This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Helder Costa has been a bit of a non-entity for Leeds so far this season.
The striker hasn’t scored a single goal since joining the Whites, and he’s assisted just one league strike thus far.
This weekend’s game may be Costa’s last chance to shine as Pablo Hernandez edges ever closer to a return, but it also represents a great chance for him to show what he can do.
Costa’s chance
As we’ve previously mentioned here on FFC, this weekend will likely see the Portuguese wide man playing in a more advanced role as Marcelo Bielsa is likely to field his team in a 3-3-1-3 formation due to the fact that QPR are likely to field two strikers.
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This means that Costa will be able to use his pace and power a little bit more effectively, but there is one run that he should be making over and over again this weekend.
Get into the box
If we know one thing about QPR it’s that they struggle at the back.
Their defence is the second-worst in the league, and one key stat perfectly highlights how sloppy they are at the back.
Why being the away goalkeeper at Leeds is the toughest job in football in the video below…
Indeed, the R’s have given away more penalties this season than any other team, conceding five spot-kicks in just 14 games.
This presents Costa with a real opportunity.
If the winger can consistently make runs into the box he can use his trickery to potentially win a penalty for his team.
Costa has only made 0.9 dribbles per game this term but when starting more regularly for Wolves in the Championship during the 2017/18 campaign, he registered 1.9 of them each outing. That shows his canny ability and where he can pose a threat if he’s at his best.
Leeds usually dominate possession, mustering 59% this term, and with the Hoops giving away so many spot-kicks already this term, having a fast, tricky player consistently bombing into the area doesn’t seem like too much of a bad idea.
