Although it may have taken a few weeks to earn some consistency in their performances, at last Leeds United have found their rhythm under Daniel Farke in the Championship, with their promotion push officially starting now.
Admittedly, with the pedigree the German boasted at this level, it always seemed like a matter of time before his side gelled to start playing some wonderful football. And that is exactly what they have done.
Saturday’s clash with Watford marked one of the standout displays of their tumultuous opening few months, in which the Hornets boss Valérien Ismaël even noted: “Leeds deserved to win. Nil-nil at half time, we were lucky. In the second half we changed things and were more stable but we concede the goal and afterwards it was difficult. For 90 minutes, the opponent was much better.”
The feelgood factor is slowly seeping back into Elland Road, with new and old faces starting to put in performances worthy of the title push fans are craving.
In fact, arguably his greatest achievement to date is that even Daniel James is starting to shine in a Leeds shirt, despite the winger having struggled ever since joining under Marcelo Bielsa’s regime.
How much did Leeds United pay for Daniel James?
Given they had tried to sign the Wales international in the past, it likely came as no surprise to see them try again as the youngster fell further and further down the pecking order at Old Trafford.
However, few expected that they would unload the fee they did, given the 25-year-old had done little to merit anything near to the £25m expended.
Having played 74 games for Manchester United, his 18 goal contributions marked an admittedly poor figure, even with his inexperience offering some form of a valid excuse.
And yet, there was largely an air of positivity about Bielsa and Victor Orta’s decision to sign him, as they sought to build on an incredibly positive return season in the Premier League, where they roared to a ninth-placed finish.
What made the lucrative deal even worse is that they willingly handed him a mouth-watering long-term deal too, with the club forced even to send the £50k-per-week dud out on loan last season as Jesse Marsch tried to put his stamp on the side with limited success.
At the very least, Farke could now be set to squeeze some value out of him, as he seeks to recapture the form that merits the wave of praise sent his way upon first signing.
What was said about Daniel James when he signed for Leeds?
Despite the huge fee expended, many pundits rushed to praise Bielsa, who admittedly could seemingly do no wrong as he continued to defy the odds at Elland Road.
Former Liverpool shot-stopper David James was one such fan, who suggested that the Argentine would link up well with James: “I think it’s a fantastic deal,” he noted. “When you look at the way Dan James plays. He’s rapid, attack-minded, has played over 50 games for United in the Premier League and he will suit the Leeds style.
“People are scared of their work ethic and pace and I think James fits perfectly into that. Obviously Ronaldo joining United now makes him more surplus to requirements. He’s still 23 years old so he still has plenty of time on his side and Bielsa could take advantage of that.”
This was a notion supported by pundit Alan Hutton, who told Football Insider: “They’re actually getting a more rounded player at the moment who still has room for development. That’s a great thing. It ticks all the boxes for Leeds, it’s a great move for everybody involved. I’m sure Bielsa is happy to finally get this done.
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