FROM ELL T TO HEAVEN
Bielsa’s boys suffered play-off heartbreak in 2019 but bounced back the following season to win the title in imperious style... now Whites fans will be desperate for history to repeat itself
BY DAVID ANDERSON
AFTER making history of the wrong kind last season, Leeds need not look too far back to find the perfect remedy for such bitter disappointment.
Leeds became the first club to amass 90 points in the Championship last season and not go up automatically.
After looking like they might win promotion as champions, they collapsed over the run-in and lost to Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley.
Five years ago Marcelo Bielsa’s side faltered in the play-offs when they were beaten by Frank Lampard’s Derby County.
But they recovered the following season in imperious style to walk the Championship and end their 16-year absence from the Premier League. Leeds fans will be hoping for the same outcome this season.
Promotion is the goal for Daniel Farke’s side and they must handle the pressure of being favourites.
They also had to sell one of their footballing royalty in rising star Archie Gray to Tottenham and last season’s Championship Player of the Year, Crysencio Summerville, to West Ham.
Finland midfielder Glen Kamara has also left after just one season at Elland Road and
Farke (right) must plug these gaps in his side.
He has brought Jayden
Bogle in from rivals Sheffield United to replace
Gray at right-back and made Joe Rodon’s loan permanent in a £10million move.
Farke, who won the Championship twice with Norwich, will feel his side have room for improvement and he still has plenty of goals in
Daniel James, Wilfried Gnonto, Joel Piroe and Patrick Bamford.
The German modestly labelled their pre-season as “successful” after beating Valencia, Schalke, Hannover, Lincoln and Harrogate.
Farke is too wily to trumpet Leeds’ 100 percent record in pre-season with an opening-day clash with Portsmouth at Elland Road looming.
As pleased as he was to beat Valencia 2-1 on Saturday, he knows there were no points up for grabs.
“Overall it feels like a performance that deserved an even bigger win than just 2-1,” said the Leeds boss.
“The bad thing is that there are no points for pre-season games, so we start next week.
“Pre-season is not just to be ready for the first game, but also for the upcoming 46 games of the competition, so in terms of preparing for this marathon, we’re in a pretty good way.”
Compare this to 12 months ago when Farke was like Red Adair, trying to put out fires at Elland Road, in the wake of relegation as several players exercised escape clauses to leave on loan and Gnonto tried to force through a move to Everton.
At least Leeds are at the start line this season and they picked up just two point befor
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ts from their first three games re Farke stabilised them. oward Wilkinson knows what kes to win Leeds promotion he top flight, having done so 990 to launch his golden era,
he feels their incredible port could be key. eds only lost twice at home ards the end of last season, n the wheels came off, and e has made Elland Road a ess again.
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t going for them,” said mer Whites boss Wilkinson. ut of course, what’s going for m is no good if they’re not ning on the pitch. It’s as ple as that. spent many happy days, ths and years there and I do e they get to a place where I k their supporters deserve to which is the Premier League.”