First team

How would the current Leeds side line-up without any new signings and has it improved on last season?

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With the season just over a month away, Leeds United are currently in Ireland on their pre-season tour. They play against Shelbourne and Shamrock Rovers before returning to England to play Guisley and Peterborough United. Their last friendly is against Atalanta at Elland Road on July 30th. With six new signings, things were looking rosy and I was getting a little excited. All that excitement was brought to a halt however when we decided to offload our best player (yes, Lewis Cook) to Bournemouth. It’s going to look a really different Leeds side compared to last season but have we improved?

Goalkeeper

15/16 – Marco Silvestri
Silvestri had his good games for Leeds and his talent as a shot-stopper is undoubted, it’s just his all round game. The commanding of his area was poor, he’d flap at crosses that were easier to come and claim with a catch, the amount of times he put us in trouble with his poor distribution. It was clear we needed a new ‘keeper, even more so when Silvestri was sent home from the Irish tour and made to train with the U21’s. I don’t think it’ll be too long before Marco is gone, so what about his replacement?

16/17 – Robert Green
Rob Green is a good signing all round from Leeds. He’s proven at a high level and has played at the international stage with England. You would guess at this stage Green would be our number 1 going into next season, unless Bailey Peacock-Farrell has a phenomenal pre-season. I think a calm, experienced head behind the defence is exactly what we need and who better than Green?

Verdict: improved.






Defence

15/16 – Gaetano Berardi, Sol Bamba, Giuseppe Bellusci, Charlie Taylor
The full-back’s were excellent all season, probably one of the few shining lights of last season, and both were contenders for United’s player of the season award, which went to Taylor himself. Bamba was a shadow of the player we had on loan the previous season and Bellusci was just Bellusci. You never felt confident in the two and they were always prone to a mistake. Liam Cooper was another who was played a lot, he was by far the most consistent in my opinion.

16/17 – Gaetano Berardi, Kyle Bartley, Liam Cooper, Charlie Taylor
Although it’s rumoured Taylor could be following Cook out the exit door, at the time of writing this he is still (thankfully) a Leeds United player. I think this defence is a solid looking one. You know exactly what you’re getting from the full-back’s and Bartley is a solid signing and I think he will form a solid partnership with Cooper, who I fully expect to become United’s captain and first-choice centre-back for the coming season.

Hopefully we improve the defence further but if Taylor goes, we need to splash some of the funds received on a Premier League full-back.

Verdict: improved.






Midfield

15/16 – Sam Byram, Lewis Cook, Tom Adeyemi, Alex Mowatt, Stuart Dallas
The midfield that started last season looked a very promising one. Dallas and Byram on the wings was exciting – Leeds were finally getting at teams and with Cook in the middle anything was possible. Adeyemi turned out to be a massive failure and when Bridcutt was brought in midway through the season he showed exactly what Leeds needed. Mowatt had a disappointing campaign, he scored a couple of screamers but struggled to impose himself in United’s midfield. Luke Murphy did well when he was included in the squad and January signing Toumani Diagouraga looked solid.

16/17 – Stuart Dallas, Matt Grimes, Toumani Diagourga, Alex Mowatt, Kemar Roofe
I’m unsure how we’re going to line-up to be honest but I think with the current squad this will be close, Murphy and Phillips are other options but we need to plug the gap left by Cook. Roofe is an exciting addition and we already know the quality Dallas brings to the side. Without seeing Grimes play it’s hard to know what type of midfielder he is but watching a few videos he looks like a good dead-ball specialist.

At least one more midfielder is needed for me, someone who has the vision and ability to pick out that deadly pass.

Verdict: weakened.






Forward

15/16 – Chris Wood
Chris Wood was the mains striker after his £3 million move from Leicester and I think he did well. He missed a lot of the season but still managed 13 goals and was Leeds’ top scorer. Mirco Antenucci and Souleymane Doukara were both tried up front but goals were something we lacked last season.

16/17 – Chris Wood/Marcus Antonsson
Antonsson was a relatively expensive signing for Leeds but hopefully he will prove his worth. Chris Wood will no doubt be Leeds’ main focal point again and I think if he stays fit, with chances created in the wide areas he could easily manage 15/20 goals but another proven striker is definitely needed for me.

Verdict: no different but needs improving.






Overall verdict
I think the signings we have made are good – Roofe especially. With a lot of work still needed to be done, we are a long way from being good enough for the play-off’s in my opinion although there’s still enough time to improve the squad and cash should certainly be available to Garry Monk after Cook was sold.

What are your thoughts? Have we improved on the side that started last season? Let us know.

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  • sam says:

    As to keeper green an improvement yes. Defense I would be looking to sign Rico Hendry ready made replacement, if Taylor does want to sign then that means he does not want to be at Leeds so sell get the money and buy someone who does or he can warm the bench until he leaves on a free. Berardi Barklet Cooper/Bamba/Estrand should work. Midfield all about pace to get the ball to the front men for me sako & roofe out wide slightly forward 2 in the middle but that’s where it all falls down ! We need a play maker every good team has one with a solid partner…Osman is he the answer for me no past his best.. was Cooke the answer no not enough experience in any case he no longer wanted to play for Leeds he wanted the 30k a week his decision. Good luck at Bournemouth they are never going anywhere soon !! Talking of a defensive midfielder nonsense that’s why you got a back 4 !! Upfront for me Chris wood strong but not mobile, but in fairness he was always struggling to get balls in the box + injuries. Antonsson time will tell but looks clever with runs behind the defenders & he can finish. We need a real hit man with pace and clinical finishing though. Get Estrand, Rico Hendry & Limbomba give Botaka a chance he never got that at leeds last season. All said Roofe could be the guy to solve everything up front given a chance ! Come on LUFC !!!!

    • Steve says:

      Ekstrand would be a wage burden on the club with an injury problem up there with the Darren Anderton’s of football.We do need a number 10 style player as you say to open defences up,Evans tried using Cook to do this but that just wasn’t his game.Green and Peacock Farrell as 1 and 2 is good playing BPF in all the cup games and to fill in if Green picks up a red or and injury.As you say he can learn a hell of a lot off Green that he wouldn’t have done off Silvestri.What we also need is more cover for the centre backs and also to pressure on for a first team start,it also gives an option to rest a player.I believe that Coyle should be the regular right back too,Berardi is ok but i rate Coyle more with his pace and getting forward more.Some of Berardi’s tackles border on the assault at times.Lets just hope Antonsson and Roofe click too both look energetic players which is a first up front for a few seasons now.

  • Robbie says:

    Cooper should go i don’t think he is good enough he is too slow he gets cought too often when hes the last man and no matter who it is he is too slow to catch them we need another good striker a couple more midfielders n defenders

  • Nathan says:

    Iwatched alot of the games and frankly thiyght with a quality finsher we wouldnhave won more games forrest twice and burnley are two examples lits of possession last year i think 442 if we pkay chris wood as he needs help and roofe couldbbe perfect to play him in or make runs off him wether he plays more advanced or from mid is yet to be seen we still have the perfect ball winning mid in dave and dallas is a work horse if he can be a little lore clinical going forward in terms of quality nall in tge box i think we can match anyone in our 1st eleven monk just has to get us consistent id love to seee our dead weight moved on doukara and repaced with better options for the bench but overall i think we have had a good tranfer window osman ekstrand would be good options if they come and idlike to see us spend cooks money on top ofwhat weve already done instead of paying for it it would show advancment on previous five years for me

  • I think we have a better balanced squad than last year.

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