First team

Now we have a team, lets build a squad!

|
Image for Now we have a team, lets build a squad!

For the past two seasons Leeds have always had a team or starting eleven that can win a fair amount of games and this season is no different. We have a squad that is bigger than most teams in the Championship and the wage bill clearly shows this. Recently I commented on my respect for Danny Pugh and his presence in the team this season, but having seen McDermott pick the same side he would for a Championship game, against Rochdale, and not make use of any of the fringe players, I hope that any new signings he makes actually make in on to the pitch for more than just the last five minutes of a game. Like I said we have a team but now we need a squad.

In our prime during the O’Leary years, we had a squad that could take on any team in Europe, and that was due to the strength and depth of our squad. If we needed to battle hard we would play Batty and Dacourt in centre midfield and basically play six defenders. When they recovered the ball, we had Kewell, Bowyer or Bakke to exploit the oppositions back line with Smith, Viduka or Bridges waiting to add to their goal tally. Back then we had a squad that could be swapped and changed according to the opposition and if the initial tactic didn’t go to plan then changes would be soon made after the second half and the results spoke for themselves.

This is what McDermott needs to establish with Leeds once again. A lot of targets for Leeds in this transfer window seem to be the subs from other leading teams in the Championship, and although this isn’t a problem, it shows the depth and strength of our main rivals squads. I am not taking any credit away from what the boys have done this season, it isn’t easy playing week in week out for 90 minutes but this is the problem. Leeds needed structure when McDermott came to us, we needed to stop leaking goals and be a unit at the back. Playing five at the back has given Leeds a bit more strength but we are still letting in more goals than we should be for a team battling for promotion. And this is due to the fact that teams have now sussed us out, they know who is going to turn up and how we are going to play.

With new signings on the horizon, I hope that McDermott has a look at his opposition in more detail and considers who would be best to play in this match, not who are his favourites. Matt Smith upfront has done well for Leeds, but until we have two wingers who are going to put in twenty crosses a piece each match, he will never be as good as he can be. Poleon has speed and is unknown to most defences so why he doesn’t start more I will never know, if Leeds buy a new striker in the transfer window I hope Poleon goes out on a short loan to show McDermott what he can do. I hope to see a wider range of formations being played, especially more attacking ones against weaker sides, so that the game is almost won come half time, not that we are chasing a late winner come 85 minutes. I think we need to consider what will happen should Paddy Kenny get injured, as Ashdown is still out, and will it be too much pressure for Cairns. All these factors should be playing on McDermott’s mind, they are on every Leeds fan I speak to, but I suppose we have to have faith in Brian and hope come the end of the transfer window we have the right answers.

In the end, whatever happens with Leeds for the rest of the season, I just hope that McDermott builds a squad that work for each other, the fans and mostly the right to wear a Leeds United shirt on Saturday come 3pm. Bring on change, make-uth the team and show that we are squad and more than that, a unit.

Report by Chris Wilkinson

Share this article

0 comments

  • David says:

    Wonder how much notice you take of the players on display at Leeds. Very clearly – Dominic Poleon had pace, but what else? Do you realise for instance that he cannot touch the ball with his left foot. I would suggest that as a considerable weakness. He is more one footed than Becchio was, without the proven goalscoring ability.

    Overall your views are very simplistic. “Back then” finances were a little different. We need to move a step at a time. And we need to stay behind the team. Disappointed as I was at the Rochdale game, can you point at a player who deliberately played poorly?
    We have been punching above our weight up until a few weeks ago. We have fallen down, but can get up and move forward. A STEP AT A TIME.
    Stay behind the team. Good support is better than screaming abuse at players.

Comments are closed.