Four priority positions for new signings at Elland Road
We look at four key areas, all over the pitch, that Leeds United need to strengthen in the summer window.
We all have a wish list in terms of who we would like to see added to the squad next season, and certain positions definitely need strengthening. So here at Nowt for Second, we thought we would take a look at which positions the future management should add.
Here are a few of my thoughts. Let us know on social media (Twitter or Facebook) or in the comments below what you think.
Winger
The idea of leading this off with another winger may confuse some people: we have a plethora of players in the wide positions and, with the acquisition of Sacko last week, the idea of any more is too much.
For me, defenders in the Championship struggle to deal with aerial balls into the box, and we often see goals scored because of this. A successful Championship team needs wide players with the aptitude of crossing the ball.
However, all the current wide players lack the ability to cross the ball with accuracy time after time. The height and heading capability of Chris Wood would go beautifully with a winger who gets to the byline and wipes the ball into the box. Charlie Taylor is the player we have relied on to give us the width in the side and with Taylor deciding to leave the club, we currently have no one who can cross the ball with accuracy.
Add a reliable winger to get crosses into Wood, and maybe he can surpass his 2016/17 goal total.
Centre Backs
The dream is to see Bartley and Jansson together again in the centre of the Leeds defense. Sadly, I expect we won’t see that after Monk’s departure. That leaves us needing a partner alongside Jansson in the centre of defence but I believe we also need to add another centre half to squad.
We currently have Liam Cooper as the only centre back option. I do like Cooper, but last season as the team grew, certain players started to be left behind. Cooper was one of them.
Jansson is a formidable defender, but he has a tendency to roam forward with the ball. We need a defender who can switch between heading everything that comes into their six-yard box and having the discipline to adapt when teams attempt to play through the defensive and is able to usher players out of play.
Someone like Kyle Bartley would be perfect.
Centre Forward
The one position we all agree needs adding to is the upfront. Chris Wood for the most part carried the side in the offensive side to our game. However, because of the lack of other decent attacking options, we became very rigid in our attacking game and towards the end of the season this started to cost us.
Marcus Antonsson was brought in for £2.4 million from Kalmar and looks like he’ll sit alongside his national counterpart Tomas Brolin in the flop hall of fame at Leeds. From what I saw last season, I don’t believe he’s good enough at this level.
If we are to succeed next season, we need to bring a striker with Championship experience and maybe someone who offers the one thing Chris Wood lacks — pace.
If next season Wood becomes isolated and we need to make a change, then adding pace upfront could give us the edge in tight games.
A True Number 10
At various stages last season, Pablo Hernandez showed signs of real quality, the likes of which we don’t see in the Championship often. However, at other times he was dreadful and went missing in games entirely, especially those away from Elland Road.
I believe this may be because, usually, away from home you allow the opposition to have the majority of the possession and therefore would need to adapt a more direct approach. In that scenario, Pablo Hernandez’s style of play becomes obsolete and therefore so does Hernandez.
Also, I believe 46 games for Hernandez is a lot — even in the Premier League he never played a full season worth of games.
You want your number 10 to be able to move beyond the pocket in front of the defence, get into the box and support the man leading the line. It may be that the new management opt to change from a 4–2–3–1 formation, but we still need a midfielder who is willing and able to influence the game in numerous areas on the field. Too many times last season, players stuck to their positions and didn’t express themselves and that cost us.
The rumours about Jonny Howson are constantly swirling, but sentiment aside, he would be a perfect fit to drive the team forward.
Hopefully soon we will have new management in place, and whoever that is will influence our season. These are the areas that will determine our fate next season, and if the club get these right, then maybe this coming year will be even more memorable than the last. MOT.
