In this article, I compare Leeds United from last season to this season, to show what has changed for Leeds to be 4 points better off at this stage of the season as they were last season. From the signings Leeds made in the summer to the tweaks in tactics manager Daniel Farke has made this season that he might not of done in certain games last season.
Leeds last season fell heartbreakingly short at Wembley in May, losing 0-1 to Southampton in the championship play-off final, after getting a massive 90 points in the 46 game season, which in any other season would of seen Leeds get promoted. This defeat in the championship play-off final meant that Leeds would lose some key players. Leeds would end up losing Crysencio Summerville, Archie Gray and Georginho Rutter last summer, the best player in the championship and the best young player in the championship last season.
Recruitment
Leeds United’s recruitment in the summer has turned out to be spot on, losing Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter and Archie Gray in one transfer window, Leeds seemed to have replaced the three of them really well. Summerville’s 30 goal contributions last season has been shared around this season among the front four which regularly rotates.
Leeds would sign Welsh centre back Joe Rodon on a permanent deal from Tottenham Hotspur with the fee believed to be around £10 million. With Archie Gray leaving the club to go to Tottenham himself, Leeds signed goalkeeper Alex Cairns to fit the homegrown quota in the championship. Midfielder Joe Rothwell on loan from AFC Bournemouth was next through the door at Elland Road.
Leeds would then bring in full back Jayden Bogle from Sheffield United for a fee around £7.5 million, along with Belgium winger Largie Ramazani from Almeria for £11 Million, brought in to be Crysencio Summerville’s replacement. Leeds added another midfielder, bringing in Japanese international Ao Tanaka from Fortuna Dusseldorf for around £3million. Leeds brought in winger Manor Solomon on loan from Spurs and then concluded there transfer business by brining Swiss full back Isaac Schmidt as back up for Junior Firpo.
What makes Leeds better this season than last season?
The Standard of the championship this season has certainly helped Daniel Farke’s Leeds United this season, with the quality of the division nowhere near the level of last season with Leeds hitting 90 points and finishing third and settling for the play-offs. Leeds United have conceded 19 goals so far this season and that defensive record even with a few Illan Meslier mistakes in there is one of the reasons why Leeds United have been so good this season. Leeds have six clean sheets in a row and in the past four games haven’t conceded a single goal.
The reliance on Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter last season did play a part in why Leeds struggled in certain games towards the end of the season which saw Leeds United fall apart and had to settle for the play-offs picking up 8 points from the last 8 games. It did seem if Summerville or Rutter had a poor game so did Leeds and the creativity from Leeds went down massively. This season, goals and chances are coming from everywhere with zero reliance on a single player like last season. The front four of Piroe, James, Aaronson and Manor Solomon have all nearly 10 plus goal contributions with Ramazani and Gnonto on the bench coming on and scoring in games as well.
Leeds United a class above the rest of the championship
The past three championship games, Leeds United have gone up another level, starting with the 7-0 thrashing of Cardiff City, Leeds United have scored 13 goals in the last three games, Leeds have also scored 18 goals since the last time the Whites conceded a goal, and as said before that defensive solidarity is one of the main reasons why Leeds United are top of the league. Leeds beat Coventry away 0-2 and then just last night dispatched Tom Cleverley’s Watford at Vicarage Road 0-4. Games like Watford away last season, Leeds drew 2-2 and had to rely on a late Mateo Joseph equaliser, the difference is Leeds United just look a cut above the rest of the Championship now. Big games for Leeds to end February with Sunderland and Sheffield United back-to-back and West Brom, seven points from them three games and Leeds United will be getting closer and closer to getting promoted back to the premier league.
Just how good is this Leeds team?
This current Leeds United team is something special and one of the best the championship has ever seen. Leeds have the best goal difference in Europe with +47 above Bayern Munich and Arsenal currently. Defensively this Leeds side are so solid and hard to score against, a lot of talk about Burnley’s defensive record this season and rightly so but Leeds United this season have only conceded 19 goals and we are in February. Signing Joe Rodon permanently was massive for Leeds going forward, his partnership with Pascal Struijk is a massive reason as to why Leeds barley concede goals, and even when Struijk has been out injured like he has been recently, Rodon’s partnership with Ethan Ampadu is just as good. Leeds United’s attack for the Championship is ridiculously good, the ability to bring on Largie Ramazani and Wilfried Gnonto with 20 minutes to go shows the strength in depth Leeds have in attack .
Last Minute wins vs Sunderland and Sheffield United
This Leeds team simply doesn’t know when it’s beaten, further proved in the games on back to back Monday’s against Sunderland and Sheffield United. Going 1-0 down in both games and to score goals in the 90th minute in both shows the determination this Leeds side has to keep going, and I’m not sure whether Leeds win these games last season like they have this season. These two games proved that it’s very likely that Leeds United will get promoted back to the Premier League, just feels a sense of inevitability that Leeds United will score in games and even the few times recently they’ve gone behind teams will need more than one goal to beat this Leeds side. Felt like as soon as Firpo equalised against Sheffield United it was only a matter of time before Leeds went onto win the game, give Joel Piroe any space and he’ll punish you, 21 goal contributions for Piroe with 26 goal contributions from the Leeds wingers this season.
Summary
To summarise, this Leeds United side are one of the best the championship has ever seen. To bounce back from the Wembley heartbreak in May and to perform how they have done for majority of this season is so impressive. The recruitment spot on in every way, even signing Josuha Guilavogui on a free transfer when Gruev and Ampadu were out injured, his experience around the dressing room will be vital in the final games of the season. Leeds United are looking likely to not only get promoted but to win the Championship, 16 games unbeaten, winning all five league games in February, it seems Daniel Farke’s Leeds United will take some stopping.