The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Thursday 19th February) Whites cover more ground than any other top flight outfit
Good Morning. It's Thursday 19th February, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road
Whites cover more ground than any other top flight outfit
Leeds United’s reputation as one of English football’s hardest‑working sides has been backed up by fresh performance data, with the Whites covering more ground than any other Premier League club this season. Even more impressively, Leeds also rank second overall for squad fitness, bettered only by the relentless machine that is Manchester City. For a fanbase long accustomed to high‑octane football, the numbers feel like confirmation of what’s been obvious on the pitch every week, this team runs, presses, and competes until they drop.
A huge share of the credit belongs to Chris Domogalla, the club’s Performance Coach at Thorp Arch. Domogalla has quietly become one of the most influential figures behind the scenes, embedding a training philosophy built around a “high‑intensity style of play” much in the same way Marcelo Bielsa did during his tenure at Elland Road. His sessions are designed not just to make players fitter, but tougher, physically through overload work and mentally through controlled stress that mirrors matchday demands. It’s not about running for the sake of it, but about preparing bodies and minds to sustain elite performance.
The impact of that approach is clear in the distance‑covered metrics from the 2026 calendar year. James Justin leads the way, having clocked an extraordinary 53.53 miles, closely followed by Brenden Aaronson on 52.57 miles. Ethan Ampadu isn’t far behind with 51.26 miles, underlining his importance as the engine in midfield, while Ilia Gruev (49.11 miles) and Gabriel Gudmundsson (46.11 miles) round out a list that reads like a spine of relentless movement. Aaronson’s energy has long been described as his trademark, darting from press to press, while Ampadu’s work rate and leadership set the tone for those around him.
Domogalla himself is anything but a distant figure in the background. He’s a constant presence on the touchline, and during February 2026’s match against Birmingham City he was once again seen coordinating warm‑ups, communicating with players, and fine‑tuning details alongside the first‑team staff. It’s a snapshot of the hard work undertaken behind the scenes to compete against the best in the Premier League has to throw at them. Just like Bielsa, we know that Daniel Farke likes a lean squad, with the same seventeen players used on a regular basis.
A Lot of Dead Wood to Clear
If Leeds manage to cement their Premier League status, and Daniel Farke is backed to continue the project, then this summer could be one of the most challenging, and defining, in recent memory. Survival would bring relief, but it would also shine a harsh light on a squad that has grown bloated, unbalanced and cluttered with players who don’t quite fit the direction the club needs to move in. Clearing out the dead wood won’t be easy, but it feels unavoidable.
Several players who were tipped to be central figures have instead drifted to the fringes. Wilfried Gnonto, once seen as a potential star, has seen his minutes disappear. Ao Tanaka has struggled to cope with the league’s physicality, Dan James has barely been able to get a run together through injury, and Joel Piroe often looks like he’s trying to solve the wrong puzzle. Add to that the uncertainty around where Largie Ramazani, Jack Harrison, Mateo Joseph, Max Wober, Isaac Schmidt and Joe Gelhardt actually fit when pre-season rolls around, and the scale of the problem becomes clear.
Individually, none of these players are poor. Collectively, though, they represent a squad full of “nearly men”, players who are useful, but not quite right if Leeds are serious about taking a step forward. Parking them on the bench isn’t a solution either. That same uncertainty applies to newer faces. Lucas Perri, Noah Okafor and Sean Longstaff arrived with optimism, but there’s still a lingering doubt over whether they genuinely raise the level or simply add to the noise.
On paper, Leeds should be well placed financially. A reported £120m war chest, plus whatever is generated through sales, offers flexibility. But money won’t fix structural flaws on its own. Sam Byram and Alex Cairns are expected to leave when their contracts expire, as is Illan Meslier, whose Elland Road chapter is finally at an end. The goalkeeping situation is particularly fraught. Karl Darlow is also out of contract, and while he’s no long-term answer, letting him go would leave Leeds frighteningly thin.
With Cairns, Meslier and Darlow all potentially departing, Perri, a £14m signing from Lyon could be the only senior option. Given the reportedly strained relationship between him and Farke after being dropped following the Newcastle game, it’s no surprise this is causing genuine anxiety among the Elland Road faithful. This summer isn’t just about buying better players. It’s about being ruthless, decisive and clear-eyed. Leeds can’t afford another season of half-fits and maybes. If they want to move forward, a painful clear-out may be the only way.