MOT View: Do Leeds have enough strength in depth or does Bielsa need to buy in January?
Victor Orta has said the January transfer window is going to be a quiet one for Leeds United.
Quiet doesn’t mean no signings will be coming in and we don’t think anyone expected a flurry of activity.
Last January Leeds signed Kiko Casilla on a free from Real Madrid and came very close to signing Daniel James.
However, Leeds missed out on automatic promotion and fell to Derby in the play-offs.
What’s different this season and do we have enough to go up with what we’ve got?
Goalkeepers
Kiko Casilla has been immense this season and he’s played every game, including the two EFL Cup games. That struck us as odd at the time – why not put your number two in for some experience? Casilla is now facing an FA charge over the use of racist language and could face a minimum six-game ban. He has until November 27 to respond and there’s a chance Leeds could appeal, which would likely delay any resolution until next year. If he is banned, we can see Leeds having to bring a loan keeper in. Illan Meslier is his most likely replacement and it would seem odd to bring him in on loan for the season if you weren’t happy to play him. However, he’s had no game time with the Leeds first-team and would be a risk.
Verdict: Leeds will look to bring someone in if Casilla is likely to be banned next year
Defenders
The left-back spot is well covered. Barry Douglas and Ezgjan Alioski are both seasoned there, Stuart Dallas can do a good shift there and Leif Davis is lurking on the sidelines. At right-back, Luke Ayling is the preferred player for Bielsa and Dallas filled in brilliantly for him while he was out injured.
In the centre, Ben White and Liam Cooper have formed a solid partnership, but Cooper has suffered a couple of injuries and might not make the Luton game. Gaetano Berardi is the stand-in, Kalvin Phillips was pulled back last season and Pascal Struijk could be drafted in from the Under-23s. He’s been on the bench once already this season. However, it does feel like Leeds could do with one more experienced head here. If Cooper or White were ruled out for a significant amount of time, you wouldn’t want to rely on Berardi.
Speculation started up about Leeds wanting to sign Daniel Ayala recently, but in a Q&A on the Athletic on Sunday, Phil Hay said he’s been told that the Middlesbrough player is not someone Leeds want to sign. And a new centre-back doesn’t seem like a priority.
Verdict: Leeds will stick but we think a new centre-back would be sensible
Midfielders
Kalvin Phillips is a machine. Leeds are lucky that he doesn’t pick up many injuries and he’s played all 18 games so far this season. He’s the player that Leeds just couldn’t replace if he was injured for a significant amount of time – even in the January window. There’s no one else in the current Leeds squad who can do what he does and Alfie McCalmont is still learning his trade.
Mateusz Klich has played every Championship game since Bielsa arrived and Adam Forshaw should be returning soon from injury. We’ve coped okay without him but he’s another player who adds something unique to the side, linking defence and attack. Jamie Shackleton is injured but should be back soon and Jordan Stevens is impressing in the Under-23s.
Verdict: Leeds are well covered here, barring serious injury to Phillips
Attackers
Bielsa was always a fan of Jack Harrison and he’s taken his game to the next level this season – or certainly in the last six games. He’s scored two and added four assists in that short period, after blanking for nine games following a goal in the opening game of the season.
Helder Costa is starting to show signs of a player we’d want to spend £15m on. The Bielsa system doesn’t suit his game perfectly, but he’s looking dangerous and currently keeping Pablo Hernandez out of the side.
Tyler Roberts is the missing piece of the puzzle for a lot of people. He’s started the last two games and scored against QPR. According to Football Insider, Bielsa has held talks with him asking for more consistency and goals. He’s still young, though.
The one question mark is over Jack Clarke. He hasn’t played a minute in the league yet this season and Tottenham could recall him in January. Would that matter seeing as he hasn’t been anywhere near the 11? According to Football Insider, Bielsa is happy with what Clarke has been doing this season and thinks he’s taken his game to the next level. It seems he wants him to stay and has told the player his time will come this season. That comes as somewhat of a surprise but whether he goes or stays will still come down to what Spurs make of his situation.
Verdict: If Clarke gets recalled Leeds might look for another loan but we’re not convinced we need another player
Strikers
Patrick Bamford has played well this season, but he hasn’t been scoring goals. He finally broke his drought in the Blackburn game but even that was from the penalty spot. He adds a lot more than goals to the side but needs to score more.
Eddie Nketiah is still waiting for his first start. According to Phil Hay, he was set to get a run of four starts, beginning with the game against QPR, but he was injured the day before in training and is still out and unlikely to make the weekend clash with Luton. There’s a possibility that Arsenal will recall him in January and if that happens we’d expect him to be replaced.
From what we’ve seen of Ryan Edmondson in the Under-23s this season, he’s not ready for the step-up yet and Roberts is better in the number 10 position.
Verdict: If Nketiah stays at Leeds, we wouldn’t bring anyone in. If Arsenal recall Nketiah, we’ll have money freed up and we’re convinced Leeds would have to replace him
What do we think?
It’s all going to come down to the Casilla situation and whether any of our loan players get recalled. If Nketiah goes then a new striker who can play out wide too would cover all the bases. If the club thinks Casilla is likely to be banned next year then we can see another loan keeper coming in. Apart from that, we’re not expecting anyone to come in and we’re convinced the squad is good enough to go up. Bielsa doesn’t like having a surfeit of players and there’s nothing really that’s changed between the summer and now. Leeds are playing well, creating lots of chances and are in touch at the top. Bielsa will be happy and we’re reasonably content.
In other Leeds news, Paul Robinson hails versatile Leeds star who has become a better player under Bielsa