Gordon Strachan's Warning on Dominic Calvert-Lewin's Protection

Gordon Strachan has warned Leeds they must protect Dominic Calvert-Lewin from being battered into the ground – physically and mentally – if they want to keep getting the best from their leading striker.

The title-winning former midfielder, speaking to GOAL in association with Grosvenor Sport, drew a sharp comparison with Erling Haaland as he urged Leeds to change the way they use their No.9.

“He is constantly getting knocked down, thrashed at, knocked about. It's non-stop for Calvert-Lewin,” Strachan said, after watching Leeds grind out a hard-earned point against Brentford on Sunday.

Brentford praise – and a reality check for United

Strachan was at the game and came away impressed with both Leeds’ resilience and Brentford’s quality.

“What a good point that was for Leeds because Brentford are a top side, by the way. I mean a top side,” he stressed. “You're talking about a rounded team, that is them.

“Their three midfield players, I couldn't tell you who was the best. They're three forwards, I couldn't tell you who was the best. I just know they're all good. Three midfield players were excellent. The three forwards, with the wide men – I call them wide attackers – they're more rounded.

“They're more of a team than Man United at the moment, that's for sure.”

Against that kind of cohesive, powerful unit, Calvert-Lewin spent long spells wrestling with two imposing centre-halves, often with little support.

‘He’s taking everything on board’

Strachan’s main concern centres on the sheer volume of punishment Calvert-Lewin absorbs as Leeds’ focal point.

“Going back to Calvert-Lewin, yes, I worry about the actual contact he's taking all the time – not just the physical, but the mental side,” he said.

For Strachan, the solution is tactical as much as it is personnel-based.

“Calvert-Lewin needs to get somebody up beside him, that's playing number 10, or a midfield player getting there,” he explained. “So for the rest of the team, there is a drop-off area round about Calvert-Lewin, not just Calvert-Lewin.

“So if there's somebody else round about him, don’t care who it is who gets up there, it takes away 50% of the knocks that Calvert-Lewin's getting.”

That, in Strachan’s eyes, is where Haaland offers a blueprint.

“And if you actually keep him away from the game like Haaland, if you get people up there, you keep him away from the game like Haaland, because that's what he does – he stays away from the game, he lets the people in front of him take the knocks, take the ball, and that's why he's always in the box.”

Right now, Strachan feels Calvert-Lewin is being dragged into too many battles too far from goal.

“So I just worry that Calvert-Lewin, he's taking everything on board, and it's very hard for him to get in the box,” he said.

A bruising afternoon – and a reminder of his quality

Even so, the Leeds striker still found a way to make his mark against Brentford.

“I think that's why his performance on Sunday was excellent,” Strachan continued. “Because in the first half, I was right in front of it, and I see him getting crashed into by two wonderful centre-halves, big centre-halves, taking knocks, trying to keep it in.

“And then he still managed to score a goal, which is quite phenomenal.”

The goal underlined why Strachan believes Leeds must build a structure that preserves their frontman rather than exhausting him.

The £50m problem

Strachan accepts the obvious answer – signing another striker of similar profile – is far from simple.

“So I would agree, I think if you can get another Calvert-Lewin, do so,” he said. “But where do you get another Calvert-Lewin that’s not going to cost you £40-50 million, for that type of striker?”

That is the dilemma facing Leeds: find a way to share the burden, or risk seeing their main man kicked out of the box – and possibly out of the season.