Post by Joe on Aug 2, 2006 21:25:39 GMT -1
Leeds kept up the play-off pace last season without ever looking like they could catch the top two.
Then came the desperate disappointment of their play-off final defeat to Watford when they were completely outfought.
Of the players to leave Elland Road over the summer only Rob Hulse was a first team regular and although he will be missed the £2.2m Leeds received for him will give manager Kevin Blackwell room to manoeuvre in the transfer market.
Indeed, Blackwell has bought and sold former Millwall skipper David Livermore in the space of 12 days as he closes in on fresh transfer targets.
Blackwell has several attacking options, with Richard Cresswell likely to play a more prominent role following Hulse's departure.
It is in midfield that the Leeds boss needs to strengthen and the addition of Luton's Kevin Nicholls should have been a major step in the right direction.
The combative former Wigan man will eventually give Leeds some of the steel they were missing last term, although a training ground injury means he will miss the first three months of the season
PREDICTED POSITION: 5th
STAR MAN: Matt Kilgallon
ONE TO WATCH: Kevin Nicholls
SKYBET ODDS: 10/1
INS: Kevin Nicholls (Luton, £700k), David Livermore (Millwall, Und), Sebastien Carole (Brighton, free), Ian Westlake (Ipswich, Und)
OUTS: Danny Pugh (Preston, £250k), Michael Ricketts (Southend, free), Simon Walton (Charlton, £1m), Rob Hulse (Sheffield United, £2.2m), Jermaine Wright (Southampton, free), Ian Bennett (Sheffield United, Und), David Livermore (Hull, Und)
Source: Sky Sports News
Then came the desperate disappointment of their play-off final defeat to Watford when they were completely outfought.
Of the players to leave Elland Road over the summer only Rob Hulse was a first team regular and although he will be missed the £2.2m Leeds received for him will give manager Kevin Blackwell room to manoeuvre in the transfer market.
Indeed, Blackwell has bought and sold former Millwall skipper David Livermore in the space of 12 days as he closes in on fresh transfer targets.
Blackwell has several attacking options, with Richard Cresswell likely to play a more prominent role following Hulse's departure.
It is in midfield that the Leeds boss needs to strengthen and the addition of Luton's Kevin Nicholls should have been a major step in the right direction.
The combative former Wigan man will eventually give Leeds some of the steel they were missing last term, although a training ground injury means he will miss the first three months of the season
PREDICTED POSITION: 5th
STAR MAN: Matt Kilgallon
ONE TO WATCH: Kevin Nicholls
SKYBET ODDS: 10/1
INS: Kevin Nicholls (Luton, £700k), David Livermore (Millwall, Und), Sebastien Carole (Brighton, free), Ian Westlake (Ipswich, Und)
OUTS: Danny Pugh (Preston, £250k), Michael Ricketts (Southend, free), Simon Walton (Charlton, £1m), Rob Hulse (Sheffield United, £2.2m), Jermaine Wright (Southampton, free), Ian Bennett (Sheffield United, Und), David Livermore (Hull, Und)
Source: Sky Sports News
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