Paul Heckingbottom's tactics at Leeds United: What we can expect to see from the new manager - Leeds Live
Leeds appointed Paul Heckingbottom as their new head coach on a one-and-a-half year deal this week, after dispensing with Thomas Christiansen following his eight-month spell at the club.
Elland Road chiefs triggered a £500,000 release clause in his Barnsley deal after parting ways with Christiansen on Sunday, following a crushing 4-1 home defeat to Cardiff City.
The Barnsley boss has come under fire for switching clubs just one week after signing a new contract with the Tykes. He became the first Yorkshireman to take charge of Leeds since Neil Redfearn in June 2015, and faces a baptism of fire with a trip to Bramall Lane against Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United this Saturday.
We’ve taken a closer look at the latest name in the Elland Road hotseat, and what Leeds fans can expect to see from his side.
Heckingbottom's background
He started out at Manchester United’s academy as a defender, and went on to play for a host of clubs including Norwich, Bradford City, Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday, making over 400 professional appearances before retiring in 2011.
Heckingbottom worked as a coach with Barnsley's Development Squad, before replacing Danny Wilson in a brief spell as caretaker boss in 2015. He returned to the same role a year later following Lee Johnson’s departure to Bristol City.
Heckingbottom then guided his boyhood club to Championship promotion through success in the League One play-offs, and won the Football League Trophy before being appointed permanent head coach in June 2016.
He helped guide the Tykes to a respectable 14th-place finish in the Championship in 2016-17, despite the sales of several key players, including captain Conor Hourihane and leading scorer Sam Winnall in the January transfer.
The 40-year-old endured an incredibly difficult campaign this season, leaving the club in 21st-place and just four points off bottom-placed Burton Albion. There is no hiding the fact that his side picked up just one win in his last 16 matches as manager.
He recently attracted the attentions of both Nottingham Forest and Sunderland, as well as completing a BSc (Hons) in Sports Coaching in 2013, before following it up last summer with an MSc in Sport Coaching.
What type of manager is he?
Heckingbottom won the Football League trophy with the Tykes(Image: Getty Images Europe)
Barnsley-born Heckingbottom is a straight-talking Yorkshireman, and Leeds have appointed a head coach who is well respected for achieving success at Barnsley with limited resources. He has also helped develop a crop of young stars as a development coach and first team manager.
He has a meticulous attention to detail, with his sides well organised and well drilled in pressing high up the pitch collectively. He prefers his side to play at a fast tempo and to work hard with and without the ball. The former Manchester United academy graduate will push his players’ fitness levels, and want his players to enjoy their football, while expecting them to be aggressive both in and out of possession.
He possesses strong man-management skills, and will be taking the next few weeks to learn how to get the very best out of each of his players.
Likely Formation Change:
Heckingbottom is likely to make changes at Elland Road(Image: Leeds United)
Heckingbottom is likely to tinker with the existing 4-2-3-1 system the players have been working with since September 2016, when Garry Monk adopted it as the club’s default formation last season.
Thomas Christiansen kept the same system in place, and was openly criticised for his one-dimensional tactics and refusal to adapt the formation, regardless of the level of opponent, venue or competition.
Heckingbottom has predominantly used a traditional 4-1-4-1 system with Barnsley this season, but also utilised 4-4-2 and 4-3-3, and the occasional 4-2-3-1 set up.
During the Tykes’ promotion-winning 2015-16 campaign, Heckingbottom used a number of formations, including 4-3-3, 3-5-2 and 4-2-3-1, but used 4-4-2 as his primary system.
Leeds desperately require a change of set up after stuttering their way through away games, and have come up short against more physically imposing sides. In a 4-2-3-1, our wide forwards are often stretched and underperforming without the ball, leaving full-backs stretched and exposed.
Our midfield has often struggled to impose itself on the game, often overpowered against more physical opponents in Wolves, Cardiff and Sheffield Wednesday this season.
Barring the 3-4 home defeat to Millwall, the goals have somewhat dried up, and there is a strong case for Leeds benefiting from playing an extra forward to play off the shoulder of a front man, as opposed to playing a sole forward in Lasogga, Roofe or Ekuban. With so much emphasis and early promise on the flexibility and fluidity of Leeds’ forward line, the club have mustered just five goals in their last seven matches.
Calming Influence On The Squad
Leeds fans will be hoping for fewer red cards(Image: Getty Images)
Leeds’ disciplinary problems have been well documented, with four players being given their marching orders in Thomas Christiansen’s last five matches as head coach.
Heckingbottom’s appointment is certainly expected to shake things up, and he will be expecting his new squad to give everything to prove themselves worthy of a starting place, but not at the expense of further disciplinary issues.
Leeds’ new head coach is inheriting a squad that realistically isn’t top-six material, overachieving at the start of the season, and now almost bereft of confidence. Leeds chairman Andrea Radrizzani believes his new head coach has the “motivation and mentality†to succeed at the Premier League-starved side. Heckingbottom will be looking to pick up his players quickly and change the mentality of the squad.
The club can ill afford to lose any more of their first team players, and while Leeds have picked up six red cards, more than any other Championship side this season, their new head coach will not tolerate a similar lack of discipline. Leeds have picked up 56 yellow cards and six red cards in the league this season, while Barnsley have received 49 yellow cards and two dismissals.
Leeds’ long list of absentees have also taken a toll on their back line, looking increasingly vulnerable from balls being played into the penalty area, on top of losing knock-downs and second balls in their own half. The new coaching staff, returning players and plain hard graft on the training ground should rectify the defensive chaos that currently looms.
Committing Fewer Fouls
Leeds have been beset by disciplinary issues(Image: Getty Images)
Barnsley have committed the fewest fouls per game (10.5) of any Championship side this season, and this is a testament to Heckingbottom despite the club’s poor form. In comparison, Leeds have committed an average of 12.3 fouls per game, the joint-10th highest average in the division.
It’s fairly likely we will see a significant decrease in the amount of fouls being conceded. Leeds have been guilty of gifting opponents far too many set pieces in dangerous areas this season, with the club conceding 17 goals from dead ball situations. Heckingbottom wants his sides to press heavy in the middle and final third of the pitch, but will want to call a halt to give opponents chances on the cheap.
Increased Attempts On Goal
Leeds need more shots on goal
Barnsley may have averaged a goal a game this season (29 goals in 30 league games), but they have attempted 13 shots per game compared to Leeds’ average of 11.7. Heckingbottom will be asking his players to take more chances this season.
Leeds need to increase the amount of chances they create, with the club ranked 16th-highest (9.9) for most chances created per game in the division.
The Tykes attempted 391 total shots in the Championship under Heckingbottom this season, with Leeds completing just 352 attempts. Quite a considerable gap considering the club’s league positions and respective squads.
Gjanni Alioski leads the charts for Leeds in terms of most shot attempts (54), followed by Pierre-Michel Lasogga (49), Samu Saiz (49) and Pablo Hernandez (45). Interestingly, Leeds’ leading Championship scorer this campaign, Kemar Roofe, has scored eight goals from just 39 shots in 2017/18. Heckingbottom will know getting Roofe back to goalscoring form will reap rewards and points.
Improved Set Piece Efficiency
Leeds have plenty of dead ball talent(Image: Leeds United)
We are wandering into Leeds’ set piece specialist coach Gianni Vio’s territory, but Barnsley have been more efficient than Leeds from set piece deliveries this season, and I would expect there to be an improvement here over the coming weeks.
Barnsley have scored 13 of their goals (28%) this season from set-pieces, one more than from Leeds (12) this season. Vio survived the recent cull, and could well play a crucial role in Heckingbottom’s backroom team.
Leeds have attempted just 76 shots from set pieces in the Championship this season, only Nottingham Forest (73) and Burton (69) have attempted fewer. Barnsley rank 16th with 95 total attempts.
Leeds have an abundance of set piece specialists at the club, Pablo Hernandez and Samu Saiz among others, and will be looking for a better deliveries and enhance conversion rates.
Heckingbottom will also expect a larger contribution from his defenders, with only Pontus Jansson registering his name on the scoresheet in the league in 2017/18.
Another vital area Heckingbottom will need to address is Leeds’ vulnerability from set pieces this season, with the club conceding no fewer than 17 set piece goals across all competitions (39%). Barnsley conceded 27% of their league goals from dead ball situations under Heckingbottom in 2017/18.
Decrease In Players Dispossessed
Two particular stats have caught the eye in terms of chance creation and possession loss between the two clubs: Barnsley have lost possession from players being dispossessed fewer times per game (10.6) than Leeds (11.5) this season; Barnsley have completed more take-ons per game (8.7) than Leeds (7.6) in the Championship in 2017/18.
Heckingbottom will no doubt be looking to progress the side’s ball retention and chance creation in the upcoming weeks. Samu Saiz’s return following his six-match ban for spitting, will have a significant influence on Leeds’ take-on completion rate, with the Spaniard completing 52 take-ons this season, more than any other player at the club.
Improvement In Wide Areas
Paul Heckingbottom expects an enormous amount of hard work from his players both with and without the ball. Out of possession, Barnsley blocked 98 crosses in the Championship this season, only Hull made more (Leeds blocked 80). This is where I would expect Heckingbottom to better the output from our wide players. A change in formation, perhaps to a 4-4-2, would help protect the channels and full-backs.
Leeds and Barnsley share one very similar stat - they have blocked more passes than any other Championship sides this season (Leeds 271; Barnsley 268). Leeds’ 4-2-3-1 system requires a significant amount of collective pressing and work from the front five players without the ball.
Christiansen tried several players out wide(Image: Getty Images)
Christiansen wanted his side to work hard without the ball, and tried a number of players out wide to suit his gameplan without finding consistency - Alioski, Roofe, Cibicki, Dallas, Hernandez and Sacko.
In Leeds’ last game, a 1-4 home defeat to Cardiff, they were simply overpowered in midfield. Hernandez was shifted out to the left, Alioski on the right, with Roofe slotted in at number 10. Vieira and Forshaw were left to shield a vulnerable back four.
Barnsley have also attempted more crosses per game (4.4) than Leeds (3.3), an obvious area Leeds have needed to develop. Leeds had worked on improving their offensive output from wide areas, something Christiansen tried to correct at Thorp Arch, but there were only faint signs of overall improvement.
Winning More Duels
Leeds need to be winning more duels across several areas if they are to improve their league position. In Leeds’ 1-4 home defeat to Cardiff, the visitors won almost twice as many tackles (21) than the Whites (11).
Heckingbottom will be aware that his new crop of players need to revamp their combative streak and win more aerial balls, second balls, and to steal possession more frequently if they are to put more points on the board.
Despite Barnsley being placed 21st in the table, they have won more aerial duels per game (22.9) than Leeds (21.2), and have made more interceptions per game (11.3) than Thomas Christiansen’s Whites (10.6). It could be said Leeds have relatively no midfield options six foot tall (barring the odd appearance from Conor Shaughnessy), so they have a relatively smaller side compared with most of their divisional rivals. Again, no surprises here.
Forshaw can be key here(Image: Leeds United)
Heckingbottom inherits a squad made up of very few leaders, but the club’s January additions of left-back Laurens De Bock and midfielder Adam Forshaw will no doubt have a position effect on the club’s fortunes.
In Forshaw, Leeds have added a potential club captain, a central leader with vital experience to their midfield. His ball retention is the best at the club (85.7%), but his ball-winning abilities are equally as impressive, winning 5.5 tackles per game in two appearances, higher than any other Leeds player this season.
De Bock is another vital January signing, especially given the club’s lengthy absence of having an experienced natural left-back at their disposal. The 25-year-old defender made an average of 3.3 tackles per game in 3 appearances, second only to Forshaw.
Heckingbottom had talented Scottish centre-back Liam Lindsay at his disposal at Barnsley, with the 22-year-old winning 125 aerial duels in 26 league appearances. An exceptionally talented defender destined for a Premier League move if ever there was one.
Leeds have Pontus Jansson as their leading aerial ball winner, with 91 successful headers in the league this season. His centre-back partner, Liam Cooper, has won just 50 aerial duels in 24 league games this season. Matthew Pennington, on loan from Everton, and third in line to Leeds’ centre-back spots, has won just 24 headers in 13 league games. It is abundantly clear this is an area the club will need to strengthen in the summer.
Another loanee, Pierre-Michel Lasogga, is the best attacking aerial ball winner at the club, having won 70 headers in just 18 league games. Heckingbottom will demand a better contribution from his players across the board.
Reduce Late Goals Conceded
Despite Barnsley’s perilous position in the Championship, they have conceded fewer second half goals (19) than Leeds (21) this season. There may be a number of contributing factors to this - potentially fitness based, poor concentration levels and a squad low in confidence, but Heckingbottom will not want to gift as many points away so late in the game.
Leeds’ new head coach has a great deal of work ahead of him if Leeds are to end their seven-match winless run. Heckingbottom also faces a challenging fixture list with the Whites set to play Sheffield United, Bristol City, Derby, Brentford, Middlesbrough and Wolves in their next six matches. An arduous test for any Championship manager.
Heckingbottom is a coach who thrives on challenges, and he now faces the biggest one of his career. Realistically, he has eighteen months to secure promotion to the Premier League, but first he has a season-defining month ahead of him.
