Leeds United’s bench options are poor, and Souleymane Doukara would have been an upgrade.
Leeds United’s lack of quality options on the bench was highlighted in midweek against Derby.
After going 2-1 down, the Whites substitutes struggled to change the game, with the plodding Jay-Roy Grot coming on and having zero impact.
In this area Leeds have not moved forward from last season, and their decision to release Souleymane Doukara from his contract looks questionable.
Doukara was a divisive figure at Leeds, but he was a valuable squad player who netted six goals last season including a memorable volley against Nottingham Forest.
This made him the club’s joint second-highest scorer in 2016/17, and much of his impact came in appearances off the bench, when his energy helped change games.
Jay-Roy Grot is not having anything like the same effect, and has not made an impact in any of his showings.
Doukara is currently playing in Turkey for relegation battlers Osmanlispor.
He has scored three goals in eight games, and Leeds could do with that contribution at present, with new signings Grot or Pawel Cibicki yet to score.
Releasing Doukara may have had its merits, but the fact Leeds have struggled to upgrade on him is a poor reflection of their summer transfer business, and they would be better off with him right now.
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