Leeds' defensive issues have once again been a considerable factor in their struggles in the Premier League and Javi Gracia's side could be suffering due to Jesse Marsch's decision to send Charlie Cresswell out on loan.
Did Leeds make a mistake with Charlie Cresswell?
Only Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and Leicester City have conceded more goals in the top flight than Leeds so far this campaign, so fingers must be pointed towards the defenders at Elland Road.
The January addition of Max Wober has served to strengthen Gracia's defensive options with the Yorkshire club but Pascal Struijk is still ranked as the top performer for Leeds this season, with WhoScored awarding him a solid 6.9 rating for his performances in the Premier League.
Meanwhile, Cresswell has been one of the most consistent performers at Millwall in their push for promotion, with the 20-year-old centre-back scoring again on Tuesday night as the Lions moved fourth with a win over Swansea.
It was the fifth goal of the season for the young defender, who has established himself as a regular in Gary Rowett's side since joining on loan from Leeds in the summer of 2022, and the manager was full of praise for him earlier this month.
He said: “He has really calmed down and matured in how he thinks about the game. He’s getting the benefit from it because he has got amazing attributes for a young centre-back – aggression and desire, sometimes you can’t find them as much nowadays.
"Honing them is easier than finding them in the first place. He’s done really well and I’ve been really impressed."
Cresswell is a product of the youth academy at Leeds and already has seven senior appearances for the Whites under his belt, so it is something of a surprise that Marsch opted to loan him out rather than keeping him at Elland Road this season.
That decision may well cost Gracia in Leeds' fight against relegation, as Cresswell's superb 7.03 average rating from WhoScored this season suggests that he could have been an excellent option for the Spaniard to have in his squad.
The England U21 international has averaged five aerials won per game in the second tier, which is more than anyone in Leeds' squad, while his 3.3 clearances would also rank him second behind Robin Koch, so he clearly would have been a useful asset when defending his own box.
Five goals is also a phenomenal return for a centre-back in his first full season in senior football, and his goals from set-pieces could have been a difference-maker for Leeds in what is going to be an unbelievably tight battle at the bottom of the league.
Therefore, if Leeds do go down this season, they may well look towards Marsch's decision to loan out such a promising youngster as one of the reasons why.
