Gabby Agbonlahor delivers Premier League verdict that will worry Leeds United fans
The only focus at Leeds United right now will be promotion to the Premier League with the club sitting in first place, but only ahead of Sheffield United on goal difference.
Eight games to decide which of Leeds, Sheffield United and Burnley will finish in the top two. Leeds are on top but it is fair to say are in the worst form, winning just one of their last four games in recent weeks.
But there is a longer-term concern for Leeds. A quick look at the Premier League table now proves the growing concern that the difference between the Premier League and Championship is getting bigger.
Ipswich, Leicester and Southampton were promoted to the Premier League last season by quite a margin but the trio have all struggled this season, sitting in the bottom three and now likely to be relegated.
Gabby Agbonlahor delivers worrying Leeds United verdict
Tony Mowbray recently said that if Leeds were to have any chance of survival in the Premier League, they would need to spend £200m in the summer. He was speaking after Leeds drew with West Brom at home.
Adam Pope thinks Leeds will make at least six new signings and spend over £100m. But Agbonlahor told TalkSPORT (27.03, 7.25AM) that any club that every signing a promoted club makes must start well.
“It’s going to be very difficult [for promoted clubs to stay up] and unless every player you bring in hits the ground running, it will be very difficult. You look at Ipswich, not all of their signings have worked.
” [Omari] Hutchinson is a good player, [Liam] Delap has scored some goals. But that’s the tests for these clubs,” Agbonlahor continued on TalkSPORT, in what will be a concern for Leeds fans moving forward.
Marcelo Bielsa proved theory wrong after Leeds were promoted
While it may be five years ago now, Leeds were promoted under Marcelo Bielsa at the second time of asking after losing in the play-offs like Farke. That season, Leeds finished in a whopping ninth position.
It saw Andrea Radrizzani eye a return to European football but he did not envisage the Leeds side needing major surgery, something which Bielsa predicted. They flopped, and finished 17th next term.
Relegation came next. So, even if Farke can produce a Bielsa-like anomaly in his first season and keep Leeds up, the squad will need major recruitment to establish themselves back in the Premier League.
Leave a Reply