Season Review

Leeds exceeded expectations in their first season back in the Premier League, but as fans reflect on the standout performers, biggest disappointments and unforgettable moments, attention is already turning to the challenge of taking the next step.

As Leeds fans Ole'd their way through all of West Ham's future Championship opponents, the referee's final whistle brought a close to the Whites' first season back in the Premier League. Sure, the 2nd half performance was atrocious, but it didn't really matter. And even though the travelling fans could've felt justifiably aggrieved at what was offered up in that 2nd half, they were at their boisterous, piss-taking best. Nothing can alleviate feelings of discontent amongst Leeds fans quite like basking in others misfortune.

Some people will no doubt read far too much into the collapse at West Ham, which is not surprising; the Leeds fanbase is full of unmovable pessimists. However, overall, this season has been undeniably good. Of course there have been poor performances and low moments; even oil-backed juggernauts have their ups and downs -  it comes with the territory. In the end, Leeds avoided the drop comfortably, and reached an FA Cup semi-final; a solid start to what will hopefully be a long stay in the top flight.

So, let's take a look at the highs and lows. Last week, I asked Leeds fans on Twitter five questions: Who was the Player of the Season? Who was the best signing? Who was the biggest flop? What was the best moment of the campaign? And what was the biggest disappointment?

Some of the answers were exactly what you'd expect. Others were a little more surprising.

Player of the Season

For me, the best player this season has been Ethan Ampadu. I wouldn't go as far to say it's a hands down decision - there has been a lot of stellar competition for the accolade - but I don't think anyone would begrudge Ampadu that title. He's been an incredible leader for Leeds on and off the pitch. After the inauspicious start to the season there were inevitably questions about whether he could make the step up and have the same impact for the team that he had in the Championship; it's safe to say that those questions have been well and truly answered.

Other players who were suggested include the ones you'd expect; Dominic Calvert-Lewin answered questions of his own as he rediscovered his best goalscoring, which was crucial to Leeds finishing where they did; Anton Stach added some much needed physicality and creativity to midfield, while chipping in with some fantastic goals of his own; Gabriel Gudmundsson's relentless energy provided Leeds with a great outlet at left-wing back; and the way James Justin provided cover across the entire backline was so important at so many critical moments for Leeds. I'd have no major qualms with any of them winning player of the season, but Ampadu shades it.

Best Signing

This was another keenly contested category. Like with player of the season Stach, Gudmundsson, and Justin would all be worthy winners, and got their fair share of mentions, but the goals that Calvert-Lewin scored went a long way to securing safety.

Before joining Leeds on a free transfer in the summer, Calvert-Lewin had struggled with injuries and form in a poor Everton side who flirted with relegation on more than one occasion. 

Calvert-Lewin's form of 20/21 was a distant memory, and most, including myself, thought he'd never regain it. Thankfully, I, and all the others, were wrong. He's been a revelation this season, so much so that he earned himself an England recall. I’d even argue that he was unlucky not to make the World Cup squad where he missed out to Ivan Toney, who has been in a Saudi-induced state of semi-retirement. Hopefully DCL will use that disappointment as motivation going into next season where he will play another pivotal role as Leeds look to push on.

Biggest Flop

Even though there were moments, especially early in the season, where things looked as if they were going awry, it turned out that Leeds got their recruitment pretty much spot on. Pretty much. There are of course some exceptions, and most fans recognise who those exceptions are. Out of all the players who made the step up, or were brought in over the summer, Lucas Perri was the biggest letdown.

Perri was signed for a modest fee of around £15million, which looked like a bargain. Unfortunately, he never seemed to have Daniel Farke's trust and lost the number 1 spot to Karl Darlow after a string of errors. After being ousted for league games, Perri had to settle for FA cup appearances, which he performed well in to his credit. He clearly has the ability to be a fine shot-stopper on his day, but his day doesn’t come around often enough. His league statistics speak for themselves: Perri had the lowest save percentage in the league and ranked 2nd bottom for distribution. An upgrade in the summer is key.

Another player who gained a lot of mentions in the biggest flop section was one who, I'll admit, I completely forgot about: Facundo Buonanotte. Leeds were on the hunt for an attacking, creative player in the summer, and Buonanotte fit that bill. For reason unknown, he decided to take a step-towards career suicide and joined an already bloated Chelsea squad on loan. Naturally, his minutes were limited, and his loan from Brighton was cut short. Feeling the need to bolster their squad (or appease the fans), Leeds decided to make another approach. This time, they got their man.....for about 81 mins in total.

Farke clearly didn't fancy him, and even when he was given a chance, he flattered to deceive. The fact that the deal was a straight loan meant that it was probably worth a punt, but it hasn’t worked out for anyone involved. 

Best Moment

There was only ever going to be one winner here: Scum at Old Trafford. After 6 games without a win everything was getting a bit jittery at Elland Road. Leeds travelled across the Pennines to face the team we all despise the most. Leeds hadn't beaten Scum at Old Trafford in the league since 1981, and we didn't travel there with an overwhelming sense of confidence. Scum aren't the team of Ferguson's era, but they were having a mini ‘renaissance’ under Carrick (he knows the club) after the disastrous Amorim reign.

Leeds were richly rewarded for their bold approach as Okafor scored 2 goals to give them a half-time lead. Really, they should've scored more and put themselves out of sight, though.

An early 2nd half red card didn't dampen Scum's attempted fightback. They managed to pull a goal back despite their numerical disadvantage and the stage was set for a very nervy ending. Thankfully, in a prime example of good triumphing over evil, Leeds prevailed. It was an unforgettable moment; the cherry on top of a season that has exceeded expectations.

Biggest Disappointment

This wasn't quite as clear cut as the best moment, but a major disappointment that was continually referred to was the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea. Even now when I think back I can't help but feel that Leeds missed a glaring opportunity to turn a very good season into a great one.

Other mentions included the League Cup loss to Sheffield Wednesday, and Newcastle's late stoppage time winner at St. James', but to my mind, neither of those were as frustrating as that Chelsea game.

The fact that Chelsea didn’t even experience the presumed post-Rosenior bounce after the win, and were just as bad as in the following weeks as they had been in the build-up, makes the whole thing sting even more. We simply didn't turn up, and that's what disappoints the most.

Leeds Must Show They've Learned From Previous Failures

The season didn't end up being anywhere near as tumultuous as once feared; there were indeed lows, but they were certainly outweighed by the highs. The key now is for Leeds to learn from past mistakes. A solid platform has been established, and it's important for the club to take advantage of that. Some hard decisions will probably have to be made in terms of moving fan-favourites on, especially those that came in a low cost (Tanaka and Struijk probably fit this description), but the club will need to be ruthless if Leeds are going to move forward again next season.

The attention will now inevitably turn to the World cup, but mechanisms behind the scenes will already be turning ahead of next season. An interesting summer awaits.