Gordon Strachan outlines how Leeds can make Calvert-Lewin even more effective
Leeds United great Gordon Strachan believes Daniel Farke could get a lot more out of Dominic Calvert-Lewin should he receive more support around him.
The striker is the lynchpin of Leeds’ attacking verve with the team often going direct for him to knock down balls and lay off to colleagues, thereby keeping the forward momentum going. However, this does not always work and as a result, Farke's side lose the ball.
Leeds operate in a 3-4-2-1 system with wide 10s who attempt to receive the ball from Calvert-Lewin from the knock-down, which then allows him to get into the box and score. But sometimes these support acts are too far away from the main striker and possession is lost.
Strachan believes Leeds' attacking midfielders need to be more intentional when supporting Calvert-Lewin in general. Speaking to Leeds Live about the forward, Strachan said: “I mean, he’s great physically, in the air, taking the ball in and looking after it.
“But there is nobody really in front of him to take up positions either side of him. You look at Manchester City. The reason why Erling Haaland only gets 13 touches a game and scores three goals is that there is always somebody in front of him.
“At this moment in time, Leeds do not have people getting around in front of Calvert-Lewin. So he has to do all sorts of things. He has got to come and get the ball, control it, go for long balls, go for flick-ons and then somehow be in the box to score a goal.”
Strachan added: “So it is not so much the old injuries. I just think the body has to have a rest sometimes. The physical side is quite a lot for him. Again, he still managed to score a goal the other day, which is wonderful considering what he had to deal with.
“I think there are two ways to help Dominic. One is to get somebody up to play closer beside him, as well as a midfield player, so that he can take the pressure. The other is that [another] player can take the hits at times, rather than just him.”