Leeds United have become the draw specialists in the Premier League this season after their 0-0 draw with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Sunday.
The Whites have drawn the joint-most games (five) in the top-flight, alongside Brentford, and have only lost one of their eight matches in the division.
Strong defending has been at the heart of the club’s strong start to the campaign, as they have only conceded six goals in nine games – the second-best defensive record in the league, only behind Arsenal, who have conceded five goals.
Daniel Farke, though, may be frustrated that his team have been unable to turn more of their draws into wins to push his side even further up the table.
Why Leeds are drawing too many games
The Whites are drawing too many games because they have not offered enough consistency or quality at the top end of the pitch, aside from their 4-1 win over Newcastle United at Elland Road.
Either side of that win against the Magpies, Leeds have only scored five goals in seven matches in the Premier League, which is a dismal return for a team that want to push for European football this season.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has scored four goals in the division, is the only player in the entire squad who has scored more than one goal in the top-flight this term.
Premier League scorers for Leeds this season | |
|---|---|
Player | Goals |
Dominic Calvert-Lewin | 4 |
James Justin | 1 |
Anton Stach | 1 |
Noah Okafor | 1 |
Jayden Bogle | 1 |
The West Yorkshire outfit are lacking a mercurial talent who can create or score a goal out of nothing in a close game, and they have been lacking that at Premier League level since they sold Raphinha in 2022.
How Raphinha was a match-winner for Leeds
The Brazil international was a match-winner for the Whites from a wide position during his two seasons at Elland Road, as he had the ability to score and create goals with moments of individual quality.
In two seasons in the Premier League, Raphinha scored 17 goals, created 22 ‘big chances’, and supplied 12 assists for his teammates, which shows that he consistently offered quality at the top end of the pitch.
The left-footed star, as shown by his goal catalog, could take players on to score terrific individual goals, and that meant that Leeds always had a chance to win, even if they were not at their best.
Raphinha was then sold to Spanish giants Barcelona for a fee of £55m after two years in West Yorkshire, and the club are still waiting for an attacking player to replicate his level of impact in the top-flight.
Leeds have found their biggest talent since Raphinha
Whilst Leeds are still looking for a like-for-like replacement for the Brazilian at the top end of the pitch, the 49ers have unearthed the club’s biggest talent since he left Elland Road.
The Whites smashed their club-record transfer fee to sign James Trafford from Manchester City for £40m, and he was a monster in the 0-0 draw with Sunderland on Sunday.
He has hit the ground running between the sticks for Leeds and is quickly becoming the club’s biggest talent since Raphinha, due to the impact that he can have on matches in goal.
Trafford, obviously, is not going to win points for the team by scoring and creating goals, but he is winning points for the club with outstanding saves and pieces of goalkeeping.
In the game against Sunderland, for example, the England international made four saves, prevented 0.85 xG, and made two punches and three high claims under pressure.
His saves, particularly ones from Brian Brobbey and Nilson Angulo, turned a potential defeat into a valuable point and clean sheet for Leeds at the Stadium of Light.
Premier League (per 90) | Darlow (25/26) | Trafford (26/26) |
|---|---|---|
Goals conceded | 1.23 | 0.75 |
Goals prevented | -0.03 | +0.25 |
Clean sheets | 0.23 | 0.38 |
Acted as sweeper | 0.73 | 1.50 |
High claims | 0.77 | 1.25 |
Pass accuracy | 58.2% | 64.1% |
Trafford has proven himself to be a huge upgrade on Karl Darlow in virtually every facet of goalkeeping, with higher-quality saves, more clean sheets, more sweeping actions, more crosses claimed, and a higher percentage of his passes completed.
It is not as exciting or flashy to watch a goalkeeper make saves and claim crosses as it is to watch Raphinha, for example, whip a shot into the top corner from range, but it can be just as impactful.
The 24-year-old shot-stopper has the ability to turn defeats into draws, as he did against Sunderland, and draws into wins, as he did on the opening day against Nottingham Forest with 0.33 goals prevented and three successful run-outs to keep a clean sheet in a 1-0 win.
He is quickly on his way to becoming the biggest talent since Raphinha at Elland Road because of the money spent on his services, the quality of his performances, and the fact he has emerged as a contender for the England number one shirt, starting two of their last four games.
It is now down to Trafford to remain consistent, as Raphinha did, in the coming months and years before possibly being sold for a huge profit in the future, just like the Brazilian.
Source: www.footballfancast.com
