Leeds United are getting what they paid for at both ends of the pitch - future transfer priority is clear

The feeling on Saturday after defeat at Bournemouth was a familiar one. Leeds United had fallen short in front of goal again.

The result itself - a 2-0 loss away to a team on a five-game winning run without conceding - wasn’t the major concern, nor was the game-changing mistake from Whites goalkeeper James Trafford. The worry was what happened in the 63 minutes between Evanilson’s opener and Amine Adli netting in added-time.

Leeds had a Dominic Calvert-Lewin goal disallowed before that Trafford error and started on the front foot, popping the ball around confidently but, apart from James Justin’s cross, lacking final ball. At 1-0 down, Daniel Farke’s side missed the cutting edge to seriously trouble their defensively organised hosts.

They did not register a single shot on target while chasing the game, creating an Expected Goals total of just 0.41. After seeing his potential opener disallowed, Calvert-Lewin had one more touch in the Cherries box, an 83rd minute header from a corner that was directed wide.

Leeds have come an awful long way over the past 12 months but their lack of consistent final-third effectiveness remains. After nine Premier League games last season they’d scored nine goals and for all their promising signs, that number is the same this term.

The Whites are getting what they paid for in attack, an area of the pitch in which they have spent just £18million on transfer fees since promotion. Of course, there are other financial commitments including high wages for the likes of Calvert-Lewin and Harry Wilson, and a £30m commitment to Jean-Matteo Bahoya following his loan, but that number is telling.

"It's where we are as a club. We are in the second year after promotion,” Farke said ahead of Saturday’s defeat. “We couldn't afford to buy for the offence players like all other teams have. When we speak about Arsenal, they [buy] offensive players for £100m, £120m, £140m. We are also not in the category like Brighton, who buy £40-60m players.

“What we can't afford to do is go further on without our defensive strength. We are not the big dogs right now in this league, and for that we can't give our defensive solidity away. Even if we change right now and bring more offensive-thinking players on the pitch, our quality is not that we dominate all other teams. So we need to rely on this [defence], and for that it's a fine balance in the mid and the long-term.”

Defensive investment prioritised

Recruitment chiefs have prioritised their investment into the defence, another area where they are getting what they paid for - but in a positive way. In the summer just gone, Leeds forked out £87m on defensive and goalkeeper reinforcements, coming close to their transfer record for Tarik Muharemovic and then breaking it on James Trafford.

That investment has gone straight into the starting-XI, with Trafford, Muharemovic and £8m arrival Nico Elvedi making up the majority of the defensive unit. And that is the major difference from last season, with Leeds conceding just eight goals compared to 14 at this point a year ago.

Leeds have made shrewd additions to their attacking unit since promotion but they simply do not have a Trafford or Muharemovic level player up that end of the pitch. Calvert-Lewin is closest but needs service to thrive. In his last two starts at Bournemouth and Sunderland, the striker has had just three touches in the opposition box.

Crosses are what Calvert-Lewin feeds off and Leeds aren’t hesitant to get balls into the box, but their accuracy is a problem. According to Opta, Farke’s side swing in 13.78 crosses per game but their hit-rate of 21 per cent is 11th in the league - a low ranking given the type of striker they’re aiming for.

Most damning for Leeds is that their final third passing accuracy of 56.9 per cent is the lowest in the Premier League and according to Opta’s Jonny Cooper, the second-lowest of all 96 teams across Europe’s top-five divisions. The Whites have a final ball issue.

Farke will take encouragement in the fact that goals came last season. Okafor will return to form at some point while a fully-fit Anton Stach has more than shown he is good enough to contribute. Wilson looked better in moments at Bournemouth and should only improve.

The defensive quality should be enough to keep Leeds away from serious danger regardless and next summer’s transfer priority is expected to be in attacking areas. Add goals to their already sturdy foundation and the progress report in 12 month’s time could be even more promising.