Doubts are still lingering...

At the end of the day everyone will have their opinions and although many people disagree with what I believe to be true about our beloved club I also know that some people are agreeing with me.

There are many doubts I have about the forthcoming season for Leeds United. I just can't see us challenging the bigger teams in this division. I can't see Elland Road becoming the fortress it once was. I can't see us getting promoted. And before you call be pessimistic I'd like you all to consider a few things.

Firstly, the Championship is one of the toughest, most demanding leagues in the world. The prize from escaping this vicious league is a spot in footballs most prestigious fixture list and the chance to play some of the biggest teams in the world on a weekly basis. So every team will be doing their best to get to the promised land. There are big clubs in this division, not just ourselves. The likes of Bolton, Wolves and Blackburn who have come down, are still very strong and pose a serious threat. These clubs haven't lost many players after coming down and they will be among the favourites for an immediate return to the top-flight. Then there are your strong teams such as Blackpool, Birmingham, Brighton, Burnley, Cardiff, Leicester, Middlesbrough and of course Leeds United. Every team I've listed is capable of getting into the play-offs, no question. I also have to look towards the new boys of the division from League One. I believe Sheffield Wednesday are one of the favourites to push on and gain promotion. Simon Grayson looks to have everything under control at Huddersfield and looks to have a strong side. Charlton also could damage any promotion contenders challenge as they have a solid back-line and a well organised team courtesy of Chris Powell. The Championship season also consists of forty-six games which is not easy for the players physically and can take its toll as clubs often dip in and out of form throughout the season. I guess it just depends how quickly teams find their feet after a poor run of results. The adaptability of a club and squad is what will win a team promotion from the Championship .I don't believe the squad we have will have the right bond and willpower to do that, although Neil Warnock could have the leadership skills to change our fortunes in a bad run.

I look around at the squads of our Championship rivals and I am in awe of some players. There are some real stars in this division. Snodgrass was one of them before his ill-timed departure and there are many more throughout the division. I look at our squad and I don't see the individuals to take us forward like the other teams have. I know Warnock is looking for that player, but I don't think he's looking in the right places. The squad needs a good balance of quality and quantity as we have a very small squad at the moment not including fringe players/youngsters. I reckon Neil has gone for a strength in depth approach, although the numbers aren't coming in, which is what the club desperately needs at the moment. We've now signed ten players since May and out of those ten I'm very happy with three signings and the others I'm reserving my opinions for. The three I'm happiest with are Paddy Kenny, Jason Pearce and Lee Peltier. These three players have played well in the last few seasons and signing them was brilliant. I would like to say Austin too but he seems to versatile for my judgement yet. I've watched him play for SK Brann on YouTube and I also streamed a game over the internet to watch him in closer detail and he was playing a central-midfield role well. Although he is said to also have a knack at playing at the back so I'm unsure where Neil will be playing him since he has signed Norris and Green to cover the central-midfield area. Ashdown is a safe backup goalkeeper so I guess I'm content with that signing. The other players we've signed I'm not so sure about but I hope Neil can get the best out of them.

If Neil decides to play a 4-4-2 formation this season I reckon we will need to sign wingers for both flanks. White and Varney does not excite me in the slightest. White can't cross a ball to save his life and Varney is getting old and looked pretty poor against Preston. This brings me onto the performance at Preston. The game ended 3-1 with Lees, Byram and White grabbing the goals. Lees' goal was great, a good turn and a smashing volley. Nice one Tom. Byram's was a poorly marked corner and a volley on the end of that too. Well put away though, it must be said. Aidy's goal was a rebound so there isn't much to say about it to be honest. The game was a drab one though. If these are Warnock's tactics for the Championship they will not work. The back four, hoofing the ball up the field to McCormack and Becchio, who lose the ball quickly to an interception or easy tackle? Are we being serious? Becchio as we all know doesn't go for the ball when this tactic is introduced, he falls over and begs for the referees sympathy. Ross tends to trap the ball well but nothing ever comes of it after that. Like I said in my previous blogs, we need a creative midfielder. Someone with a bit of flair and the eye for that killer pass. The through ball to Ross so he can tuck the ball away in the bottom left-hand corner. I'm awaiting this player and until we get him, I will not be satisfied.

You may not like what I'm about to say but I can't see us getting promoted at the moment. We'll do well to come in the top half I reckon. All our Yorkshire rivals apart from Barnsley and Hull City will do better than us this season. I can guarantee it. At the end of the day, I'm gonna be honest to myself and I honestly don't think we'll get promoted. I guess I'm just a realist, and that doesn't mean I won't be backing the team this season.


Adam.

The Flying Scotsmen and other transfer news...
So, Robert Snodgrass has finally left. Stating he could have left a while ago too but still managed to thank us for all we had done for his career... thanks Rob. 

Warnock has been telling us for ages now about the dangers of turning heads, especially from our greatest players. Us fans on the outside, mostly optimistic know half the story. If Snodgrass, a player who has been with us for a fair amount of time now see's it fit to leave for the Premier League now, instead of wait a year until our supposed  promotion back to the top flight then you have to ask is there something going on that we don't know about. Snodgrass obviously can't have a great opinion of Warnock or his former team-mates if he is not willing to wait a year. Makes you wonder whether promotion is on the cards. After looking at our squad at the moment I'm not too sure. However in better news another Scotsman, Ross McCormack has hinted at a new contract which I'm very pleased about. He's a great poacher and a great finisher of the ball too. By far our best striker at the moment. 

As I write this we have a squad of twenty-five players. Some of these are transfer listed too which gives Warnock a small squad to work with. We're just two weeks away now from the visit of Wolverhampton Wanderers and I'm not sure we will have the strength and depth required to compete in this division which from the past two seasons is no walk in the park. I'm desperate for Leeds to get rid of some of the players I consider to be dead wood now. There are players such as Paynter, Nunez and Connolly still lurking about Thorp Arch who need to go for the good of the club and for the good of their career. Paynter looks to be going places although his trial with Blackpool has been cut short after Ian Holloway has obviously seen all he needs to see. Not a lot I imagine. Hopefully he'll get offloaded to a club showing interest in league one as that is where Paynter can truly excel. Haven't heard of any rumours regarding Nunez or Connolly but I'm sure they'll end up going eventually. Just not sure who would want them. That said I wouldn't mind a loan deal for Nunez as I reckon he just needs more experience. I don't think he's Championship standard but when he gets going he can be a very handy player to have. Since Snoddy's departure too we're going to need some wingers. 

The signings Warnock has made so far have been mixed. I believe in some players and others I don't. I believe that players such as Austin, Pearce and Kenny will be the best signings. Norris, Gray, Drury and Green I'm not too sure about. They're all ageing but not in a good way like Kenny as keepers tend to get better as they get older. 

The kind of players I would like to come in are as follows;

First-Team Right-back - Lee Peltier looks like the man to fill this huge gap. I'd love him to come to Leeds after being a great servant at the back for Huddersfield Town over the years. Connolly is no good and we could even do with a backup right back too. Although Lees could fill in there if needed as he does a solid job there. The right-back needs to be strong, one who can get back quickly and can also put in a solid tackle when needed. 

Rotational Right-Back - I don't believe Drury is the man to take us to new heights at right-back. I'd like to see a new, possibly younger left-back but with some experience at a good level. Someone between the ages of 20-25 maybe. Maybe someone for the long run. I'd also like them to have the dogged determination to chase down the ball like Aidy White does. 

Creative central-midfielder - After Snodgrass has left I'm looking around the squad to find someone who has the eye for that killer pass to our strikers or wingers who will be trying their hardest to get in those killer positions. I'd like a more attacking midfielder as the midfielders we have and have signed this summer are more defensive I believe and don't possess the attributes we need to get the balls to the strikers. However I think Warnock has finished with his midfielder search which worries me. 

Winger who can operate on both flanks : Aidy White looks to be one of Warnock's favourite players and I reckon he is going to be one of the most used players in the coming season. Although he is left-flank by trade Warnock has been playing him on the right. Meaning the opposition will study his game, knowing that White will always be looking to cut inside. In my opinion this won't work. Snoddy did this time and time again and sure enough the opposition analysed this and were able to double up on Snodgrass and regain possession. I would like to see White back on the left and a true right-winger come in on the right to deliver the right balls on his stronger foot to players waiting in the box to nod or tap home. White will also benefit from sending balls into the box on his stronger foot too. 
All round striker - McCormack and Becchio are great strikers on their day but both of them suffer from goal-droughts and poor performances. This is usually when the whole team isn't performing but still. I believe that we need a striker who can bag over twelve goals at least this season and link up with whoever he is playing with well enough to secure the mighty whites the wins we so desperately desire. I would like to see a tall and pacey player make his way to Leeds. Someone like Beckford, but not Beckford because that story is utter tosh. He's not coming back, he's just the new Alan Smith story.