Leeds United signed 10 new players in the summer transfer window. Some fans were pleased with the recruitment, while others complained that not every area of the squad was upgraded.
The fanbase knew that not every player who helped them achieve promotion was going to feature in the Premier League. To compete, and survive at this level you need all the quality you can get. Which is why recruitment was based around getting players from Europe’s top five leagues.
Daniel Farke and the recruitment team managed to add a new goalkeeper, bolstered the defence and added two key midfield pieces in Anton Stach and Sean Longstaff. Even though fans complained about the lack of star power in attack, Leeds were able to land Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha. Two signings that were frowned upon at the time, but have played quite well this season.
Jaka Bijol should be wary of losing Leeds United spot
It took a large part of the campaign, but Farke has now began to trust the depth on his bench. Early in the season, fans complained about why he rarely used some of the new signings. Jaka Bijol, Sebastiaan Bornauw and James Justin spent the early part of the season making brief cameos off the bench.
Now they have become key parts of the team, especially Bijol, who has become an important part of the back three. However, his place in the team could be under threat in the coming weeks. James Justin filled in for the Slovenian defender on Saturday, and played his heart out as Leeds kept a clean sheet and got the three points against Fulham.
| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Passes Completed | 41/48 |
| Chances Created | 2 |
| Big Chances Created | 1 |
| Tackles Won | 2/3 |
| Ground Duels Won | 4/7 |
Daniel Farke pointed out that the former Leicester City man had the versatility to play that role, and now he has shown he can be a legitimate option there going forward.
Daniel Farke needs to utilize Leeds depth
We are now at a point of the season where teams will rely on their squad depth more as the games come in thick and fast. Farke has learned to be using some of the players on the bench recently, but he needs to trust them a bit more. Based on the FA Cup win over Derby, and even their last Premier League win over Fulham, the players in the squad are very capable of handling the pressure.
So many players came into the side for a crucial game against Fulham and they left with three points, so Farke needs to be able to trust them more and more when it comes to team selection as the season progresses.
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