It’s been a dodgy start to the season at best for Leeds United, who, thanks to a 1-0 defeat to Huddersfield Town are sat in 22nd place with just four points.
That was their fourth defeat in six games, following defeats to QPR, Birmingham and Nottingham Forest, and it seems week by week there is more pressure mounting on the shoulders of Garry Monk.
Only Preston and Saturday’s opponents Blackburn Rovers have worse records than the Peacocks this season, and whilst it is far too early to mention that any side are in a relegation battle, both Monk and Owen Coyle’s club need the three points to lift their side away from the danger zone.
As I alluded to, Blackburn’s start to the season has been woeful; they’re without a win and have conceded 13 goals. They are a far cry from the mid-tabled team of last season, where centre-back duo Shane Duffy and Grant Hanley were responsible for their respectable finishing position.
Here, in the opinion of FLW’s Ryan Evans, is a Leeds United team that can get a much needed win on the board against Blackburn this Tuesday…
GK: Rob Green
After being cast aside by Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink at QPR last season, Green will be glad that he’s back playing games on a regular basis.
The ex-Burton boss didn’t want to activate a clause in his contract that entitled him to a new deal should he make a certain number of appearances, so instead Alex Smithies was favoured.
However, the former England ‘keeper still has plenty of nouse and can turn in good performances for this team.
The 36-year-old has played in every game with exception of the EFL Cup 2nd round win over Luton Town.
RB: Luke Ayling
Just one of the new arrivals in a fresh looking team, Ayling joined from Bristol City on 11th August and has gone on to make the right-back berth his own; again playing in every Leeds game since his arrival other than the victory over Luton.
The 25-year old has 184 appearances for Yeovil Town during his four years in Somerset after leaving the Arsenal youth setup, and is also a Football League Trophy winner with Bristol City.
Leeds fans will be hoping that Ayling will be able to prove a useful buy and guide them back up the table.
CB: Pontus Jansson
It was a strange move when Leeds unveiled the signing of Swedish international Jansson from Torino this summer, but has settled in decently so far and appears to be in Garry Monk’s first choice XI.
The 25-year old kept a clean sheet in the win over Luton and his only other game was Saturday’s defeat to Huddersfield, and I expect him to keep his place for Tuesday night.
CB: Kyle Bartley
Another ex-Arsenal player and another new signing, Bartley has played in every single league game this season, picking up an assist in the draw with Fulham, too.
I fully expect Monk to pick the 25-year old in the vast majority of this season, and if he can find a partner to compliment his game then they could well find their form at the back improving.
Other than Bartley and Jansson, they have Liam Cooper who can play there, too.
LB: Charlie Taylor
A lot of the Elland Road faithful was hoping that Charlie Taylor would find his move away from the club this summer, but it didn’t happen and the 22-year old will be in Yorkshire until January at least.
There’s no doubting his talent, just where his heart lies.
It doesn’t appear that it is at Leeds, but he’s a professional and he’ll think of these four months as time to earn himself a move to a top Premier League club.
Apart from that fact, Garry Monk has no other natural left-backs and certainly no one who can play there of his quality.
CDM: Liam Bridcutt
The classy ex-Sunderland player secured a permanent move to Elland Road in the summer, after a successful loan spell their last season, where he made 24 appearances during his six months at the club.
He claimed a solitary assist, although scoring and creating goals aren’t a part of his game normally.
He will interrupt the opponents attack and then play it on to more attacking players, and his ability to see an attack forming is a massive part of why Monk decided to bring him back to the club this summer.
CDM: Eunan O’Kane
In my opinion, Bridcutt’s long-term partner this season should be Eunan O’Kane.
The ex-AFC Bournemouth man left Dorset on deadline day, after the acquisition of Jack Wilshere meant he was left with very little or no Premier League game time this season, and could well prove to be an excellent piece of business by Garry Monk.
O’Kane can sit deep, pick the ball off the back of an opponent’s attack and take the ball up to a dangerous area.
This recycling of the ball can ultimately aid the Leeds side greatly as it allows them to turn defence into attack in the blink of an eye, a dangerous weapon to possess.
Otherwise, Monk has Toumani Diagouraga, Matt Grimes, Luke Murphy, Alex Mowatt, Calvin Phillips and Ronaldo Vieira as central players, so is blessed in this position.
RM: Kemar Roofe
The 23-year-old was the key force behind Oxford’s promotion last term, so it was no surprise to see him snapped up by a Championship team in the summer.
Whilst he hasn’t hit the ground running so far, I expect it to only be a matter of time before Roofe starts banging in the goals again.
He scored 25 and claimed 12 assists in all competitions for the U’s, and can play in a variety of positions including on both flanks, a striker and as an attacking midfielder.
His most potent position was as a centre forward, with 11 goals from his 14 games there, but looks best on the right wing and I believe that is where he can have the most influence on this team from.
Using his pace to go past a player and skill to be able to either cut inside and get a shot off or go past him and put a delightful cross into the middle, young Roofe could be the player to kick start Leeds’s season.
CAM: Pablo Hernandez
Hernandez was signed from Qatarian club Al-Arabi on loan to be the creative force behind United, and he gets into my XI as an attacking midfielder, a position that Garry Monk has played him in in four games this season.
Whilst he is yet to influence the side, a game against a struggling Blackburn team could be the way for him to get his season rolling.
Otherwise, Monk could go with young Vieira, who has made five Championship appearances already this season.
LM: Stuart Dallas
After impressing for Northern Ireland at this summer’s Euros, Dallas has had a fairly quiet start to the season, albeit alongside most of the Leeds squad.
He scored five and set up seven for Leeds last term, missing just one game in the process.
Dallas has the potential to be one of the key players for the Whites this season, and will be hoping his performances can improve.
ST: Marcus Antonsson
This is a close call between the Swedish striker and Chris Wood, with Antonsson scoring twice and setting up another so far, whilst Wood has scored three.
As a new signing this summer, however, I believe that Monk will stick with Antonsson for Tuesday’s game at least.
He’s started every league game so far, and will soon get his eye in after he becomes accustomed to English football.
Leeds fans, what do you think? Is this XI good enough to win you the game against Blackburn? Are there any changes you would make? Let us know below!