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Michael Owen has told Premier League Productions that Leeds United have got to work on set-pieces in training this week after the Whites conceded another goal from a set-play during Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to Chelsea.
Goals from Olivier Giroud, Kurt Zouma and Christian Pulisic saw Chelsea come from behind to beat Leeds at Stamford Bridge – with Frank Lampard’s side getting his tactics right against Marcelo Bielsa. Chelsea were certainly the better side.
Zouma scored his fourth goal in 10 games with a powerful header from a corner, and such an issue is becoming a problem for Bielsa’s men. They are now only behind Leicester when it comes to conceding goals from set-pieces in the Premier League.
Owen identified that part of the Leeds game and urged Bielsa and his coaching staff to improve that in training, ahead of Friday night’s clash against West Ham – who have scored five from set-pieces this season, the fifth highest in the league.
“That’s not a style of play, that is something they can improve on the training ground,” Owen said. “They definitely have to improve their set-plays.
“It was a goal that you thought it was easy, no players on either post, there was nothing special about that corner. They need to brush up on that – as you say, Leicester have only conceded more.”
TBR’s view – An ever-present issue under Bielsa
In the Championship, Leeds struggled to deal with set-pieces in defence – and proved ineffective going forward. Leeds do have players such as Liam Cooper, Luke Ayling and Kalvin Phillips who are good in the air.
But they lack the likes of Zouma, who is pure power and is near unbeatable in the air. Certainly, Leeds can work on the issue in training but it could be that they lack the kind of player who is impossible to get the better of in the air.
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