Wins, width and cotton wool: what Javi Gracia must find to revive Leeds

The long-mooted takeover with San Francisco-based 49er Enterprises buying out Andrea Radrizzani could well hinge on Leeds’s top-tier survival. The 49er group has an option to increase its 44% stake by early next year, but the deal would almost certainly be placed in jeopardy by a fall into the Championship. Radrizzani has acknowledged he lacks the funds to challenge for Europe and repair the crumbling, extremely dated Elland Road stadium.

Jesse Marsch’s sides were invariably constructed in the narrow formations that fitted the American’s pressing philosophy. The downside, quite apart from reducing the supply of goal-creating crosses, was that the counterpress no longer worked properly once his team fell behind. Opponents increasingly tended to defend deep and cede possession to Leeds in areas where they struggled to do any real damage. With wide forwards of the promise of Wilfried Gnonto, Georginio Rutter, Luis Sinisterra, Crysencio Summerville and Jack Harrison, it seems an awful waste of talent to try to turn this team into wingless wonders.

A big reason why Leeds are embroiled in a relegation fight centres on their appalling defensive record. A back three, perhaps featuring Max Wöber or Pascal Struijk in the central, sweeping role may afford increased stability. Junior Firpo has long been a weak link at left-back, but at Real Betis and Barcelona he always looked much better at left wing-back. Rasmus Kristensen, too, seems more suited to the right wing-back role, a position where he once excelled for Denmark’s Midtjylland. Why not give 3-4-3 or 3-5-2 a whirl?

Skubala ended up in charge after Marsch was sacked with his promotion from the under‑21s. First-teamers were immediately impressed by the communication skills of