Leeds United analysis: New signings essential after stuttering start to season
Sports News Blitz’s Johnny Jones takes a look over Leeds United’s stuttering start to the 2024/25 season, which has followed the summer sales of some star players.
Leeds United’s start to the season has given fans little encouragement to be hopeful for the remainder of the new campaign.
Even prior to their opening league fixture, there were glaring reasons for concern, with two crucial players, Archie Gray and Crysencio Summerville heading to Tottenham and West Ham respectively.
With seemingly no top-class replacements being brought in as of yet, questions must be raised regarding the chances of returning to the top flight for Daniel Farke’s men.
An uninspiring performance against West Brom is unlikely to have eased any concerns for Whites’ fans, as they failed to create any significant opportunities in a dull affair at The Hawthorns.
Case for the defence
The only positive that could be taken away is their first clean sheet of the season, which was certainly needed after conceding six in two games, both of which were at home.
However, the Elland Road faithful have not taken this as much of a consolation, expressing how desperate they are for something to reignite their hopes, especially after star Georginio Rutter had his £40m release clause suddenly activated by Brighton.
Blunt performances from the entire Leeds frontline is also a cause for concern, with chemistry between one another absent too often.
Reinforcements ought to be signed promptly with transfer deadline day less than a fortnight away, but it will surely be of great difficulty to bring in forwards of a similar calibre to the likes of Summerville and Rutter, whose dazzling performances last season deserved to have them playing top-flight football.
At present, Farke’s preferred front four seems to consist of Dan James and Willy Gnonto on the flanks, with Joel Piroe supporting youngster Mateo Joseph up top as the No 10.
The quartet managed 35 league goals between them last campaign, which will most probably not be enough for an attacking force that wishes to take their team to the Premier League.
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Skipper Ethan Ampadu, alongside Ilia Gruev, performed slightly more admirably in the middle of the park, with the pair needing to be at their sharpest if Leeds are to have a realistic shot at promotion.
Newly-signed Joe Rothwell is yet to be given his first league start, after a disappointing performance in a 3-0 League Cup defeat to Middlesbrough in midweek.
Although the Leeds defence did well to hold the hosts to just a single shot on target in Saturday’s early encounter in the Midlands, this can be owed mainly to the Baggies’ lacklustre attacking play.
Little threat from flanks
Full-backs Jayden Bogle and Junior Firpo failed to provide much of a threat down the flanks, with both also receiving bookings.
Despite perhaps not being able to influence the game too much from right-back, Bogle has had two slightly underwhelming showings to start his career in Yorkshire, playing in the same position that the hugely talented Gray impressed in last campaign before making the switch to North London for £35m earlier in the summer.
Farke will be aware that he will come under significant scrutiny if his team’s results and performances don’t improve swiftly, with Leeds fans growing impatient watching their club in the second tier for another season, after just falling short in the play-off final in May.
The German has no easy task, though, and he will no doubt be hoping that the £100m gathered from the sales of Gray, Summerville and Rutter is put to good use to fuel his side’s promotion push before the summer transfer window slams shut on August 30.
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