Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has proven that he does have the adaptability and coaching nous to guide the team to safety in the Premier League this season.

The German tactician switched to a 3-5-2 formation from his usual 4-3-3 set-up against Chelsea and recorded a 3-1 win against the Blues, before picking up a 3-3 draw with Liverpool in the next game.

Those four points in two games have lifted the Whites out of the bottom three and provided supporters with hope that they can avoid relegation this season.

The biggest winners from Leeds United's formation change

An obvious winner from the change in formation has been centre-forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has scored three goals in three matches since the system change in the second half against Manchester City.

Like the English striker, Ao Tanaka appears to have been unleashed in this new system. The Japan international scored his first two Premier League goals against Chelsea and Liverpool.

Jaka Bijol has also looked at home at the heart of a back three, where his lack of pace is not exposed, as he has made 12 clearances without being dribbled past a single time, per Sofascore, in the last two matches.

This change in formation could also birth new winners in the squad in the coming weeks, as Farke tries different players in new roles in a bid to perfect the system.

For example, James Justin is one player who could emerge as a winner from the change in shape because he could end up being a perfect option for Joe Rodon’s new role.

Why James Justin could be a winner from Leeds United's new system

The Wales international has been playing as a right-sided centre-back as part of a back three or five, with Bijol in the middle and Pascal Struijk on the left, with Jayden Bogle at right wing-back and Gabriel Gudmundsson at left wing-back.

It worked brilliantly against Chelsea and Liverpool, opposition they were expected to sit back and counter against, but Farke may need to make tweaks to the side when there are games that require Leeds to commit more men forward and push higher up the pitch for longer periods.

With this in mind, playing Justin as the right-sided centre-back, with Rodon either dropping out or replacing Bijol as the central centre-back, could be a way to add variety to their approach, as he could play right-sided centre-back in a three or a five, or he could move over to right-back and Bogle could stay forward as a winger.

As you can see in the table above, the English defender’s versatility would allow for a seemless transition from a 5-3-2, or 3-5-2, to a 4-3-3, or 4-2-3-1, depending on what the game needed.

Farke said that Leeds were “desperate” to sign Justin from Leicester in the summer, yet he has rarely been seen this season. The former England international has only played 169 minutes in the Premier League, per Sofascore, and started one of his seven appearances for the Whites in the division.

Now, this change in shape to a base 3-5-2 formation could provide the defender with an opportunity to come into the team and play a key role, because the right-sided centre-back position could be perfect for him.

Justin, by winning 59% of his ground duels and 55% of his aerial duels (Sofascore) in the Premier League last season, has proven that he can be a solid enough defender in his physical battles, whilst he is a full-back by trade and is reliable in possession.

That is why he could be perfect for this role that would require him to excel as both a third centre-back defensively and as a full-back in possession, should Farke tweak his tactics to allow for this more fluid version of the new system.

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By
Dan Emery

5 days ago

This would leave either Rodon or Bijol on the bench, which may seem harsh after the last two results, but it is a move that could be more effective against teams that are in the bottom half of the table.