Leeds United Q&A: Winless run fears, Sam Byram new role and Ipswich Town away preview
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00:00 So, Lee, just on Leeds, their winless run continues in the Championship, West Bromway,
00:08 a draw there. I mean, is this a bit of a worry? Where are the fans at now with this because
00:15 they are desperate for that first win?
00:17 Yes, I think it would be a worry if you're expecting Leeds to absolutely storm the league
00:21 and go up as champions in runaway fashion. I know they were second favourites when the
00:26 market was formed for the Championship, but that's pretty always going to be the case
00:30 with the three teams usually that go down. But it's obviously a turbulent summer in terms
00:35 of exits and stuff. And Daniel Farker said himself as soon as he came in, he said it'd
00:38 be a bumpy start. And he obviously knew what was going to happen in terms of player exits
00:42 and stuff. And so it is going to take time, obviously. I don't think there's any doubt
00:45 at all about it that Leeds will be a better side in the latter stages of the season compared
00:51 to at the start of it.
00:52 That said, obviously two points out of nine is a disappointing start. What I would say
00:56 though is that Leeds looked an awful lot better against West Brom. I know obviously they're
01:00 only left with a point, but I mean, it really should have been three. And I know should
01:05 have and would have gets you nowhere really in this game. But you can definitely be heartened
01:09 by the performance. It was really worrying leaving the Birmingham game because they didn't
01:13 offer very much at all. It was an awful game, but so much better against West Brom. Obviously
01:17 their goal, Thomas Assane, to all extents and purposes, it was handball. If it was VAR
01:21 it would have been disallowed, but there isn't. So I mean, obviously if that doesn't go in,
01:25 Leeds get a 1-0 victory.
01:26 And the stats sort of tell you 16 shots for Leeds and four for West Brom. And again, that
01:32 doesn't go in your points, but that looks a lot better. And obviously this would have
01:36 been an awful lot of players out, a lot of injuries still, a lot of speculation obviously
01:39 about who will stay and who will go, et cetera, et cetera. So that definitely felt like a
01:44 step in the right direction.
01:46 And the other thing with the championship, of course, is it's a marathon, isn't it? 46
01:50 games and stuff. So you can sort of soon make ground up. But you would say that already
01:55 less than nine points out of nine, Ipswich looking like the surprise package, maybe Southampton
01:59 have had a decent start and they can't afford to get too far behind, that's for sure. And
02:03 you'd want to pick up that first win sooner rather than later. But I do think it will
02:07 come for Leeds as long as they get the right sort of additions in the remaining days of
02:11 the summer window.
02:12 But yeah, it's a disappointing start, but I don't think there's anything to be sort
02:14 of too alarmed about, albeit you would have liked something a little bit better.
02:18 And Dan James specifically, his best game for Leeds in a long time, you feel. I mean,
02:24 can he finally produce the goods going forward for them? Is that a positive to take from
02:28 that game?
02:29 Yeah, 100 percent. I mean, I think he was most people's man of the match in that game
02:32 and I think I'd agree with that, really. I mean, that says a lot about his performance
02:35 because despite that, he probably missed the best chance of the game when he sort of bundled
02:39 it wide from close range. I mean, that should have been a goal. And that's been him a little
02:43 bit, really. He sort of gets in good positions and then there's no end product, so to speak.
02:47 But I sort of felt a little bit this summer and even at the start of the season, it's
02:50 felt like it's been coming a little bit with him. I mean, in one of the pre-season friendlies,
02:54 he scored a great goal, which was disallowed, obviously, when Bamford was in front of the
02:56 keeper. And it's just, it has felt like it's coming and stuff. And it was much, much better
03:01 from him on Friday evening.
03:04 And the thing is with him, he's got a great starter point because of his pace. His blistering
03:09 pace will always cause danger. That will always be a threat to teams, whatever happens, like
03:14 playing on shoulders of people getting away down the line and stuff. And obviously, getting
03:18 those positions, the danger is started. Then it's about converting that danger into an
03:22 assist or a goal or whatever. I mean, you look at it, he's got 44 games for Leeds and
03:26 four goals and six assists, which isn't many, really, for a player who's always playing
03:31 basically either out wide or occasionally has gone up front as well.
03:35 But he's still only 25. It's not like he's particularly old. He'll still be learning.
03:38 He'll still be getting better. And I think the thing with Dan is obviously when Leeds
03:42 went down, a lot of people probably almost forgotten about him a little bit and thought
03:46 if he comes back, could he be a real asset? And I think he can be an asset and 100 per
03:49 cent, let's just hope he discovers more of an end product. I mean, you look at the winger
03:53 situation at Leeds, it's hard to sort of weigh up because basically we don't know who will
03:57 stay and who will go, obviously. By that, I'm talking like Sinisterra and Nantes, really.
04:02 And obviously, we'll have to wait and see what happens with Somerville. I suppose he'd
04:04 probably be kind of about first choice winger when fit. But Dan always seems to be in the
04:08 team. And I think that's because managers and Daniel Farker, especially, like his pace,
04:13 he, as I say, he'll always cause a threat.
04:15 Just feel like maybe with him, sort of like when he gets in those positions, it's maybe
04:18 just take a bit more time, just to think about what he's actually doing. Sometimes just feels
04:22 a bit rushed and constantly dribbling at people and just runs into sort of dead ends. But
04:27 much, much better on Friday. He was denied by an outstanding save, two outstanding, well,
04:32 two very good saves, really. And obviously, had a big impact on the game. So, yeah, hopefully
04:38 it's looking good for him. And hopefully, he can start to find the end product more
04:40 for Leeds. The signs are looking good, I would suggest.
04:43 Tyler Adams, I mean, was an incredible signing when you look at his consistency in the Leeds
04:48 team in that Premier League season. Is it a bitter pill to swallow or is he better off
04:52 gone as well? Because, you know, clearly a talented player.
04:56 Yeah, definitely. It does feel like a bit more of a bitter pill to swallow that one
05:00 because I think when he came in, he was so impressive, as you say, Charles, that straight
05:04 away, he was one of them, just a seamless transition into the team. And I think a lot
05:07 of people genuinely looked at him as future captain material. I think they really did.
05:10 And I think that probably would have been the case if Leeds would have stayed up. But
05:14 the brutal reality is that relegation changes everything and people won't like it that under
05:19 the day he's basically decided to leave Leeds for Bournemouth and sort of saying, 'Why have
05:22 you gone there?' For the bottom line is, it's Bournemouth for a Premier League club. And
05:25 yes, OK, they might end up fighting relegation again this season. It's too early to say,
05:30 basically, isn't it, at the moment? But I mean, even if they are fighting relegation
05:33 or in the low reaches of the Premier League, they still are a Premier League team. And
05:36 that's the brutal reality. So I can see why he's gone, really. I mean, obviously, there's
05:40 Chelsea interest as well there. But it always felt difficult with Tyler. I know Leeds obviously
05:45 looked at him as one of the main ones they wanted to keep in the Championship, understandably
05:48 so because he's a very good player. But I just always found it very difficult to imagine
05:52 the USA international captain playing Championship football. The USA are a decent side now. They
05:57 go in places as well. And I just think really there was an air of inevitability about it.
06:01 Obviously, that sort of was made a lot easier with his relegation release clause. But yeah,
06:06 it does feel like a bad one, a sort of bitter pill to swallow. What you would say with that
06:10 is, and I'm not comparing him by any stretch of the imagination, but the emergence of Archie
06:13 Gray certainly helped Leeds in midfield. If he wasn't around, then they really would look
06:16 very, very light. And he's very, very young. You don't want to put pressure on him. But
06:20 he's obviously an immensely talented youngster who's got a huge future. And Padu as well
06:24 has been a great signing in midfield. So at the moment, centre midfield-wise, they look
06:27 fine. I would say, OK, you know, fine, really, when those both fit. But you can't just rely
06:31 on those two. And what it does do is that Tyler Adams' departure definitely means they
06:35 need to bring in another centre midfielder. Yes, Jamie Shackleton's there as an option.
06:38 And, you know, there's various others who could probably cover that. But, you know,
06:41 very, very good player, Tyler Adams, you know, and basically needs replacing. That's the
06:45 upshot of it. You probably won't get someone as good as him. And you sort of wish him all
06:48 the best. But yeah, I mean, it did, to me anyway, it always felt a little bit inevitable
06:53 that. And the bottom line is now he just needs replacing to some degree.
06:57 Yeah. In terms of incomings, what is the club's position now ahead of the remaining days in
07:03 the summer transfer window? Where do they have to look to bring some names in?
07:07 Well, I think priority number one's got to be a striker, really, Charles, I really do.
07:11 And I think, yet again, that was in evidence against West Brom on Friday night. I mean,
07:15 it kind of like felt like Giorgio Nerute's big chance to shine, obviously, like leading
07:19 the likes. And he's just come back from injury, he should be stressed. But, you know, that
07:22 felt like his big chance to shine in the number nine role. And he played all right, you know,
07:26 in flashes he showed what he could do. But I just don't know whether he's a number nine
07:30 or whether he'll be able to sort of hold down that role and whether he'll end up being more
07:34 of a, I don't know, a winger or a ten or just someone who might play a little bit all over.
07:38 I don't know. But goals win you games. And we've said this so many times, the two times
07:42 that Norwich went up under Daniel Farker, Timu Pukki scored 30 in one season and 26 in
07:48 the other. And that's what Leeds are going to need. So they're going to need something
07:50 similar to that. And I just think a striker's got to be brought in, really. And Daniel was
07:55 asked about it at his pre-match press conference and said, you know, is there enough time to
07:58 bring all these people in? Because he'd said himself, basically, the club needed strength
08:02 in every single position apart from goalkeeper. And obviously that's an awful lot to do in
08:06 not a very long time. But he said it can be done. But I think up front, it's got to be
08:11 the first protocol Leeds are looking at a striker. So we'll wait and see what happens
08:14 on that. Number 10 feels like another one as well. You feel like when you're doing the
08:17 Leeds team and a predicted line-up and stuff, you're always sort of scratching around for
08:21 number 10. You know, there's people who can play there, but there's no one that like screams
08:24 out at you and thinks, oh, he's definitely the number 10. You know, but like maybe Pablo
08:27 Hernandez was or whatever. And, you know, players like that far from grow on trees,
08:31 but they feel like the two main things. I'm sure there are areas that Leeds will look
08:35 at. And then the other positions, it's probably more about cover, I would say. I mean, obviously
08:39 centre midfield's fine if Ampadu and Gray are fit, but I mean, obviously then you're
08:43 relying on two people and obviously Gray's very young. And now that Adams has gone, I
08:46 think another centre midfielder is definite. Centre back, they're probably all right if
08:50 everybody's fit, but it's like if and when. And then the other one obviously is the full
08:54 back situation. I mean, obviously Leeds went in for Max Ahrens, we know that. So that shows
08:58 you that they are looking at that area. And to me, that would make perfect sense because
09:01 he's someone who can play at right back, but also at left back. And that's probably, it
09:04 feels like what they need because they might be all right, but you know, you need cover.
09:08 We don't need cover, you need players that are going to come into the first 11. So that's
09:12 obviously an area they're looking at as well. So there's an awful lot to do. I feel like
09:15 they've got a good base this Leeds, there's a good foundation there for a good team, but
09:19 they won't make the most of it unless they get someone else up front or a number 10,
09:21 I don't think. I think they'll just swim around mid-table if they don't get someone in to
09:26 score the goals. And to me, I think that's absolutely crucial.
09:31 And Sam Byron, is he looking like the answer at left back in this Leeds side?
09:36 He is at the moment. Yeah, definitely. I mean, I think quite simply with Sam Byron, the only
09:41 sort of concern, if you like, over the summer about him potentially joining was his injury
09:45 record obviously. And he's had a horrible time of it and stuff. I didn't realise the
09:49 full extent of it, I was doing some reading up on when he was in Norwich City. I mean,
09:53 it was nearly two years he was out after that injury in February 2020 when he didn't even
09:57 realise how bad it was against Liverpool, I think it was. And apparently it was only
10:00 when he got in the changing rooms afterwards that he realised how bad it was because he
10:04 couldn't take his boot off because of the pain in his hamstring and he had to have it
10:06 cut off in the end. I mean, that says it all. And surgery and operations and whatever. So
10:10 I mean, obviously, there's not just that, there's other injuries too in previous years.
10:14 So there is obviously a concern, but he's looked really, really good I've thought so
10:18 far since he's come into the team so far. And if he stays fit, I mean, let's keep your
10:22 fingers crossed, it doesn't seem any issues at the moment, then I think you definitely
10:27 start him. And to me anyway, at the moment, he's first choice left back. There are other
10:31 options obviously. Leo Helder started the first two games of the season. I think he's
10:34 a talented youngster, but I don't know if he's more of a centre back. Certainly it's
10:38 kind of always felt that way to me. Junior Firpo is still around, remains to be seen
10:41 what happens there if he stays, etc. And I suppose you probably come into the summer
10:45 as first choice left back. I think Sam Byron, a fit Sam Byron would usurp him, that's for
10:49 sure. Gornemberg with Byron as well, he can play right back as well. So there's the option
10:53 to switch him over as well. So yeah, I think he's been a very, very good signing. I mean,
10:56 it's incredible that he was a free agent really and they managed to get him. I mean, but that's
10:58 obviously because of the past he's had recently. But you keep your fingers crossed for him.
11:03 He's looked great. He bonds forward, that's what Leeds needs. He doesn't shirk tackles
11:07 or anything. It's not like he doesn't feel like he's going into him thinking, oh, I might
11:10 trigger an injury here. Because obviously it was hamstring that he had that was out
11:13 for so long at Norwich. But yeah, he's looked a very, very good signing and so far so good.
11:18 But I just would think they'd probably still need extra cover or like someone who can play
11:22 both left back and right back. Hence I looked at Max Aarons. I mean, that would make perfect
11:26 sense to me. Someone like that, which is I'm sure what they'll go for.
11:31 And finally, Lee, Ipswich away up next for Leeds United. I mean, Ipswich have made an
11:36 incredible start to being promoted three and three. They're top of the league. They've
11:42 only conceded one goal. I mean, Leeds, however, haven't won yet. They're struggling to find
11:47 the back of the net as well. Some consistency as we've discussed. What are the thoughts
11:52 going into this one? Because it seems like a very, very tough, tough place to go at the
11:56 moment as well.
11:57 Yeah, 100%. Yeah, I mean, it's incredible really when you think about it that not so
12:00 long ago, obviously Leeds was sort of like, you know, under Marcelo, obviously, you know,
12:03 going up to like ninth, tenth in the Premier League and Ipswich were down in League One.
12:06 And all of a sudden, a few years later, here they are meeting in the Championship. Ipswich
12:09 top of the table and Leeds fifth or sixth bottom, you know, I mean, it's only after
12:12 three games, but it's amazing how times change. Very, very hard game and just the sort of
12:16 side that should not be underestimated whatsoever. I mean, I think with them, there might be
12:19 the danger to look at Ipswich and think, well, there's only three games gone, you know, like,
12:22 I mean, are they really going to be there at the end of the season? But, you know, there's
12:26 been a lot of talk about them this summer. I mean, it's incredible last season they went
12:29 up, I think it was 101 or 102 goals they scored in going up as League One runners up. I mean,
12:33 that's a serious amount of goals. And so far this season, I think they've scored six or
12:37 seven goals and seven different scorers. So, you know, the goals come from all angles.
12:42 As you said, they've only conceded one goal as well. So, I mean, you know, they're ticking
12:45 every box out of the scoring goals, they're keeping clean sheets, they're at home, confidence
12:48 will be high. So that's going to be a very, very hard game. I mean, normally you wouldn't
12:52 look at that as like Ipswich v Leeds and think Leeds are going to be big underdogs, but there
12:55 will be underdogs really. I mean, Ipswich should be favourites. I think they are. I
12:58 think they're about six to five. So it's going to be a really hard game for Leeds. They'll
13:01 have to, you know, they'll have to do what they haven't done so far. They'll have to
13:04 be tight at the back. They'll have to keep, almost certainly have to keep a clean sheet.
13:07 They'll have to take the chances, you know, they need to do everything, you know, all
13:10 these boxes need to be ticked for them to go there. But in a way it does feel like a
13:13 sort of Leeds game, they win this, you know, it's one of those ones where, you know, people
13:16 look at Leeds and think, oh, they've got a decent start to the season on paper card if
13:20 at home and everybody expects them to get three points. And obviously even at Birmingham,
13:23 it doesn't happen. Then all of a sudden when the boot's on the other foot and they go to
13:26 Ipswich, where suddenly there's starting to be a bit of expectation, it almost feels a
13:30 bit Leeds-y. This is the sort of game where they go and win. I mean, so I wouldn't rule
13:32 that out whatsoever. They've definitely got the players to be able to do it. We'll wait
13:35 and see if there's any more signings or whatever beforehand or, you know, more injury returns,
13:39 you know, what the situation squad is looking like. But yeah, very, very hard game, not
13:43 to be underestimated whatsoever. However, if all goes according to plan and, you know,
13:47 Leeds can execute their plan, then I wouldn't rule them out going there and getting a first
13:50 win of the season.
13:51 And if Leeds are to win that game, could that be a springboard for, you know, more confidence,
13:57 more success going forward, you know, with the transfer sagas hopefully done in the next,
14:03 you know, coming days as well because of the deadline? How do they go on if they do get
14:07 a positive result at Portman Road?
14:09 Yeah, definitely. I mean, I think that's, I still think there's, you know, decent enough
14:13 air of positivity about Leeds at the moment because, probably because of the way they
14:16 played against West Brom. I think fans saw that, you know, and they saw that, you know,
14:19 that actually did play pretty well and probably should have won. But obviously, you know,
14:23 the day that comes when they get their first win back in the Championship, that's going
14:26 to breed success, isn't it, of course? And obviously, it'll move them up the table and
14:29 hopefully be a springboard and a platform to bigger and better things.
14:32 I mean, you did look at the start of the season at Leeds and thought the fixtures looked all
14:36 right for them, really, but it's never really that way in the Championship. We all know
14:38 what it's like. Every game can be difficult and stuff. But I think if they were to go
14:42 there and get a win, especially Ipswich who are top, OK, it's only three games gone. But
14:46 yeah, that definitely would be a sort of like bit of a, you know, a bit of a confidence
14:49 booster. And yeah, and then, as you say, before you know it, the transfer window is going
14:52 to be closed. But I mean, it feels like they're really battling on two fronts here at the
14:56 moment, Leeds, because it feels like to a degree they're playing catch up anyway in
14:59 the league table because they're only on two points. Yes, I know there's only three games
15:02 gone, but there is that battle.
15:04 Daniel said himself, you know, it's going to be a bumpy start, but I still want us to
15:08 get as many points as we can in August. Obviously, they've only got two, so they're already playing
15:11 catch up to a degree. But realistically, the more important thing for Leeds is this transfer
15:15 window. You know, it's A) who they're going to keep, but more importantly, really, I think
15:18 who they're going to get in. And they've got to get this right, Charles, really. I mean,
15:21 it's September the 2nd, you know, the close of the window is going to be here before you
15:24 know it. And this really, I think, between now and then affects their whole season in
15:27 terms of what they get. I mean, if they don't get anything in, which I don't think will
15:30 be the case, I think players will come in, then I wouldn't be fancying the chances too
15:34 much at all. But if they get it right and get a striker in and get key positions filled,
15:38 then there's every chance they can kick on here and hopefully can soon get Motor in.
15:41 And hopefully a winner at Ipswich will be the launchpad to that.