Leeds United in Good Hands with Garry Monk

Article by Gwyn Hughes

The form of Leeds United this season has surprised not just the fans of the club but also the football world in general. Last summer I can't remember a single pundit predicting the club would be in the mix for promotion.

When Garry Monk became manager in June 2016, the recruitment drive seemed to be following the same familiar pattern. Sure, no-one was expecting big signings as we all knew that the owner wasn't in the habit of spending money in an inflated transfer market. I expected the usual crop of loans of unwanted players from other clubs and the possibility of losing an academy jewel or two. Which is what we got.

We sold Lewis Cook to Bournemouth. Not a popular decision at the time, but for decent money at least. Charlie Taylor with a hand already on the exit door.

The loanees who came in didn't inspire optimism neither.

Kyle Bartley was not getting a game at Swansea, as was Matt Grimes, and Pontus Jansson was not in the Torino manager's plans. Hadi Sacko's face appeared out of nowhere on a team photo in Ireland. Who were these lads I thought? I honestly had never heard of them. What could THEY do to improve the team...?

Another unknown entity, to me, was surplus to requirements at Bristol City. Luke Ayling was similarly not going to figure in their plans so Leeds snapped him up. Again I said, who the...?

Pablo Hernandez was playing in the high echelons of Saudi Arabia football. So how good could he be then? Well...!

The only thing I was excited about was Marcus Antonson, a prolific scorer in the Swedish league, and Ronaldo Viera who had impressed me in pre-season games. I wondered if he could get a game or two in the coming months...

Seemed like another bunch of mercenaries...

So the season started and, yeah, it wasn't good. Here we go. The same old rubbish! We looked beatable in every game and Cellino is going to do his thing any game now.

I didn't have much hope for the season and it was starting to sink in how it was going to pan out. Just like the last one. And the one before that. And...

Did Monk know what he was doing?

Well, now we know that farmer Monk must have been planting some good seeds into the minds of his recruits. You reap what you sow I guess!

Belief can be a powerful thing.

Around October time something began to stir. We could almost see the side developing into a well-oiled machine. It just needed a bit of planning, sensible coaching and...time.

The beginning of the transformation was against Fulham though a few would argue that the Norwich games were the real catalysts. The wonderful and clinical scissor-kick goal by Chris Wood in the last minute to save a game that didn't deserve to be saved, lifted everyone. It instilled one of the perennial qualities of that 'never-say-die' attitude that all good Leeds teams possess; needed if we were to become a better, stronger team. Fulham had played well against us that Tuesday night and the point felt like a victory. The players must have sensed that if they could nick a point against THIS team then...

Following this, the fantastic win away at Sheffield Wednesday, one of the teams the pundits WERE saying would be in the play-offs. Then followed a series of wins and defeats which were frustrating to say the least.

But the team were starting to play better. We could all see it. If only the results would come...

Norwich! Of all the teams...!

It was the League Cup game against them at Elland Road that made me feel that something was happening. The camaraderie, the passion, the penalty shoot-out. I allowed myself to dare to think that Leeds could do something, not special, not yet, but be better in this league. A league that was hailed as the toughest in Championship history.

Then the away win at Norwich confirmed it for me. We WERE a better team this time around. We don't usually beat Norwich, not even at home, but a 3-2 win at Carrow Road was enough proof. And Pontus and Ronaldo scored! How's that for icing on the cake! There was no turning back.

It was when I started hearing the away fans again, really hearing them, singing their hearts out as usual, but HEARING them! For 90 minutes. They had always sung, of course, whatever the score line, for decades. But there was something different this time. There was a confident optimism in their voices. They sung as if they really believed in this current team. They were singing about 'going up' and winning the Championship now they have Pontus by their side. They even sing about the manager! Has that even happened before?

So, what's changed? It’s not down to just Pontus Jansson!

The players are definitely fitter than last season. I always think that tired bodies lead to tired minds, but even if a player's brain is working out the passes, it's no good if the legs are gone. I've noticed that we are still competing at the end of games this season, and scoring a lot of late goals. To me that's a good sign.

And not conceding goals at the death of games. Well, most times. The Wigan home game still prays in my mind even today.

Garry Monk is definitely using psychology with his players. I am no fly-on-the-wall but the change in focus and attitude is in mark contrast from recent seasons. There's a lot of discourse going on in the background, I'm sure. Positive re-inforcement bouncing from the walls.

What Monk is saying to his players is working.

The next game is always the most important. Treat it like a cup final. No use worrying about a game that looks a toughie in a couple of weeks’ time.

Looking at the league table doesn't help either. Though we all do it because we find it hard not to. Seeing the team in the top 3 requires repetitive checking. Makes us wonder if we go further. If Leeds win the next game we'll be above...

In Monk's perspective, the league isn't won on if's and but's. Why worry about something you can't influence? If other teams around you are winning, as they have been lately, what can Leeds do about it? Nothing! To me, it's a simple and straight-forward way of looking at things. In other words, keep the focus on what your team can do. Keep winning and the league table will take care of itself.

He's also nurtured a positive attitude towards playing at Elland Road. He quickly identified that players were anxious at home games which resulted in too many defeats or draws that should have been wins. In fact players seem to look forward to playing there now. I think the excellent back four have helped ease this anxiety. The clean sheets in recent home games bear this out. It's obvious they are playing with less fear now.

The players believe in their manager and his staff and there is genuine togetherness emanating around Elland Road these days. Monk can have a go at them when it's needed and he knows that he won't lose the dressing room. Which may have happened at Swansea.

To be fair the team are way ahead in regards to where they expected to be this season. We should be thankful that we still have something to fight for this season. There are some decent managers in the Championship so Monk's done a fantastic job all things considered.