Leeds United have approached their summer transfer business with a clear strategy.
Jamie Carragher hopes a physical approach to the Premier League will see Leeds United avoid relegation after hearing Russell Martin highlight his Southampton struggles last season.
Martin lasted just 16 Premier League games at Southampton last season with his attempts to retain a play-out-from-the-back style ending in 13 defeats and a December sacking. Speaking as a guest on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football in March, he admitted regret at not tweaking his style to be more combative and harder to beat, with a summer of recruiting young, technically gifted players not paying off.
Leeds have welcomed seven new faces through the door with a clear focus on experience and physical strength, with five of those seven arrivals over six feet. The spine of Daniel Farke’s squad has been significantly bolstered by the likes of goalkeeper Lucas Perri, centre-backs Jaka Bijol and Sebastiaan Bornauw, midfield star Anton Stach and free agent striker Lukas Nmecha.
There is still plenty of work to be done in the transfer market and it remains to be seen if Leeds will have the squad strength to survive, with all of the last six newly-promoted teams going straight back down. But Carragher at least expects Farke’s side to put up a fight physically.
Asked if he can see any newly-promoted teams staying up, the former Liverpool defender told Radio X: “I really hope so. I think this is becoming a problem in the Premier League now, where it almost feels like it’s a 17-team Premier League, and there are three Championship clubs in it, and they’re finding it really difficult.
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“Sunderland have spent a lot of money, brought a few players in. I read a report that Leeds were identifying only players who are above six feet, and everyone was going to be a giant. That’s what you might need. We had Russell Martin on [Sky Sports], who was the Southampton manager last season. He lost his job and found it difficult. He said that he regrets not going more physical, and that was the thing that found them out.
“Maybe that’s the template Leeds are looking at. You want Leeds back in the Premier League, they feel like a Premier League team, and hopefully they will stay.”
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Solid Leeds United still need star quality
With Leeds set to face technically superior opposition most weeks, it appears Farke will look to utilise his squad’s new-found size with a focus on staying in games and benefitting from set-pieces. The German is unlikely to completely move away from a possession-dominant approach that succeeded in the Championship, but there is an understanding he will need to adapt.
Leeds have looked solid defensively through most of pre-season, remaining unbeaten through five games against Manchester United, SC Verl, Paderborn, Villarreal and AC Milan. There is still work to be done further forward, however, with reinforcements needed out wide and upfront.
There are just 19 days of the summer transfer window remaining and five until Leeds kick off their Premier League campaign at home to Everton on Monday. The Whites also face Arsenal and Newcastle United before the September 1 deadline.
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