Leeds United squad's defiant response to January transfer window noise makes light of rivals' reinforcements

Daniel Farke's side have scored 14 goals without reply during their last five Championship games, amidst their separate but equally impressive run of 14 fixtures unbeaten across all competitions.

United are enjoying their most fruitful spell in front of goal this season, scoring at will home and away with 18 goals to their name in the first 36 days of 2025, nine of which came in their two most recent outings against Cardiff and Coventry.

Leeds could have made sure of all three points on Wednesday night at the CBS Arena much sooner than they did, due to the number of chances the team were able to create. United produced 20 shots on the night, six of which were categorised as 'big chances', suggesting more clinical finishing would have yielded a second multi-goal scoreline in-a-row following the 7-0 dismantling of Cardiff last Saturday.

While Coventry and Frank Lampard were spared similar humiliation, the kind of form Leeds are currently in suggests the Bluebirds will not be the last team on the receiving end of a Leeds onslaught this season.

Nine goals across the last 180 minutes is mightily impressive but what is perhaps even more striking is the fact Leeds have actually been good value for the number of goals they have scored. Against Cardiff, Leeds put up 5.73 xG - a staggering figure and accumulation of chances on goal - whilst at the CBS Arena, Leeds managed 3.64 xG, despite only scoring twice.

Cumulatively, over the two games, Leeds amassed 9.37 xG. Promotion challengers Burnley have totalled 10.0 xG over their last 10 Championship fixtures, by comparison. That is not to say Leeds' attack is five times better than the Clarets, but what it does say is United are more adept at creating chances than their nearest title rival.

Throughout January, there was a view that Leeds needed to sign a 'specialist' No. 10, as Farke put it, while the manager himself insisted he was content with his squad for the most part. Quite reasonably, the 48-year-old suggested he would not turn down a more natural alternative to Brenden Aaronson but that he was more-or-less pleased with the options available to him.

Joel Piroe, meanwhile, is a player some supporters are still not entirely sold on and can blow hot and cold, but the Dutchman moved onto 13 goals for the season on Wednesday night, two shy of the division's top scorer Borja Sainz in the race for the Golden Boot, whilst equalling his league tally from last season. His finish to open the scoring against Coventry, in addition to the brace versus Cardiff which featured a coolly-dispatched spot-kick, was reflective of a striker in-form and self-confident in his abilities.

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During Leeds' two most recent fixtures, and in truth for the majority of this season, suggesting to a neutral observer that this Championship juggernaut needs a No. 10 and a No. 9 would sound like overkill. The United squad has proven its worth time and time again throughout 2024/25 and recent performances indicate they are improving rather than playing on the brink of breaking down.

A supporting cast of Dan James, Willy Gnonto, Manor Solomon, in addition to Aaronson and Piroe, all have 10 goal contributions each to their name this term. The message to opposition defences is simple: focus your resources on one and it'll be another who metes out the inevitable punishment.

Even from defence, Leeds are a threat. Junior Firpo was perhaps robbed of a goal on Wednesday as Gnonto's touch on the goal line was retrospectively deemed to have been from an offside position. The Dominican Republic full-back also bagged three assists in the 7-0 win over Cardiff, while Jayden Bogle's run from the byline to the penalty area at Coventry was rewarded with another goal for the summer signing, albeit with a helping hand from Sky Blues goalkeeper Oliver Dovin.

Where Leeds relied too heavily on certain individuals last season, the division of labour this time around is spread much more evenly, which makes United a more sustainable team. With 66 points from 31 matches, Leeds are on course for a 98-point haul to finish the campaign, one more than current champions Leicester City managed last season.

Reinforcements would have been most welcome and probably put Leeds' likely finishing position beyond doubt weeks in advance of their May 3rd encounter with Plymouth Argyle on the final day, but the existing squad has shown they were not necessary.

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