Leeds United’s failure to return to the Premier League came at a heavy cost.
Daniel Farke does take quite a lot of the blame because he was in the dugout, but the start of the season proved to be costly and he was handcuffed during that period.
Either way, Leeds United just don’t do Championship play-off finals, they don’t mix and automatic promotion is the only answer this season.
Whilst there are no excuses for Farke now, in truth, he has had to restart again in big ways because of who he lost in the summer.
When that final whistle blew at Wembley in May and the Southampton players were celebrating, that gut-wrenching feeling would have been going through the stomachs of the fans and that dark cloud emerging over Elland Road.
Everyone knew that Leeds were going to lose a key player, the hope or thought was that it would only be one big name.
Many thought it would be Crysencio Summerville given that he was his team’s best player last season, they were right and wrong on both fronts.
Summerville joined West Ham United, but academy product Archie Gray also left, then Farke’s side were blown away by Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup and news about Georginio Rutter broke on that very same night.
Rutter ended up securing a big-money move to Brighton and he scored his first goal in winning circumstances for the club just before the international break.
Brighton came back from 2-0 down to beat Tottenham 3-2, with Rutter playing as an attacking midfielder and scoring his team’s second goal.
Some interesting comments were made about the 22-year-old, including from Tim Sherwood and Glenn Murray.
The former Brighton striker shared an insight about how the data sheet Brighton use showed that Rutter’s numbers in the final third were ‘off the charts’ in the Championship, as he told Premier League Productions.
Sherwood admitted ‘I don’t know what he is’ and compared the rising French star to Arsenal’s much-criticised forward, Kai Havertz.
Georginio Rutter at Brighton after Leeds United exit
“On the data sheet that Brighton use for recruitment, his numbers were off the charts in the final third last season, like final third entries, forward passes,” said Murray.
“Things like that. That’s why the club felt so strongly to go and pay that amount of money for him.”
Sherwood added: “They (Brighton recruitment team) don’t get it wrong. They don’t get it wrong with managers either, as well as players. Give them credit for that. Albeit, in the Championship with Leeds, with the numbers. But if he can continue like that and get some confidence from scoring in the Premier League. You can’t pigeonhole him. I don’t know what he is. But certainly a good technical player. He is very similar to Kai Havertz. He isn’t a nine or a ten.”
Leeds United need players to step up
Yes, everyone last season shot themselves in the foot by not getting in the top two, but all of that is now behind the club.
The current crop of players need to use inspiration from their departed teammates and ensure Leeds can replicate what Marcelo Bielsa did in his second season.
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The Whites suffered play-off semi-final heartache back then, but went on to win the title 12 months later.
Farke has been here before with Norwich City, so there is no reason he can’t do it again, the big difference is that the pressure is more intense than ever.
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