August review: a sizzling start to the Whites’ campaign puts Leeds top of the pile.

August was a great month for Leeds United, full of exciting football that has seen Leeds go top of the league. Here’s how the club did in each of the competitions they were in during the month.

The Championship

The Whites finished August as league leaders with their stand-out style of play, dubbed ‘Bielsa-ball’. Leeds begun the campaign in fanatical fashion, as Stoke City came to town. Gary Rowett came to Elland Road as the newly appointed Potters gaffer. Before the game, he warned Kalvin Phillips with a confident declaration of the bookies’ odds on his team winning. Rowett was put in his place, his Stoke team were well and truly dominated by a fierce Leeds United, and a packed Elland Road crowd behind them in a 3-1 victory. The first goal of the season was scored by Mateusz Klich, who has made quite the turnaround since his Whites return in the summer. He left as a player given little chance for redemption, and he returned a record breaker at Utrecht. He very nearly left the team for good but starting with the opening game of the season he has been almost a new player.

Next up, a trip to Pride Park, where Leeds would go and visit Derby County and new manager Frank Lampard. And of course Leeds battered their opponents, 4-1 with Roofe scoring two of the most sublime goals we have seen for a while. The Whites marched on, returning to home soil for the visit Rotherham United in Marcelo Bielsa’s first taste of a Yorkshire derby. It’s fair to say that Rotherham gave Leeds a very good challenge, but in the end, Leeds prevailed as 2-0 victors in a gritty game.

The Whites made the long trip south to Swansea City where the team would face their toughest test so far. The Swans brought the game to Leeds and led through Oli McBurnie before Roofe equalised on the stroke of half time. Swansea led for a second time, but thanks to former Swan Pablo Hernandez, Leeds grabbed the point in a tough away day fixture. Back to winning ways that Saturday as Leeds pummelled Norwich City in their own back yard, 3-0 this time around, with three exquisite goals.

Just before the international break, first hosted second as Middlesbrough visited Leeds. In was a gruelling encounter which would end 0-0, keeping Leeds top on goal difference.

League Cup

Leeds would only last to the second round in the League Cup as Leeds first beat Bolton Wanderers 2-1 to set up a tie with Preston. Despite playing much of the game up a man, Leeds were not able to break down the Preston defence, and the visitors nicked 2-0 win at Elland Road.

A new style

‘Bielsa ball’ as brought not only wins to Leeds fans, but a delightful new style of play. there are all sorts of tactics applied in this Leeds team which has improved a hell of a lot from last season. Leeds hold the ball with confidence, play out from the back with a great combination of short and long passes with the balance just right.

Leeds have scored the most goals in the division while also dramatically improving the record at the other end, the defence has much more support with Kalvin Phillips sitting in front of the centre halves with Ayling and Douglas given the opportunity to bomb forward. Having a team built around Kalvin Phillips is great to see, as the academy graduate has proven his critics in his new Linchpin position as he gets the ball rolling from the centre of the park.

Marcelo Bielsa and Leeds capped off the first month of the season as league leaders with both Roofe and Hernandez earning player of the month awards and Bielsa earning the manager of the month award. Meanwhile, Leeds have had players go out with success internationally with Matuesz Klich winning his first Poland cap in four years while Bailey Peacock-Farrell wore the number one shirt at Northern Ireland in his international debut.

Long may the success of Leeds United continue as the Whites look to at last reach the bright lights of the Premier League.