Pundit Watch

Ex-England international identifies what Leeds United still need under Jesse Marsch

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Leeds United have yet to find the right balance under Jesse Marsch this season.

That’s according to Chris Sutton, who says that the American is looking for an all-out approach on the pitch from his players, similar to the one he takes on the touchline.

After avoiding relegation from the Premier League on the final day of the previous campaign, it has been a mixed start to this season for Leeds under Marsch.

Two wins, two draws and two defeats mean the Whites currently sit 11th in the top-flight standings, with games in hand on most of those around them.

The 3-0 win over Chelsea at Elland Road was a sign of what Leeds can do, and the relentless approach they took in that game is one Marsch has been trying replicate consistently.

Indeed, the Leeds head coach will not be on the touchline for Sunday’s game with Aston Villa, after being sent off during the 5-2 defeat at Brentford last time out.

Now it seems as though Sutton believes that things like that, have left Marsch with a job still to do, in terms of finding the right counteraction to that non-stop approach.

Writing about Leeds in his column for Mail+, the one-time England international said: “There will be no Jesse Marsch on the touchline against Aston Villa. He’ll be serving his ban after that red card at Brentford.

“Marsch wants blood and thunder from his players on the pitch, and he brings that in the technical area, as a few fourth officials will attest. Leeds started this season well, but then fell into a poor patch and need to strike a balance.”

This is an intriguing assessment from Sutton on the situation at Leeds right now.

The wide spread of results we have seen from Marsch’s side this season, does seem to suggest that there is not a great deal of balance from the club right now.

But while Marsch himself looks set to address his behaviour on the touchline, it could be a risk for the players to do the same on the pitch, considering the positives there have been in performances.

Indeed, that Chelsea win shows how well things can when everything comes together, so it would perhaps make sense to stick with that approach, to give it more time to fully pay off in the way it can for Leeds on a regular basis.

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UCLan Sports Journalism graduate. Have been working for Leeds All Over since summer 2020, and can only be found writing on Football League World.