Leeds United have 'stopped functioning' in defence of late and need to address the issue during the World Cup break, according to The Athletic journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Leeds leaking goals

The Whites may have enjoyed some improved Premier League results in recent weeks but those have been achieved in dramatic circumstances with plenty of goals involved.

Leeds beat Bournemouth 4-3 at home and followed that up with a defeat by the same scoreline at Tottenham on Saturday, highlighting the chaotic nature of their recent matches.

It means that Jesse Marsch's side have now conceded 26 goals in 14 league outings this season, the joint- fourth worst record in the top flight, highlighting how problematic their defence has been.

The Latest: Hay bemoans defensive issue

Taking to Twitter on Monday, Hay claimed that Marsch needs to focus on improving that Achilles heel in Leeds' play during the World Cup break.

Sharing a corresponding article for The Athletic, the reporter stated:

"The striker issue hasn’t gone away, Jesse Marsch said last week, and he’s right, even though Rodrigo and Summerville are in the goals. But as big a concern as the break arrives is a defence which has stopped functioning - with 26 concessions in 14 games."

[web_stories_embed url="https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-updates-copy/" title="Latest Leeds United updates" poster="https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/cropped-2022-03-10T184055Z_1834933207_UP1EI3A1FW561_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LEE-AVA-REPORT-1-scaled-1.jpg" width="360" height="600" align="none"]

The Verdict: Perfect time to sort the problem

In truth, the World Cup has come at an ideal time for Leeds, in terms of allowing them to reset and give Marsch time to work on the training ground with those not participating at the tournament.

There have been positives in recent weeks, not the least the performance in the 2-1 win at Liverpool, but their defending continues to leave plenty to be desired.

Whether or not January reinforcements come in at the back remains to be seen, but if not, then individuals and the overall defensive unit need to improve if Leeds are to avoid another relegation battle in 2022/23 after last season's final-day escape.