So after a decent start our form has tapered off and we've lost a few, but no reason to panic just yet. We know from experience that this division is hard, and every team suffers a blip at some point. We're blipping now, so may as well get it out of the way. GFH have stated money has been made available, but clubs aren't playing ball right now. McD has aldo stated that his main target will not be released by his club, and he won't sign players just because he can. We've seen the long term damage Grayson and Colin did with their policy of signing what's left after their targets went elsewhere. Green, Norris, Brown, Paynter, Pugh, Hall, Connolly, Kilkenny, Rachubka, Drury .... oh FFS why go on ... so much absolute trash eating up wages and not wanted anywhere else so we're stuck with them. Look, I am very disappointed with some of the losses, but I'm not despondent ... yet!! A big plus has been the emergence of Mowatt. This kid can play, and he will become a top player, hopefully at Leeds. Poleon, although still raw and inexperienced, has a knack for sticking it in the onion bag, and he is damn quick. Byram is back and will add to the team as he gets stronger. Our Academy is bringing through some good talent, and at least Ken isn't here to sell them off at the first straight pass they make. McD is doing what he can with the poor squad at his disposal. It must be soul destroying to rock up at training and see the likes of Pugh and Norris running about knowing you can't rely on them to contribute on a match day. I can only but imagine his frustration. At least he had the nuts to introduce Mowatt, it will encourage the other Academy and Blazing Squad players and hopefully another one or two break through before the end of the season. We are where we are thanks to a major crook being allowed to steal from us, and at least GFH are not emptying the coffers a la Ken. Yes, I would have liked £10m thrown into the war chest, but if its not there then that's that. We still have a chance, and hopefully a deal for a player is made and it helps us to push on. McD wants to bring in players who will be with Leeds for a while, and who will contribute. Let's see where we are come January. Ten points off the playoffs will be handy, and then chances are we'll get some of the manager's targets. At least we're not bottom with no hope at all. This division is tough, but the quality of the teams means you can go on a six game unbeaten run just like that, and suddenly your season is transformed. All is not lost .... yet!!
Southampton fourth in pl today. Four years ago they were in same **** as us so who knows where we might be four years from now eh
I wouldn't be worried too much yet but it is time to start putting a few wins on the board again, important not to let that top 6 slip too far ahead or it could be curtains before Christmas, I believe they will bounce back though and rack up a series of wins but McDermott has some serious hard work to do with that squad to push for a promotion this season I believe.
Saints had a billionaire owner with a terminal illness, who wanted to invest millions upon millions, even after his death...
Elland I get your point but think you're over egging the pudding. The Swiss guys were very wary of spending silly money. They allowed the cockney grey haired bar-code manager some leeway, then got rid and then they did the same with Adkins and then got rid. In fact it was being ruthless more than spending cash that seemed to work. Look at Norwich as they had less cash than us but invested a bit more each season until they started doing the business on the pitch. The Chairman came out and told the world that the board knew that the only way the club could survive fully was by investing in the team. Promotion had to be a big gamble but were prepared to do it under Lambert. He got them back to back promotions and are still in the prem. Same time they invested, Bates sold and replaced with shyte otherwise we would have done back to back too. Especially when we were in the top 6 all season long but didn't back Grayson in January. We are now further away from Southampton, Wigan, Blackburn, Bolton, Norwich, Stoke, QPR, Watford, Brighton, Leicester, Forest ......... We're fooked without investment as we've been raped for 8-fooking years. In other words there are a dozen bigger clubs than us who will win more than us this season.
BOLTON?????? Why a rethink please, when they have more cash than us, a better squad than us and will do £12m for the next 4 seasons because of parachute money. I'm talking about cash mate, not how good their present manager is. poor Dougie made a huge mistake by jumping ship from Palace when he could have taken them into the prem. He left Palace for a bigger job, BIGGER than palace
Yep ...Doc has it spot on with the money. How the fcuk can Saints spend no less than £36m in the summer, yet last home game they couldn't fill their stadium? Truth is every season outside the Prem puts another one or two clubs above us financially. Even Wigan, with fcuk all support can maintain a good squad on wages much more than Leeds. We're in a tough spot thanks to a thieving bastidge, but at least we now have a decent manager who in the long run will fix the squad ... and his approach to the Academy is just what we need as well. Six points away right now, ten points off play offs come January and we're still in a good position. As mentioned above ... now we need some wins!!
Just curious, how could ten points off playoffs in January be a good position? Are you being serious or sarcastic Doc
Better squad on paper counts for nothing m8,Wolves had one of the best on paper last season and look at them.
I think the issue with us is we have lost the momentum we had from coming up from League 1. I said at the time I thought we coulda got back to back promotions even with Bates in charge but in hindsight, Grayson is nowhere near as good a manager as either Lambert or Adkins and that ended up being the difference imo. Our squad wasn't all that different to Southampton's when they got promoted, a lot of young players with big careers ahead. Had we spent a little wiser (not more) in the summer for our first Champ campaign back then we would be in the premier league right now, since then we have lost momentum and have been gradually slipping down the table, I just think its about regaining that momentum once more. This could happen next season though imo with this season probably a little too early, with the players coming through the academy we will have a younger squad eager to impress and improve and if we spend wisely we have the manager in place to do it. I think we have the strength in depth in the defence and central midfield roles, its a shame we don't have any decent wide players coming through at the moment, hopefully Hall comes back rejuvenated and ready to shine. Thats also not to take anything away from what Grayson did here because he gave us the momentum from league 1 into the champ which managers before him failed at doing.
Great points Josh ... our momentum was blunted thanks to letting Beckford go, selling Gradel ... replacements were shocking!! Grayson did struggle in the Championship, but as you say a big thanks for getting us up. Ten points off the play offs halfway through is very gettable in this division ... we have seen time and again how a run of six or seven unbeaten can push you up the league ... if we are in that position come January I'd seriously expect signings for the short term rather than the "long term player" McD talks about. MOT!!
