'Failing to back Farke's attack feels like a huge mistake'

As the smoke billowed around him at the open-top bus parade in Leeds in May, club chairman Paraag Marathe told the world that Leeds United are "going to be one of the best clubs in all of Europe".

It is the kind of statement understandable if it comes from a fan nestled in among the 100,000-plus others that lined the city's streets that day, drunk on promotion and dreaming of the future.

But, from a club chairman, it is the sort of statement that will be brought back up during any setback, and the end of Leeds' summer transfer window was the perfect lightning rod for criticism.

"In order to be competitive and to survive in the best league in the world, we need to do a bit more in the offence" manager Daniel Farke said before the transfer window closed.

The German made it clear he wanted "one or two" more attacking options.

Leeds have not scored a goal in open play in their opening three Premier League games this season and have only managed one shot on target in each of the past two.

The attacking additions brought in all have histories of injuries. No-one will be surprised if winger Noah Okafor and strikers Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Nmecha all miss significant portions of this season.

Robbie Evans, Leeds' new manager director, told media in a question and answer session last week, that "a number 10 type is the one thing we're still sort of missing".

Leeds have been missing a number 10 type player since Pablo Hernadez lost his place in United's first team under Marcelo Bielsa five years ago.

The success of the club's transfer strategy will ultimately be defined by results, but failing to back Farke's attack feels like a huge mistake.

Find more from Adonis Storr at The Roaring Peacock