Jesse Marsch takes Chris Armas Leeds United appointment as a vote of confidence

With only two league wins in their last 16 matches, Leeds are in a run of form at odds with the head coach’s constant talk of progress.

They are one place higher but a point worse off than 19 games into last season under Marcelo Bielsa.

Leeds may have expected more after buying ex-Marsch players Tyler Adams, Brenden Aaronsen and Rasmus Kristensen last summer, plus Luis Sinisterra and Marc Roca.

If the hierarchy has any misgivings it has not shown this month.

Another former Marsch player, Max Wober, has joined and the club transfer record was broken for Georginio Rutter. They still hope to sign a central midfielder and perhaps another goalkeeper.

And on Wednesday Leeds brought in Armas, an experienced coach with a long history with Marsch.

"I think it is a public show of support," said Marsch. "We have been very aligned and I understand the criticism – we have to win more.

"But the work behind the scenes has been some of the best I've been a part of as a professional.

"I know we are on the right path and are going to get better.

"We tried to bring Chris in the summer and he had some personal issues which made it very difficult to commit at that time.

"Once it was clear Jacko (Mark Jackson, who left for Milton Keynes Dons in December) was going to leave this was the first target in my mind and when I spoke to Victor (Orta, director of football) it was the first name out of Victor's mouth.

"We played together for eight years, we coached together for three-and-a-half. The respect I have for him as a person and a football mind is at a very high level and he's one of the best people I have ever met in this business.

"He's already had a positive impact. I've seen him have a lot of little conversations around the training ground to get to know our guys because that's one of the things he's really good at."

Armas was briefed against when he joined Manchester United last season amid discontent about the temporary appointment of his boss, Ralf Rangnick. As Armas is American he was given the lazy nickname "Ted Lasso" after the fictional, out-of-his-depth television coach. Marsch has had it too, but is convinced of his new assistant's suitability.

"Maybe it will take away the Ted Lasso moniker from me and give it to him!" he joked.

"Chris and I have won championships together, we've had hard losses together, we've played for the national team together, we've worked together as coaches.

"My respect level for him as a team-mate was probably higher than any other team-mate I had in my entire career.

"He was my captain at Chicago Fire and moreso I felt like he was my partner in the midfield.

"What we built in New York (where Armas was Marsch’s assistant) together was also really special.

"When he got the experience at Man U I knew he would do well and in some ways it would kind of qualify him to be with me at some point in this adventure I'm on in Europe.

"He knows the principles, the tactics, he's a very clear understanding of the football we want to play. He's very good in relationships."

Marsch revealed Liam Cooper and Tyler Adams are doubts for Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round tie at Accrington Stanley but resisted the temptation to rule them out.

"I want to give them the chance because I don't think their injuries are so bad and we want to go to Accrington and go for the victory," he said. "We've got the chance to push in this tournament and we want to take it totally seriously."

He added Sinisterra will be involved and there was a "high probability" Rutter will make his debut.

Right-back Cody Drameh has joined Luton Town on loan.