Leeds United winger Dan James said the club have plenty of time in the 2024/25 Championship season to turn things around after the Whites notched just two points from their opening two matches.
Leeds finished last season third in the Championship with 90 points but lost 1-0 against Southampton in the play-off final. The Yorkshire club then started the 2024/25 campaign as the pre-season favourites to lift the title, as reported by Opta. However, Daniel Farke’s side have drawn their opening two matches – 3-3 at home against Portsmouth and 0-0 at West Brom.
Moreover, the Whites have lost several key players from last season’s third-place finish. 2023/24 Championship Player of the Season Crysencio Summerville left to join West Ham and Archie Gray departed for Tottenham. Leeds also lost Georginio Rutter to Brighton this week.
Farke’s outfit is now without important players from last year’s campaign and the club has struggled to recruit replacements. Norwich City’s Jonathan Rowe remains a key target, while Bournemouth’s Dan Jebbison has also emerged as a potential signing.
Overall, the Yorkshire side probably didn’t envision this start to the 2024/25 Championship season. However, during an interview with Sky Sports, James felt no need to panic and the Welsh forward backed his side to keep chase at the top of the table.
“I think Leicester were 20 points ahead of us at one point. We reached that gap but obviously they pushed on from there and we dropped a few points towards the end of the season.
“The start of the season is obviously so important. You can’t let teams get too far ahead of you. You’ve always got to be within touch so you don’t have too much to do towards the end of the season.
“I think that’s a big thing for us going into this season. It’s a marathon. It’s a very long season, as we all know.”
James was ever-present in Leeds’ frontline last season, making 43 appearances, scoring 13 goals and making seven assists, per Transfermarkt. The former Man United attacker has also started Leeds’ two Championship matches this season but is yet to make a goal contribution.
When looking ahead to the off-field transfers at Elland Road and his own game, the 26-year-old said he is firmly focused on supporting the team, regardless of other matters.
“This happens every season, the comings and goings. You get used to it as a player. You just have to concentrate on yourself and your team and what you want to achieve.”
Wrtier’s View
Although Leeds would have wanted a better start to their 2024/25 season, James’ comments show that the club are united in their goals. As the Welsh international alluded to, the Whites still have 44 fixtures to go and a lot of potential points to win.
However, while the team appears focused on turning their slow start around, further recruitment is a pressing issue for Farke. With Rutter and Summerville now gone, Leeds have just James, Willfried Gnonto and Brenden Aaronson as the attacking trio to play behind Farke’s preferred solo striker. Further depth in these areas will be a priority at the club if they want to achieve their promotion aims this season.
Be the first to comment