Leeds United have four points from their opening four games, and it is not a shabby start for a team predicted to be in the relegation dogfight this season. However, the solitary win came in the first game, and they have not scored a goal from open play this season.
The headlines since the 1-0 defeat at Fulham have not been favourable towards Leeds, despite the unlucky nature of the loss. The team just cannot escape the reality of not creating enough chances to score, and no goals from open play are a stark reminder of what they are lacking in the final third.
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Leeds signed two strikers on free transfers whose combined goal-scoring record in the last four years amounts to 34 league games, and they just added one more winger to a set of wide players who got the team relegated from the Premier League in 2023.
The Whites are still backing Dominic Calvert-Lewin to come good, but it seems most of it is down to hypothetical hope rather than based on actual evidence of his record in recent seasons.
Can you name the team Leeds United signed these players from in the 2000s?
Ian Darke has conceded that Leeds United are banking on a Dominic Calvert-Lewin-sized hope
Legendary commentator Ian Darke has admitted that at this point of the season, Leeds are clearly hoping that their gamble on Calvert-Lewin pays off and he suddenly starts scoring goals.
Based on recent evidence, there is little to suggest that the Leeds forward would do so, given he has scored 18 league goals in the last four seasons.
However, Darke did point out that Leeds fans can draw solace from the fact that apart from the Arsenal drubbing, Leeds have looked tough to beat and competitive against all the other teams, including Newcastle United, who finished fifth last season.
“They’re going to have to hope that Dominic Calvert-Lewin delivers and suddenly bursts into some goal-scoring form”, Darke told MOT Leeds News.
“But, by and large, I think the encouraging thing for Leeds is they’re being quite competitive.
“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.”
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