Yorkshire Evening Post 11/10/10
Bates set his sights high
By Phil Hay
Leeds United chairman Ken Bates insists he has not been demoralised by a handful of sobering results, saying he expects the club to be in the "top six or seven" of the Championship at the end of the season.
Bates criticised the mediocre defensive record that dictated United's form during the first two months of the term but said he had seen nothing to suggest that Leeds would not be possible contenders for promotion.
The 78-year-old's assessment at the 10-game mark echoed opinion in the city by reflecting harshly on the concession of 18 league goals – a tally which Bates said was "unacceptable" – but he sees the Championship as a division devoid of outstanding teams which remains as open as it did at the start of the season.
United will resume their campaign at Middlesbrough on Saturday evening, when manager Simon Grayson will attempt to stave off a third straight defeat, but the club reached the second international break of the season with a two-point gap divorcing them from the play-off positions.
Grayson's squad held a place in the top six for several weeks but talk of promotion was off the agenda last weekend after Leeds followed up a 6-4 loss to Preston North End with a narrow defeat at Ipswich Town.
A flawless defensive record during the first half of last season was a crucial factor in Leeds' promotion from League One under Grayson, and Bates was at a loss to understand United's porous state.
Bates said: "It's almost inexplicable because we reckon we've got a stronger back four than we did last season.
"Last season we only yielded eight goals before Christmas. So far we've conceded 18 goals in 10 games, although it's true that 11 of those goals have been in two games (against Barnsley and Preston). It's not acceptable and Simon will be working to put that right.
"What's been annoying is that some of the mistakes, which are all silly, have been caused by people who by and large are reliable and very solid at the back. The Preston defeat was unbelievable.
"But there are two types of Leeds fans – one who thought we were going to walk through the division, another who thought it would be a season of consolidation. I thought, and I still think, that we'll be in the top six or seven – hopefully the top six, fighting it out at the end of the season.
"We've got 10 games behind us and we've seen the calibre of the opposition. There's nobody, with the exception of QPR at the moment, that's outstanding. Teams are losing to each other every week."
QPR are setting a harsh pace in the Championship, already six points clear at the top of the division after eight wins from 10 games.
Leeds will not test themselves against Neil Warnock's side until December 18, when QPR come to Elland Road for the last game before Christmas, but they face a series of major examinations this month.
The club's visit to Middlesbrough is followed by home games against Leicester City and Cardiff City, the team immediately below QPR.
Bates said: "Nobody is getting away and, in my opinion, anyone who strings a good run together can be in contention. Hopefully Simon can get the team together.
"One or two players have been disappointing and one or two have been surprisingly good. But I'm not at all dispirited – unhappy about the two games, but it's otherwise been a reasonable start. Winning four games out of eight is promotion material.
"I thought we got off to a bad start by losing to Derby at home. That was a game in which we probably deserved a point.
"We deserved to beat Nottingham Forest and only drew but, aside from that, we've done quite well – excluding the two disasters at Barnsley and at home against Preston."
Grayson has battled a persistent injury list throughout this season, a list which now appears to be easing, but Bates hinted that his manager would be permitted to enter the loan market if he felt that additional resources were necessary.
Leeds have more than 25 professionals on the books at Elland Road but around 10 were unavailable for their recent fixtures against Preston and Ipswich.
A hamstring strain suffered by goalkeeper Shane Higgs at Portman Road compounded a catalogue of problems which was already severe and included first-choice keeper Kasper Schmeichel.
Bates said: "We've had 10 injuries, including to both goalkeepers which is why we had to extend the deal for Jason Brown (from Blackburn Rovers). But whereas a month ago we had players with longer-term injuries, we've now got players with short-term injuries.
"Loan signings would be for Simon to decide on and then recommend. But the problem is that we've got quite a big squad at the moment and once the squad is too big and players aren't playing, you get unhappiness in the dressing room.
"Footballers want to play football unless they're here for the money. Fortunately we don't have many of those.
"I'm not quite sure whether the answer is to get more players who have to settle in, find their feet and get used to how their colleagues play.
"But the weather is now getting heavier and the pitches are getting heavier.
"Smaller clubs with smaller squads will start struggling and that's when I think we'll demonstrate the wisdom of having a big squad."

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