With a large chunk of the season to be played, no one wants to think about the relegation fight. Nobody wants to think about it if it is around the corner! The idea of Leeds United going down is unthinkable after the amazing journey we have been on over the last few of years.
But we need to face the stark reality that the club will be in a survival battle if the team doesn’t start winning soon. Data experts already believe we’ll finish on 42 points, only five above the drop zone. But with our squad threadbare due to injury, there’s not a lot of room to maneuver, which is why it’s practical to consider the nuclear option.
We’ll Be Favourites for Promotion
Relegated clubs normally end up there because they lack proven Premier League qualities. Leeds United are different because the club is massive and the squad is superior to any other in the Championship. When you consider the latest Championship betting odds place Fulham as 1/2 favourites, and you look at the West Londoners’ side, you can only come to one conclusion – Leeds will be in a similar position.
Several factors are considered, of course, so it’s not all about the quality of the team. For example, the skill of the manager is significant. Marcelo Bielsa’s contribution to the club is beyond doubt, which is another tick in the box. Plus, he managed the club in the Championship when he arrived at Elland Road in 2018. If we went down would he stay on to redeem himelf?
Since he remained loyal to most of the players who got us promoted - including Liam Cooper and Stuart Dallas - there is experience running through the club’s veins. If we did get relegated, heaven forbid, we’d have past exploits to fall back on to help us get back into the Premier League straight away.
Players Will Leave
It’s worth resigning ourselves to the fact that players such as Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha will leave if Leeds go down. As fans, we can’t begrudge them wanting to move on since they are proven Premier League footballers. Both are full internationals, and Phillips was integral to England’s recent success in the Euros.
We can’t expect them to stagnate in an inferior division for the sake of loyalty. The sport doesn’t work that way. Still, it’s not all doom and gloom. But there is a core of experience players who would probably give it another shot; Laim Cooper, Stuart Dallas and Luke Ayling have been on the journey with the club. There are also a host of young talents including Pascal Struijk, Illan Meslier, Joe Gelhardt and Lewis Bate who would form the basis of a promotion hunting team. Dan James could stay because signed to play football. He'll get plenty of minutes in the Championship.
More importantly, Bielsa should remain in charge. He likes a challenge, and the Premier League isn’t a deal-breaker for him. With a solid base, one that’s gained promotion from the league before, our position could be very strong.
We Must Stabilise
Playing in the Championship is a dangerous proposition. We have shown this in the past, going from Champions League football to League One in less than a decade. Plus, there are Sunderland and Sheffield Wednesday as examples of how it can go wrong.
Assuming we’re good enough to get straight back to the Premier League a death sentence. Instead, the club will need to stabilise by searching for inspiration from the teams that have been there and done it. Burnley deserve credit as they yo-yoed a little before cementing itself as a Premier League outfit in 2016 thanks to solid football and financial philosophies.
Long-term planning will go a long way if Leeds can’t avoid the drop in 2022. Some short-term pain is inevitable, yet it’s an occupational hazard of sport. Hopefully, these factors will be moot since Leeds will stay in the Premier League. However, we’ll need to be more consistent from now until May.
