Leeds United handed Southampton ‘transitions’ warning by former coach

The former Whites coach saw his West Bromwich Albion side lose 3-1 to Southampton in Friday’s play-off semi-final

Former Leeds United coach Carlos Corberan has hinted at what Leeds United must be wary of when they face Southampton at Wembley on Sunday.

The West Bromwich Albion boss saw his side lose 3-1 to the Saints in Friday’s Championship play-off semi-final second leg at St Mary’s as Russell Martin’s side booked their place alongside Leeds for the big showdown. Will Smallbone lashed home a 49th-minute opener before top scorer Adam Armstrong drilled home 12 minutes from time and converted a late penalty to complete the job.

Corberan was hoping for a Leeds reunion under the Wembley arch after combining his duties as Under-23 manager with those of first-team coach under Marcelo Bielsa until his departure in 2020. However, he admitted his side were second best on the night, and pinpointed Southampton’s transitions as the key danger – something Daniel Farke and Co will be acutely aware of.

“The strongest team on the pitch has gone through,” he admitted. “Unfortunately we are not the ones who have moved through to the final. The team showed a lot of discipline in defence, but we did not attack in the level that we needed to attack in order to play better and be the more dominant team.

“We tried to play the game in the attacking half and we managed to break through a couple of times, but, in general, we couldn’t break their press and they were using our mistakes to create opportunities and goals.

“For the first goal, we have given the ball away in the middle of the pitch when we had broken the press on one side and had the chance to attack down the other side. We lost the ball and they used the transition well to score the first goal. That first goal made the game more complicated, but the feeling didn’t change. We couldn’t progress with the ball.

“We did have one big chance when Alex Mowatt’s effort was cleared after we broke the press from the right side. This chance could have changed the game. In football you have to analyse the game and the result, but there are also these moments where you can score and change the belief and the possibilities you have.

“After that chance, we didn’t find the right level in attack and we kept on making mistakes which added difficulty. The things that we want to do on the pitch don’t always happen, and unfortunately, today is one of those days. We didn’t show the game we wanted to show.”

Leeds will feel they won’t have any problems attacking the Southampton backline, such is their array of attacking talent, but will be mindful of Corberan’s words when it comes to the transitions. Committing too many men forward, especially on the big Wembley pitch could lead to potential issues, although the Whites’ defensive record should stand them in good stead.