So we win 3 games in a row playing Fernandes in a double pivot with Tonali where we bossed the midfield. We then start him as a number 10 and we get dominated in midfield. It is as if there is a pattern there. Not sure what it could be though.
I didn't think we got dominated in midfield yesterday, I think defensively we had more than enough in the game, the problem was that Leeds bypass the centre of the midfield and got the balls quickly into the wide positions and over top of the midfield into DCL very quickly. Even then I think we shaped well, and overall comfortable with it. Down our left they hardly created anything at all apart from a few deep crosses, which surprisingly Van Heck seem to win really well yesterday. But we struggled down our right a bit, and Porro got caught a few times. Overall defensively I don't think we dominated, but there were a lot of individual battles on the pitch, as Leeds knew they couldn't allow us to just play, so their tactics seems to fight aggressively.
The issue was lack of creativity in final third and in the box. The front four didn't use the ball well enough and the movement and passing upfront wasn't smart enough to create chances. It was too rushed and not creative enough. Porro and Kudus were not playing in sync, and Tel got injured too soon, before he had time get into the game and test them.
Marmoush isn't a winger, so if he doesn't have a creative No.10 to link up with from the left, there's no point playing him there. Solanke offers nothing, no guile, no speed nor aggression.
Leeds seemed to have a tactic of 'we know your central midfielder is very strong, so we are going to target your wide positions quickly, and DCL will hold the ball up and chase everything down, so your CBs can't play their pretty football or start attacks from the back'.
I think they spotted that if you keep Van Heck, VDV, Tonali and Fernandes out the game, we can't function. Kinski had to go long much more than usual today which suited Leeds. - Keep playing wide and don't allow the ball in the middle of the park, and don't allow Van Heck (especially) and VDV to work the ball forwards into midfield.