most certainly come at the start of it, with Leeds United looking every bit a Premier League team in waiting. Top of the table and off the back of a 7-0 thrashing of Cardiff City at the weekend, they look a fearsome prospect – not to mention that they inflicted one of Coventry City’s worst displays on them earlier this campaign. Taking anything from this match would be a significant step in the right direction.

Expected Line-Up

It would be a bold man to change a team that has won four in a row and it’s hard to see Frank Lampard doing so here. With the FA Cup game at the weekend the chance to rest and rotate the squad, there seems little reason to break up what is working for Coventry City.

The most notable temptation for change would be to bring January signing, Matt Grimes, into the team after he was signed tactfully late ahead of the Swansea City game at the weekend. With Grimes ineligible for the upcoming FA Cup tie with Ipswich Town, it would appear to be a choice between blooding him at the first available opportunity or easing him in more slowly than may be ideal. However, it would be hugely unfair on Jamie Allen to take him out of the team while he is playing some of his best football ever for the club.

That would be the most obvious change to the team, if it was made, unless Frank Lampard is considering making changes in response to the threat Leeds United pose. That could involve Josh Eccles coming into the midfield for one of Victor Torp or Jack Rudoni to tighten things up – or, maybe even pairing Matt Grimes and Jamie Allen – or taking a striker out of the side (probably Brandon Thomas-Asante) and bringing Tatsuhiro Sakamoto in to add an extra body in midfield. However, the overall notion remains, it would be bold to change a team that is firing on all cylinders.

Finally, there looks to be a prospect of Ephron Mason-Clark being available to make the bench for this game, which, if nothing else, would likely bring an end to the number of academy players filling the matchday squad out.

Last Time We Met

It was undoubtedly Coventry City’s worst performance of the season when they showed up to Elland Road and completely rolled over to hand Leeds United all three points. Mark Robins had seemingly set the team up to play defensively and on the break but they showed no resilience and no intent as they let Leeds run all over them. It was a performance epitomised by Leeds opening goal, where Coventry had numbers back but stood back and watched as the home side passed their way through them for Wilfried Gnonto to fire in a powerful effort.

The only reason it wasn’t more at half-time was surely because Leeds United couldn’t believe how easy it was for them. Early in the second-half, Ben Sheaf looped a classic half-hearted shot over the crossbar as Coventry City’s first attempt on goal, which was enough to wake Leeds up and finish the game off, again passing through a statuesque away back-line to score. Ben Wilson then ensured the scoreline vaguely resembled Leeds’ dominance as he allowed a Joel Piroe shot through his body for three. Coventry were lucky the scoring stopped at that.

The Opposition

The Manager – Daniel Farke

A man who has only ever once finished a Championship season below third-place, Daniel Farke has eased Leeds United out of any funk that last year’s play-off final defeat may have caused and has them cruising towards the Premier League. A manager who likes his teams to play dominant possession football, backed up by intense pressing that completely stymies the opposition’s threat, a talented Leeds squad is flourishing under his charge.

The only wrinkle in Leeds United’s campaign has been their away form, which, while it is one of the strongest in the division, doesn’t match their completely dominant home displays. At Elland Road, Leeds United have only dropped points three times, scored 42 and conceded just seven. Away from home, Leeds have drawn have their games and scored just 18 times, conceding 12 times – hardly disastrous but it’s fair to say they are a different prospect in Leeds than on the road.

Who To Look Out For?

Possessing an array of attacking talent, Leeds United’s excellence is built on a platform in defence and midfield that allows them to really dominate games. Even with the powerful Pascal Struijk out injured, Joe Rodon’s all-round sturdiness and reading of the game allows Leeds to push their line high up the pitch. Struijk’s injury has eased a potential headache for Daniel Farke given the form of midfield controller, Ao Tanaka, in Ethan Ampadu’s absence, with the latter now back to fitness and able to be dropped back into defence, rather than having to unsettle the balance in midfield.

With Ampadu and Tanaka at the base of the team controlling possession, that allows Joe Rothwell to get forward from midfield and provide that link between defence and attack. The midfielder is excellent in driving forward from deep and can pick killer passes to open games up. That control at the back also means that the pacey attacking full-back pair of Junior Firpo and Jayden Bogle can help overwhelm opponents with their forward runs.

Leeds United have a range of attacking options to pick from further forward who are all match-winners who can be rotated seamlessly. At the moment, the pace in behind of Dan James has been preferred out wide, with Manor Solomon able to threaten from cutting inside and Joel Piroe there in the penalty area to sniff out opportunities. To change things up, Leeds can introduce the dangerous dribblers, Wilfried Gnonto and Largie Ramazani, with the energy and link play of Mateo Joseph through the middle adding an extra point of difference.

Where The Game Will Be Won Or Lost

Leeds United are a team that will look to control and dominate the game both through their possession and their pressing. Even though they are not as strong on the road than at home, the ethos of pressing up on the opposition and looking to dictate the match remains. This is going to be a big test of how well-organised Coventry City are out of possession and how they can play through or around an intense opposition press.

Leeds United are likely to target the space behind Coventry City’s wing-backs with their pacey, direct wide players. The balance Coventry are going to have to achieve is in limiting that space and avoiding the centre-backs getting isolated, while preventing the likes of Ethan Ampadu and Ao Tanaka having time on the ball to play those passes from deep that could really open up the game. It’s not as simple as sitting on or pressing up, but identifying when the right moments to do so are.

Ellis Simms and Brandon Thomas-Asante up front for Coventry have a key role to play here in leading the team’s pressing game and also in getting the team up the pitch in possession. The two excel when playing with energy and service but can struggle when forced to play in tight areas, they are not going to have the benefit of lots of time and space to receive the ball and think about what they want to do. Their recent confidence boosts should help, but the team could really suffer here if either or both of them fall prone to the loose touches they have a habit of producing.