Dominic Calvert-Lewin has played a big part in the results Leeds United have achieved in the last couple of games. His performances have been at the centre of their recent resurgence.
Calvert-Lewin has scored in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time in more than five years. His performances have played a big part in lifting the team out of the relegation zone.
The 28-year-old striker has benefited the most from Farke’s decision to shift to a 5-3-2/3-5-2 system, and is enjoying having more bodies around him in the final third of the pitch.
| Stat | 4-3-3 | 3-5-2 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes played | 1,035 | 135 | 1,170 |
| Goals scored | 11 | 5 | 16 |
| Minutes per goal | 94.09 | 27.00 | 73.13 |
His form has also led to suggestions that Leeds may not sign a striker in January. However, former scout Mick Brown feels the club will be making a mistake if they follow that path.
Leeds United have been told that they can’t rely on Dominic Calvert-Lewin
The former Premier League scout stressed that Leeds must look to bring in a striker during the January transfer window to strengthen their forward options.
He conceded that it would be easy for Leeds to get carried away about their recent form and Calvert-Lewin’s performances in the last three games.
However, he pointed out that Leeds must not forget that his a lean patch and insisted that they cannot rely on keeping on scoring for the rest of the season.
Brown admitted that it won’t be easy to find a striker in January. However, he stressed that Leeds must spend top dollar to bring in someone who can score goals in the Premier League.
“Leeds will still want to sign a new striker”, Brown told Football Insider.
“It’s easy to get caught up in recent results, and Calvert-Lewin has been very impressive, but that doesn’t take away from all of the games when he wasn’t performing.
“He’s going through a good spell of form and for his sake, I hope he can keep that up, but that doesn’t mean Leeds should be prepared to put their faith in him.
“The problem they’ve got is, it’s not easy to sign strikers in the January transfer window, especially ones of the quality they need, for the money they are willing to spend.
“They want a top-class option to score them goals in the Premier League, but the only way they’ll get one of those types of players is by spending big.
“If an opportunity comes up to bring somebody in for a reasonable price, I expect it’s something they’ll look into, but it’s going to be difficult.”
Farke needs one more striker in January
Leeds have three senior strikers in their squad. However, Farke doesn’t feel that Joel Piroe is good enough to start games in the Premier League.
The shift to a 5-3-2 formation has led to the need for two number 9s starting every game, and currently, Leeds do not have the options on their bench to provide cover.
Nmecha’s injury meant that Noah Okafor, a winger, started alongside Calvert-Lewin against Liverpool, with Piroe only coming on in the second half.
Even if Calvert-Lewin becomes more consistent this season, Leeds still need one more striker who can start when one of their top two strikers are unavailable.
Farke is still pushing to bring in one more striker, despite the emphasis on adding a creative midfielder and a winger in the January transfer window.
