MOT View: Leeds must heed frightening Paul Merson warning as he hails PL rival ‘absolute gem’
Leeds United will know that the hard work is just beginning.
Getting back to the Premier League after 16 years in the wilderness of the EFL is one thing, but staying there for more than one season will be a big, big task.
The top flight is an unforgiving battleground, and to properly thrive, it is important to go into it with the best possible array of talent at your disposal.
And Paul Merson believes that there is one chink in the Whites’ armour that needs addressing immediately.
Writing in a recent column for the Daily Star, he said: “It’s Leeds I worry about if they don’t sign a striker. I don’t see how they survive. I don’t see Patrick Bamford scoring the goals [Fulham striker Aleksandar] Mitrovic will.
“I hope Leeds fans don’t think they will do a Sheffield United because I don’t see it. When you try to press like they do, top players will pop the ball around you.
“If Leeds can get a top quality forward, they might be OK. But that’s where Fulham have such an advantage. They don’t need another striker because they already have an absolute gem in Mitrovic.”
These are frightening words from Merson, but it’s hard to disagree with him too much about Bamford.
Yes, we all know that he brings more to the team than just finishing, and he must be commended for the herculean effort he put into our promotion push, but the fact is that a new striker is a necessity.
Compared to Mitrovic, who Merson praises so highly, the Leeds man scored 0.33 fewer goals per game last term despite having an xG that was just 0.03 lower, as per Wyscout.
He also had a lower shot accuracy rate, won fewer aerial duels, and made fewer dribbles.
Really, it’s the finishing which is a concern though, and unless another striker is brought in to ease the burden on the 26-year-old, the fear will be that we spend all season looking over our shoulder, rather than up towards the higher reaches of the table.
In other Leeds United news, Leeds confirm major signing is close – ‘Different calibre of player’.