Pierre-Michel Lasogga has endured a mixed time since replacing Chris Wood at Leeds United, but Angus Kinnear has defended the striker.
Angus Kinnear has confirmed to BBC Radio Leeds that both Chris Wood and Rob Green wanted to leave Leeds before their departures in the summer, while he also praised the impact that Pierre-Michel Lasogga has made since arriving at Elland Road.
It was certainly an eventful summer for the Whites, with upheaval seemingly at every level, including amongst the playing squad, with last season’s top goalscorer in the Championship, Wood leaving to join Burnley, and Green – an ever-present during the last campaign – leaving in the wake of Felix Wiedwald’s and Andy Lonergan’s arrivals.
It was Lasogga who came in to replace Wood, joining on loan from Hamburg. But after a blistering start, life for the German has proven much tougher in recent weeks, with his work-rate being questioned by many of the fans.
Wiedwald’s struggles in particular, have left many supporters ruing the decision to sell Green, while Lasogga’s spell – which has seen the 25-year-old score a very decent five goals in 10 league games – has probably not been helped by the fact that he is stepping into Wood’s shoes.
But Kinnear has defended Lasogga’s form, and suggested that Wood’s and Green’s exits were unavoidable due to the fact that they both wanted to move on.
“I think replacing a striker who’s scored 30 goals in a Championship season is going to be challenging but I think the player that we’ve brought in has made a great start in filling those boots.
“But the reality about the Chris Wood situation is that I don’t think there’s any club in the Championship who, when their striker’s scored 30 goals and wants to move to the Premier League, is going to be able to stand in their way no matter big they are.”
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