LEEDS

After a breathtaking first half of the season, nine defeats post-Christmas saw Leeds fall out of title contention.

Contrary to pre-season predictions, this drop in form was not down to “burnout” caused by Marcelo Bielsa’s intense playing style or training schedule. Injuries to key players affected a team that lacked the squad depth of its rivals, but Leeds also struggled with a change in mentality from their opponents.

Bielsa’s team faded after a superb first half of the campaign ACTION IMAGES/JOHN SIBLEY

With fewer “title certainties” to start the season in the second tier, the top teams are able to impose themselves on generally unprepared opposition sides at the start of the campaign. But once Leeds established themselves as title contenders, opponents started to approach fixtures differently — a little more wise to Bielsaball, perhaps, and happy to