Leeds United are truly up and running in the Championship right now and the fans should be hopeful of finishing inside the top six this season after so many years. Garry Monk has already become a cult hero at Elland Road since he took charge at the club. The start was not at all promising but the Whites have picked up their game to a whole new level.
Leeds won 2-0 in the midweek against fellow promotion hopefuls Reading which puts them another step closer to a playoff spot. However, there is a long way to go before the end of the season and we have to wait and see if they can keep up their form for that long. With the transfer window set to open in a fortnight’s time, what should be Monk’s target in the transfer window?
Leeds do have decent squad depth but one thing might concern Monk is perhaps the overreliance on Chris Wood for goals. Leeds have scored just 25 goals in 21 games this season which is not the best figure. Out of those, Chris Wood himself has 11 to his name. Summer signing Marcus Antonsson, who was expected to provide competition to Wood for a place in the starting XI, has failed to do that and did not even make the bench last night against Reading.
If Wood goes down with injury, Leeds’ promotion hopes will suffer a massive blow. Antonsson is clearly not good enough to lead the Whites’ attack while Souleymane Doukara is not an out and out number nine.
Wood had scored just 13 goals in the championship last season but has vastly improved this season and might score those many before the New Year. There is no guarantee that Wood can sustain his form throughout the season and if Leeds want to ensure that they stay in the race for promotion, they must bring in a new number nine.
If you look at Newcastle United or Brighton and Hove Albion, they all have more than one solid option up front. Newcastle United have Gayle, Mitrovic and Perez to compete for a start whereas Brighton have Hemed, Baldock and Murray.
That is why they are so much ahead of the others in the title race. Monk must ensure that he brings in a striker in January, preferably someone who has experience in English football. Someone like Frazer Campbell or Jordan Rhodes who are struggling for playing time would be more than a welcome addition.
