Leeds United

Leeds United: search for a winger and Jerome Thomas’ Tweet

Although 6 days old, could ex-Leeds United loanee, Jerome Thomas’ Tweet (below) be more than cryptic?

https://twitter.com/jeromethomas14/status/624208808911486976

Although only at the club fleetingly (November 22, 2012 – January 2013, whilst on loan from parent club West Bromwich Albion, Thomas did make an impression with the Leeds United supporters. A goal against Ipswich and an assist for Luciano Becchio against Chelsea in a League Cup tie going some way towards this sentiment.

The search for a winger seems to be a battle cry ringing throughout all areas of LS11. The Yorkshire Evening Post, in a recent article, echoed this clarion call speaking about the search so far and discussing the options already discarded. Speaking of this need, the YEP quote Uwe Rösler speaking at Leeds United’s recent Austrian training camp. Here Rösler admitted that this area needed improving saying,

“There are areas where we want to improve.  Our financial framework is restricted but we still want one more thing. In some areas we are very light, especially when you talk about wanting to play with width and three up front.” Uwe Rösler, quoted in Yorkshire Evening Post – July 28, 2015

In the article, the various options that have been discussed and disregarded by the club are laid bare. The once pursuit and interest in Catania’s Raphael Martinho cooled and fell through due to the player’s poor grasp of English and the feeling that Martinho would struggle to settle in Leeds. Another option explored by Massimo Cellino was Bastia’s Floyd Ayité with the Leeds owner being put off by Bastia’s £2m valuation of the Togolese international.

Closer to home, interest also rose in Manchester City’s exciting youngster Brandon Barker. However, such is the youngster’s stock  at The Etihad that they were unwilling to allow a season-long loan with a future redemption clause at the end. This one thing goes against one of Cellino’s main business tenets. Cellino, quoted in the YEP article, once said,

“With loans you have no redemption. You’re only paying to train another team’s player. I’ve never done a deal like that in my life.” Massimo Cellino, quoted in Yorkshire Evening Post – July 28, 2015

With Uwe Rösler’s new 4-3-3 formation relying on pace and width, the need for players with both natural and genuine pace and width is seen as an essential. Whilst Sam Byram is playing well in an advanced right wing/forward role, there is no escaping that he is not a natural right winger. That is not to speak detrimentally about Byram, he has an excellent skill-set that is allowing him to perform exceptionally well in the position and is almost certain a lock for that role. On the left, where there has been a noted lack of a step-in player, the urge is much more important, hence the interest in Martinho, Ayité and Barker. In recent games, both Casper Sloth and Souleymane Doukara have started in the left wing position and to varying degrees of success. However, both have been used as ‘make-use-and-do’ players.

In reality, the Jerome Thomas Tweet (above), is likely one with a more tongue-in-cheek approach but it does help to highlight one thing; Leeds United’s fans, like the club, are desperate for a left-sided winger. So, whilst it may not be Jerome Thomas himself, the need is there and it just needs filling.

quotations from Yorkshire Evening Post article published July 28, 2015

featured image credit: Mtaylor848 (Wikimedia Commons)

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