The striker question
If Jesse Marsch or Leeds United’s top brass were looking for a sign of what they should do with the final 48 hours of their transfer window, they got it at Elland Road. All summer, that thirst on the terraces for a new forward at Leeds has gone unquenched.
Since the club returned from Australia and watched Charles De Ketelaere sign for AC Milan, the narrative has changed and the language has softened on how essential a forward really is before 11pm on September 1. Fans have largely remained clear on their desire to see an extra option added to the ranks, while Marsch’s admission a striker would be useful has seemed at odds with the messages coming from above.
Before the Everton draw, Angus Kinnear would write up the strength of United’s existing three forwards, scorn the opportunity cost of high-risk investments and the waste in adding a “warm body” to the squad. When one of those three strikers has 17 goals in 62 league appearances and limps off needing oxygen for a dislocated shoulder, the situation must be reassessed.
READ MORE: Jesse Marsch weighs up Rodrigo's injury and Leeds United transfer plans
When you then consider another of those three strikers is weeks away from stringing back-to-back 90-minute matches together and played less than 600 minutes last season, you are left with the third man, a 20-year-old with five Premier League starts. The situation must be reassessed.
Rodrigo’s injury only underlined just how fragile this frontline is at Elland Road. It was a warning which landed in the nick of time for Andrea Radrizzani and his team to act decisively in ensuring this does not become a stick the club is beaten with for the next four months.
Top-half form
There may still be 33 matches to play, but Leeds are on course for a very comfortable top-half finish as it stands. At the time of writing, the Whites are fifth and awaiting the rest of the midweek results to see how far down the table they slide before Saturday’s trip to Brentford.
The eight points United have from their first five matches equates to 60 or 61 points across a full 38 matches, however. In every year of the Premier League since its 1992 inception, 60 points have guaranteed a top-half finish and in many cases, European qualification.
Yes, there are many more twists and turns to come, but after five matches played, Leeds can take stock and be encouraged by what they have produced so far. The highs of Chelsea have contrasted with the lows of Brighton & Hove Albion, while steady wins like those on the opening day will form the backbone of this season for the Whites.
Sinisterra’s dream week
In the past seven days, Luis Sinisterra has had two full debuts for United, scored two long-range strikes, had a hand in two others and very nearly struck a match-changing goal away from home. It has been an excellent week for the 23-year-old.
Billed as Raphinha’s replacement, the Colombian winger has an immense amount of expectation and hope on his shoulders. Sinisterra’s first Premier League goal ticked so many boxes.
It was on his full debut, it salvaged a point from a night Leeds struggled through at points, it came from outside the box and it showed variety in his finishing. There was the Barnsley thunderbolt last week, but this was a caressed, placed, steer into the bottom corner which left Jordan Pickford rooted to the spot.
If this was the level Sinisterra could deliver with a degree of sharpness struggling to get beyond an hour, it bodes well for what he might do when he’s fit enough for full games and firing on all cylinders. Beyond his goal, the former Feyenoord man was decent enough without really terrorising Everton or creating chances at will, like Raphinha may have done in his pomp.
Back to the Championship
This was a Championship match in all but name. It bore the hallmarks of Marcelo Bielsa’s most dominant, frustrating nights at Elland Road.
Leeds were the better side, dominated possession, got punished for one sloppy moment, fell behind and watched the opposition sit deep in a low block, wasting time at every opportunity while ramping up the audible anxiety and nerves in the crowd. If this is the quality of play Everton plan to put on show for the rest of this season, they are in trouble.
There is no right or wrong way to play football. If it’s within the rules you should always employ the tactics you feel will win you a game and so there is no sense in Leeds getting frustrated by what happened.
Everton did what they wanted and put it on Leeds to break them down. Marsch’s side didn’t do that, especially in the first half, which was a very hard watch.
Second-half improvement will hearten those feeling it was two points dropped. There was more than enough in those second-half attacking patterns to believe on another day they might have scored another two goals.
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