Wolves (a)

After the devastating manner of the defeat against Fulham last Saturday, Leeds travel to Molineux this weekend, still looking for a first goal from open play. It might be too early to call this a 'must-win', or a '6-pointer', but this will be a game that both clubs will have earmarked at the start of the season as a winnable one.

How have Leeds started the season?

Leeds have started the better this season, having chalked up 4 points to Wolves 0. However, after the opening day 1-0 victory over Everton, Leeds are yet to score another goal. Since then, Leeds have lost 5-0 vs Arsenal, drawn 0-0 against Newcastle, and lost 1-0 to Fulham, albeit, very unfortunately.

If you'd have asked most Leeds fans if they'd have taken 4 points from the opening 4 games, I imagine most of us would've taken that. Points on the board don't tell the whole story, though. Leeds have looked pretty solid at the back (Arsenal aside), but it's at the top of the pitch where they have struggled.

Isolated Attackers

The midfield looks quite industrious and combative, but lacks creativity. There is no natural attack-minded player that can play through the middle of the pitch, no one to effectively link midfield and attack. This leaves the wingers and striker looking isolated and having to drop deeper to try and affect the games. Hardly a recipe for goals galore. It's almost as if the fans and Daniel Farke could've seen this coming when they begged the board for more attacking reinforcements during the summer transfer window.

Calvert-Lewin and Okafor Offer Optimism

I don't want to come across too pessimistic at this early stage of the season, and there are reasons for optimism (or straws to grasp at). Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have shown glimpses of what they are capable of. Okafor demonstrated some of the pace that will be crucial on the counter for Leeds, and he appeared to grow in confidence against Fulham. He tired towards the end of the match, and was ultimately substituted late on. The fact that he started to tire mid-way through the second-half isn't surprising as he looks to regain full fitness, but the 7 recoveries during his time on the pitch is a testament to his work rate. DCL is in a similar position to Okafor; he is still striving to regain full fitness. However, against Fulham, he showed that he is up for a physical battle, proving to be a handful for both Andersen and Bassey in the Fulham defence. The way he leapt and knocked the ball down for Sean Longstaff's powerful, crossbar-shaving drive, was particularly impressive. A goal would do him the world of good, though, and against Wolves, there would be no better time to get off the mark.

Leeds Team News

Perri Still Out

Goalkeeper Lucas Perri is still unavailable, which means Karl Darlow will again feature. No massive issue here, Darlow was absolutely fine against Fulham, making a few tidy saves. Obviously, Perri will re-take the no.1 spot when he returns from injury, but Darlow is an able deputy until that times comes.

Gnonto and James Doubtful

At the top of the pitch, the picture is a little unclear. Dan James took a heavy knock after coming off the bench against Fulham, and it looks like he will now miss the trip to Wolves. Willy Gnonto has picked up a calf injury, which has caused him to miss a few training sessions. He also looks likely to be out for the game on Saturday. Both players haven't exactly set the league alight so far this season, but they will still be missed.

Defensive Changes Unlikely

Aside from those 3 injured players, Daniel Farke has a relatively strong squad to choose from. In defence, it'll almost certainly be the same back 4 that have started every game so far this season. I think it's only a matter of time before Jaka Bijol claims a place in central defence - likely taking over from Pascal Struijk - but the defence has looked quite robust, so Farke is unlikely to ring the changes right now.

Tanaka Returns

Farke has Ao Tanaka available again in midfield, and it would be good to see him make an appearance. Tanaka may not be a natural number 10, but he is a more progressive option than any of the other central midfielders. As I've already mentioned, Leeds desperately need a link between midfield and attack, in order to unlock some creativity. Tanaka makes the midfield look more balanced and cohesive, and if Leeds are to finally score from open play, his presence will be crucial.

Question Marks in Attack

In attack, DCL and Okafor will no doubt start again, up front and on the left respectively, hoping to build upon their positive showing last weekend. On the right side of the attack, question marks remain. Against Fulham, Farke opted to play Aaronson, who was again, very unconvincing. For me, Aaronson does not possess the physicality or tactical nous to make it in the Premier League. I'd love to be proven wrong, but I just can't see it. Unfortunately, due to the lack of reinforcements, Farke will either have to select him again or re-shuffle the attack. This would mean either Jack Harrison or Okafor starting out of position on the right-side. Neither of these options are ideal, so it'll be interesting to see what Farke does.

The Opposition

Worst Ever Start

Leeds may have problems, but it could be worse - they could be Wolves. With 4 games, 4 losses, and only 2 goals, Wolves are having their worst ever start to a season. Somehow, despite this, their manager, Vitor Pereira, has just signed a contract extension until 2028. Baffling.

Big Losses

In the summer, Wolves lost both Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri, which has blunted their creativity going forward. They still have Jorgen Strand Larsen, who scored 14 times for Wolves last season, but thankfully for Leeds, he will miss the game through injury.

Defensive Fragility

Wolves issues don't end with the attack, defensively they have struggled as well. Only West Ham have conceded more goals so far this season. Just as Leeds will be looking to take advantage of Wolves' poor defensive record, Wolves themselves will be hoping to show some defensive solidity against a Leeds attack that has lacked cutting edge in the opening 4 games.

Early Season Drama

As I said at the start of this article, it may be premature to overstate this game's importance; logically we all know that a poor result is unlikely to define the season, but that won't put the Leeds fan-base at ease. It certainly doesn't make me feel any better.

Leeds could probably brush off a defeat, but if they fail to score this weekend, serious questions will already be asked about their survival chances. The fans and manager could certainly do without that.