Clarkyboy’s Comments 27/01/12 – Window Shopping

Where the £2m is going.

Stephen longs for the things we need but may never see.

Another January transfer window has brought another month of misery for the supporters of Leeds United. Once again it’s high profile outgoings rather than pulse racing in-comings that has been the story at Elland Road and with less than a week to go before the window slams shut in an explosion of Sky Sports sound-effects and Jim White’s “breaking news”, it’s time to have a serious look at where the £2m we have just received for Captain Fantastic (not to mention the money received for Delph, Schmeichel, Gradel etc) should be spent.

Rather than individual targets, I’ll focus on specific areas for one simple reason. I’ve lost a bit of interest in football in general over the last few months. I can’t remember the last Premier League match I watched live or the last time I saw Match of the Day. The Football League Show is on far too late for a man of my age to stay up for on a Saturday night, especially when I have the delight of an early start to watch a proper game of football with my son’s Under 12’s team on a Sunday morning. That has left me a little out of touch with who are the Premier League rejects or up and coming young starlets that could be our potential new loanees.

At the start of the season I wrote a few pieces looking at the depth of our squad. According to KB’s  latest propaganda message, we have a 28 man squad, (not including Townsend and Delph). Of those, three seem permanently out of favour (Connolly, O’Brien and Paynter), two are long term injuries (Kisnorbo and Somma) and three are loaned out (Parker, Rachubka and Charlie Taylor). There are also those who are not good enough to start, but offer back up if required (Brown, Nunez, Sam, Varynen). Unfortunately it’s picking a balanced starting XI from the 16 remaining which seems to be Simon Grayson’s biggest problem. However with a couple of additions, that task would be easier and the team would, in my humble opinion, be strengthened.

Let’s start with the one area where we seem to be ok and that’s in goal. Andy Lonergan has been more than adequate and one wonders where we would be if he hadn’t broken his finger against Doncaster. Maik Taylor is a player we hope never to see, but would appear to be a far better back up than rubber hands Rachubka.

The back four has been the biggest problem, on the playing side, at Leeds United for over two years now. From looking impregnable at the start of our League One promotion campaign, it has capitulated on an almost weekly basis ever since. With Paul Connolly seemingly the one man Simon Grayson saw as not being fit to wear the shirt again since the Barnsley debacle, the RIGHT BACK position is one that needs filling immediately. Zac Thompson has performed manfully since stepping in, but with the rumoured departure of Alex Bruce to LA Galaxy (when did they ever see him play!) we have absolutely zero cover in this position. This has to be a top priority.

The opposite flank has two players who can play there. Aidy White has been one of the players of the season, but I’m not sure he is the future at left back. Ben Parker, despite his chocolate limbs, may still be a medium term solution in this position, and his loan to Carlisle will hopefully see him get some match fitness before a possible return for the run in. There is also our recent big money capture Danny Pugh who as a Netto version of Paul Madeley (I shudder to compare the two), can fill in at left back if needed.

The centre back position, an area where we seemed to have loads a few months ago, is suddenly a cause for concern. Tom Lees has been one of the few bright spots, and although Darren O’Dea is limited he seems to be the best of a bad bunch. Andy O’Brien has been “disappeared” and Paddy Kisnorbo has been sent to the knackers yard, leaving only Leigh Bromby and Hollywood bound Bruce as cover. Whilst not top priority, any chance of bringing in a centre back has to be taken. If not it’s imperative that we ruin Alex Bruce’s life by forcing him to stay on our bench. If he wants glamour, he can visit Beeston.

We all know the back four are crap, so the area that has caused the most debate this season has been the midfield. Should we have three, four or five in there? I would always go with the three, allowing the two wide players to attack, a tactic which served us so well for the majority of last season.

Bradley Johnson and Neil Kilkenny in the midfield last season allowed Jonny Howson the freedom to join the front man and the goals flowed. With Johnson and Kilkenny’s departure and the lack of fitness and form shown by their replacement, Michael Brown, the Leeds midfield has basically consisted of Adam Clayton this season, with Howson’s performances best described as anonymous. If Leeds are to make progress then a serious BALL WINNING MIDFIELDER is required. Clayton and Delph can provide the legs and the craft, if given the security of someone in behind them to cover. If Delph is only here for the month, then a more creative player would also be required (Sammy Clingan from Coventry springs to mind, only because it is a constant Twitter rumour and he played quite well against us earlier on in the season.)

Just like the midfield, Simon Grayson needs to find the right blend if we are to push on, and he should have the personnel to do that. What is needed is a player to perform the Gradel role on the left hand side, and give Leeds that three pronged attack which has proved so potent. Whether that be with Ross McCormack as the focal point, a move which calls for a more patient and intricate style, or with Luciano Becchio, allowing for a more direct approach, Leeds need the wide men to perform

On the right we have no problem, as long as we keep Robert Snodgrass, rumoured to be a target for West Ham. The left offers an opportunity for our one permanent signing of the window, the one Robbie Rogers, brought in from MLS side Columbus Crew. I know absolutely nothing about him, so cannot comment on his suitability for the role, but one can only hope his delivery is better than Andros Townsend. The Tottenham loanee is quickly slipping into Jake Livermore territory, looking good on his debut but then descending into abject mediocrity pretty quickly.

With no teams showing any real desire to break away from the bunch, it highlights how a little investment in the playing side of the club could catapult us into the push for promotion to the Premier League and the higher revenue streams the chairman wishes to swim in. The playing budget overspend announced by the chairman this week is a convenient number given the reported fee received for Howson, so we should expect nothing being spent over the next five days. However, should our wildest dreams come true, then Simon Grayson needs to spend wisely, and not splurge the cash on the first thing offered to him. Whether he gets the opportunity to go shopping at all is the £2m question.