Another season in the Championship looms for Leeds United after Southampton won promotion to the Premier League on Sunday at Wembley.
For the sixth time in their history, they suffered heartache in the play-offs, so this feeling should, unfortunately, be all too familiar for the Elland Road faithful.
Leeds United‘s latest play-off final heartache will probably hurt the most because they earned 90 points – the most any team has won without winning promotion.
One big issue fans have with their players is that, on such a huge occasion and their biggest game of the season, they didn’t turn up, including star man, Crysencio Summerville.
Neil Warnock was pretty forthright after the match and how he felt the Leeds players might have ‘believed in their own publicity’ heading into the game, as he told Sky Sports Football (26/05/24 at 5:50 pm).
But he was rightfully critical of the way Daniel Farke’s side played and the lack of attacking threat they brought to the table.
One man who Warnock was keen to mention, who didn’t play because of injury, was one Patrick Bamford and how he could have made a difference.
The 30-year-old missed the start of the campaign through injury and that’s how he also ended it, as he just wasn’t able to be fit enough for the showpiece event at the home of football.
But Warnock was certain that if Bamford was on the pitch, then his ‘know-how’ would have helped, with Leeds providing little service to their forward players and Joel Piroe struggling overall.
Patrick Bamford misses Leeds United’s play-off final defeat
“They probably read too many papers in the last few weeks, since the semi-final because they were so good, but Norwich were so poor, weren’t they?” said Warnock.
“I think they might have believed in their own publicity really. It is difficult. You come here. They started on the front foot, but they never really threatened. They never crossed balls. I know I am old-fashioned. But put it in the box. You aren’t going to score if you don’t put balls into the box.
“I know Bamford hasn’t got any pace either, in that aspect. But his know-how, I think would have helped.”
Who will leave Leeds United after play-off final defeat?
You can sense and feel wholesale changes coming up, in some aspects, it won’t be pleasant viewing for the fans.
They are probably preparing themselves for the exit of Summerville. That’s probably an obvious one, even though it will be hard to see.
But sources have told HITC, days after the Southampton loss, that Bayern Munich, who are set to appoint Vincent Kompany as their new manager, are targeting a move for Archie Gray.
You wonder who could follow suit? Perhaps Bamford could also be on his way out given that he had a poor campaign and was then injured for periods.
You also had Georginio Rutter. One of Leeds’ standout stars. 17 assists in one campaign and you feel that will also attract interest.
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