Leeds United supporters demand high standards – as current Burnley frontman Chris Wood found out in brutal fashion.
Chris Wood’s journey to becoming Leeds United’s star man and talisman was a long and arduous one.
Considering that the New Zealand striker scored 27 goals last season to earn the Championship’s Golden Boot award, it’s easy to forget that many fans had their doubts about him at the start of 2016/17. Wood scored just 13 goals in a difficult debut season and, as the now Burnley striker admits, winning over the crowd proved a tough task.
“I remember my first season at Leeds I was booed for three or four months of the season, I had to overcome that,” the 25-year-old admitted to the Lancashire Telegraph, while also lauding the fans for their support last season.
“I know people weren’t happy with me for some reason even though I was the top scorer and scored the most goals in a season in the last three years at Leeds.”
The Leeds fans are an expectant bunch, then, and it’s fair to say there was a lot of pressure on Pierre-Michel Lasogga when the German arrived on loan from Hamburg to fill Wood’s boots up front.
A difficult start to life at Elland Road might have put Lasogga at risk of suffering the brunt of supporters’ criticism, as Wood endured before him. Fortunately, however, Lasogga looks to have achieved what his prolific predecessor did not – he has won over the supporters straight away.
Two clinically taken goals in a 5-0 battering of Burton Albion on his debut, plus an assist in the 2-0 midweek win against Birmingham City, means the strapping centre-forward has hit the ground running in Leeds’ colours. Wood, meanwhile, took four games to get his name on the scoresheet.
Therefore, Lasogga should be relieved that he has not given the supporters time to get impatient.
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