Leeds United-Club

GARY O’Neil revealed he was “surprised” by upcoming opponents Leeds United’s league position, believing Cherries’ trip to Yorkshire will be a “tough test”. The Whites ended a run of eight Premier League games with a last-gasp win at Liverpool last time out, youngster Crysencio Summerville popping up in the 89th minute to snatch all three points in a 2-1 win. Leeds have not won at home in the league since defeating Chelsea at Elland Road near the end of August, with the Whites perceived to excel against the Premier League’s ‘top six’ whilst struggling with those lower down the table. Victory for Leeds at Anfield took them outside of the relegation zone, with Jesse Marsch’s charges one position and one point behind Cherries. Leeds sit in 15th, although they do have a game in hand on Cherries in 14th. Previewing the contest, O’Neil shared: “I’ve looked - I'm really surprised they are where they are in the league. “They come up really well on all the sort of numbers and stats, of chances created and that big energy press, (they press) really aggressively. “Probably the highest pressing team in the league, so they have a real clear identity and a massive result at Anfield for them in the last game. “So it'll be a big test going to Elland Road. “It's always a tough place to go, especially the way they play at the moment. So front foot and so aggressive. It'll be a good test for us.” Legendary Argentinian Marcelo Bielsa first installed an identity of fast-paced and intense pressing, a trend that has continued under his successor Marsch. O’Neil then went on to share his belief that Leeds were unlucky not to win prior to victory against Liverpool. He restarted: “What I've seen of Leeds, they press really high. “They want to win the ball back high up the pitch. They've real pace in their team, especially on transition, so when they do win the ball back, they're a big threat. “And, I mean, those games, they were unlucky not to win, in my opinion. They performed well in all of those.”

2022-2023-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Leeds United’s Jesse Marsch labels AFC Bournemouth ‘very lethal’ #LUFC

By Kanak Chauhan November 4, 2022

LEEDS United boss Jesse Marsch is wary of “very lethal” Cherries, with the Whites manager believing Gary O’Neil has done a “great job of taking them out of a moment early in the season where they looked like they were in trouble”. O’Neil’s charges travel to Elland Road this Saturday (kick-off 3pm) with a view to earning a first win in five league games. Leeds recently ended a winless streak of their own with a dramatic victory away at Anfield, a late 2-1 win their first in nine Premier League games. Despite Cherries’ recent results, Marsch believes that his side’s next opponents are “actually improving” under O’Neil. The two sides are within breathing space of each other in the league table, with Cherries one point – and one position – above Leeds, in 14th, although the Yorkshire outfit do have a game in hand on their Dorset counterparts. Previewing Cherries ahead of this weekend’s game, Marsch shared: “Bournemouth, in general, I know that they haven’t gotten a lot of results but if you look at their metrics, they’re actually improving as a team and I think they’re more and more in matches. “We believe that they are very lethal in counter attacking situations and so they defend very hard, they defend sometimes a little bit deeper. “They sometimes like to press a little bit higher but get into a deeper block and they’re very intensive in some of those defensive moments. “And they’re very quick to get into the counter and it showed in the Tottenham match and in a lot of their matches lately. “I think the manager’s done a great job of taking them out of a moment early in the season where they looked like they were in trouble, to making them stronger and making them clear on exactly what their play model is.” Whilst victory against Liverpool slightly eased pressure surrounding Marsch’s future at Elland Road, defeat to Cherries would see the sharks circling once again. Under-fire Marsch has noted Cherries’ flexibility in shape, with the Dorset club frequently switching between five and four at the back under O’Neil. “Who they play and exactly how they play,” restarted the American. “They have some variability, they played five in the back in the last game and defended five in the back, sometimes they build with five but defend more with four so we have had to prepare for a few different things. “But we know that in the end, we have to know them but we have to be ready to perform at our best. “That’s a big focus this week, knowing the opponent but making sure that we are ready to be at our best.”