Leeds United fans to ‘take comfort’ from what happened against Fulham
Leeds’ start to life back in the Premier League has sparked mixed emotions.
Given Leeds’ failures in the summer window, and their lack of goals after four games, there is a lot of pessimism lingering at Elland Road.
However, with four points from four games, against two sides competing in the Champions League, the results on the pitch have perhaps not matched the feeling off of it.
Despite the lack of goals and unrest as a result of the decisions made in the summer, there seems to be plenty to be optimistic about.
MOT Leeds News presents the exclusive opinion of iconic football commentator Ian Darke.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin needs to deliver for Leeds
Leeds were linked with several strikers in the summer, including Rodrigo Muniz, though they ended the window empty-handed when it came to a marquee attacking arrival.
In fact, Noah Okafor was the only forward they brought in that required a transfer fee, arriving from AC Milan in a deal worth around £16million.
It has piled more pressure on Dominic Calvert-Lewin to thrive at Leeds, and Ian Darke thinks that it is their last hope.
Speaking exclusively to MOT Leeds News, he said: “They’re going to have to hope that Dominic Calvert-Lewin delivers and suddenly bursts into some goal-scoring form.
“But, by and large, I think the encouraging thing for Leeds is they’re being quite competitive.
Leeds’ stats vs Fulham
- 46% possession
- 10 shots
- 3 on target
- 0.79 xG
- 1 big chance missed
“They’ve lost at Fulham to a daft own goal with almost the last kick of the game. But the fact that they played there for 94 minutes and were holding Fulham is probably quite encouraging.
“They held Newcastle. They’ve beaten Everton. So, I think the early signs are that they can be competitive and they’re not getting blown away.
“And if I were a Leeds fan, I think I’d take some comfort from that.”
Leeds’ underlying numbers are not bad
There are only two sets of numbers that actually matter in football: the scoreline and your end points total.
For Leeds, neither are looking overly great as of right now.
However, the signs are there that they can find success this season, with the Whites having recorded 3.8 xG in four games.
Chances are being created, and if Daniel Farke can get his side to finish them, Leeds will not be in any trouble come the end of the campaign, but it is a big if.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Leeds United news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @motleedsnews