The EFL Championship has entered the play-off stage which will decide the last team to be promoted to the Premier League. Two of the teams qualified for this stage are Derby County and Leeds United. They met each other in the second play-off match which occurred on Saturday evening.

Under the innovative and magnificent Marcelo Bielsa, Leeds have treated their fans with a high-tempo style of play. At times, the Yorkshire side were comfortable on top of the league table. But their inconsistent form cost them the season and they had to wait until the play-offs for their chance at promotion. Nonetheless, we should give credits to Bielsa himself because of his efforts to transform an ambitious squad into a promotion-contender.

In his first season as a manager, Frank Lampard has helped Derby secure a playoff spot by finishing 6th. His side boasts for their free-flowing attacking play, while still keep things tight at the back. This once again showed when Derby entered the match against Leeds at their home. They managed to keep Leeds quiet in the first half, but a second-half goal from Kemar Roofe gained Leeds a 1-0 advantage.

This tactical analysis will help you understand how Leeds overcame Derby’s pressure and won the first-leg. Meanwhile, using statistics, we will analyse what Lampard and his side need to do in the second leg.

To read the full tactical breakdown of this game click here


If you love tactical analysis, then you’ll love the digital magazines from totalfootballanalysis.com – a guaranteed 100+ pages of pure tactical analysis covering topics from the Premier League, Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga and many, many more. Buy your copy of the May issue for just ₤4.99 here, or even better sign up for a ₤50 annual membership (12 monthly issues plus the annual review) right here.