Sam Allardyce close to joining Leeds: The veteran head coach looks to avoid relegation with another rescue job

Just when you thought he was out, they pulled him back in. Big Sam is on the verge of a return to the Premier League, and he will need to be more ruthless than ever before if he is to pull off what might be his greatest escape.

That is saying something, considering Sam Allardyce, last seen relegating West Bromwich Albion in 2021, is close to taking the reins at a Leeds side that are not actually in the relegation zone with four games remaining. Had Javi Gracia stayed in post, however, it would have been a matter of when not if the Yorkshire giants slipped into the bottom three and subsequently the Championship. Having sacked Jesse Marsch on February 6, they picked up 10 points, all of which came in the Spaniard’s first six games in charge. In the five that followed they earned just one more.

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In this, of all seasons, it takes something to be the Premier League’s crisis club. Leeds might have drawn level with Tottenham in that regard, not only are they now on to their third head coach of the campaign, but they have also parted ways with director of football Victor Orta just as they were changing head coach. 

Crucially, Gracia was unable to plug the gaps in a defense that had been leaky under his American predecessor. If anything he smashed more holes in the colander, setting a new Premier League record with the 23 goals they conceded in April. There was a fair chunk of variance and Leeds was clearly the victim of some hot finishing, opponents outperformed their expected goals (xG) by more than any other team during Gracia’s tenure. 

Equally, there was no sign of the second man in the job fixing the issues that had plagued those who came before him. Under Marsch, a largely unpopular figure among supporters by virtue of not being Marcelo Bielsa, Leeds gave opponents shots worth 1.39 xG per game. Under Gracia that figure was 1.98. His task was not made easier by the absence of Tyler Adams and, for most of his tenure, Liam Cooper. Equally a coach who is brought in to fix the defense should not really be allowing a cavalcade of high grade shots on a weekly basis.

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Gracia did not forge the issues at Leeds. No club has a glass jaw like the Whites do. Against Arsenal, Crystal Palace and so many other opponents since their promotion, they have responded to any setback by collapsing inwards. One goal conceded begets two, begets three.

In such circumstances the prime version Allardyce — cackling at Jose Mourinho, labelling himself Allardici — might be the perfect manager. Get his squad drilled into a solid back four, work on set pieces routines, job done. But the man who kept Sunderland and Crystal Palace up with style in 2016 and 2017 had one precious commodity that he does not at Elland Road, an abundance of time. On both occasions Allardyce had the opportunity not just to assess what he had but to replace what he needed in the transfer window. There is no Wahbi Khazri or Luka Milivojevic on the horizon.

The spring might be Allardyce’s time to shine, but in at past stops by this date on the calendar has had time to build a system and forge a team who relish the role of spoilers against the biggest sides. This time he takes over a side whose identity is no less clearly defined in all the wrong ways. Oh and it’s Manchester City next.