A touch of steel needed at Leeds United? ‏

By Keith Ingham

After another defeat of our own making my thoughts turned to last year when we were struggling for form and in stepped a player who was never loved from the minute he signed on the dotted line, step forward Michael Brown. Boo, hiss I can hear you scream, (well it is pantomime season) but when he did put on the number 17 shirt on you knew exactly you were getting, aggression from minute one until he was withdrawn which didn't happen a lot. There was usually a booking for him whilst he was on the field of play but at least in a snide way he was honest about kicking people up in the air !.

Michael Brown's reputation preceded him and as one of Warnock's favourites he even earned himself another few thousand to keep him going through retirement, but as I write the wily old fix is still playing at Port Vale. So there is life in the old dog still.

Myself I've seen the likes of Mr Brown through the years, tough uncompromising players who lack finesse but make up for that with 100% effort. Flynn, Kamara, Batty, Snodin, Dacourt, Hughes to mention a few. One like one of them would be ideal with the youngsters in the team.

The Leeds midfield on display versus Blackburn Rovers has style and youthfulness but the lack of 'steel' and experience makes it difficult to see out games when in front. Although I wouldn't for a minute swap our exciting quartet I would like to see a 'experienced' head on the bench, yes I hear you say but we have Tonge but he's not the kind of aggressive midfielder we need and they are in short supply in the English game at present.

With the winter months vital to the aspirations of the club, reading the table isn't pleasant at the moment and the last thing we need is another battle at the wrong end of the table. I would like to see before the weekend a player brought in who can come on at vital times and 'steady the ship', Massimo has told Redfearn that there is money there to attain this player so I'm hoping he does, sooner than later.

It's been a difficult season so far and the fixtures up to the festive season look very difficult to say the least. Surely somewhere sat on a highly placed Championship or Premiership teams bench there must be a player who would welcome the opportunity to play at the Theatre of Hope.

Michael Brown though need not apply !.

MOT

---