January transfer success leaves Leeds United man no hiding place in Act III of Elland Road story

Weston McKennie, Max Wober and Georginio Rutter arrived at Elland Road last month, boasting caps for their countries, nights in Champions League auditoriums and in club-record signing Rutter, a burgeoning and exciting reputation, renowned in scouting circles across the continent. Leeds have made nine outfield additions since their nerve-racking escape at Brentford last season, six of whom can reasonably be expected to start this weekend against Nottingham Forest. And yet, the prospect of a similar final day scenario befalling Leeds United in three-and-a-half months time, despite the squad's evolution, remains a possibility.

Jesse Marsch’s time at Elland Road can be defined by a three-act structure, beginning with a stressful 12-game race to the finish line last year: Act I. As the dust settled on 2021/22, the summer intermission began and before long Act II. The new season was supposed to mark a formal changing of the guard at Elland Road, when Marsch could get his teeth into a full pre-season of coaching and remodelling. To accelerate that process, Leeds brought in Rasmus Kristensen, Brenden Aaronson and Tyler Adams - thespians of varying experience in the art of Marsch’s footballing philosophy. In theory, their arrivals were supposed to ease the transition from Marcelo Bielsa's style that had become, for better or worse, ingrained in the squad at Thorp Arch.

The season began promisingly, with back-to-back home wins against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea, either side of a two-all draw with Southampton in which the Whites sacrificed a two-goal lead. It would not be until late October, though, that Leeds claimed their next Premier League victory, away to Liverpool, in improbable fashion after an eight-game winless run.

A late triumph over AFC Bournemouth the following week, and the emergence of unlikely hero Willy Gnonto, gave Leeds some breathing room from the bottom of the table, and crucially hope, as the season went on hiatus for the FIFA World Cup. Despite cup wins over lower league opponents Cardiff City and Accrington Stanley since the domestic campaign's resumption, Sunday's game against Nottingham Forest will mark three months since the last time Leeds took three points from a divisional rival.

United's joint-owners have put their money where their mouth is in 2022/23. Brenden Aaronson and Georginio Rutter arrived for fees in excess of £25 million, while Weston McKennie will cost Leeds upwards of £30 million when United's purchase agreement is exercised. Tyler Adams and Luis Sinisterra joined for stipends totalling £20 million once all instalments are paid, while Rasmus Kristensen, Marc Roca and Max Wober set Leeds back a cumulative £35 million.

"I know people don't want to hear this but it does sometimes take time," Marsch said after Leeds' recent defeat to Aston Villa, which he also dubbed a 'complete performance'. The head coach sees progress in his team, slow as it may be, but reiterates the team are moving in the right direction. The Whites have hovered above the relegation zone and below mid-table for the majority of this season - Premier League purgatory, if you will. Moving in the right direction would see Leeds climb above the numerous other sides in a similar position, anchoring themselves in mid-table, at arm's length from the drop-zone.

The fixture list has not been so kind, though, with back-to-back tests against a Manchester United side who have scored in each of their last 20 matches across all competitive fixtures, later this month. Before that charged double-header comes the trip to pantomime villains Forest and the City Ground, a stadium at which Leeds have never won in the Premier League and had similar issues in their two most recent Championship seasons, losing 4-2 and 2-0, respectively.

Forest have spent freely this season, too, although their recruitment has, from the outside at least, appeared more scatter-gun than precise in nature. The East Midlands club have scored fewer and conceded more than Leeds, but find themselves three points better off.

On paper, Leeds have arguably the strongest pool of attacking options, in terms of overall ability combined and squad depth, in the Premier League's bottom half. Patrick Bamford's 17-goal haul two seasons ago is no longer fresh in the memory but after two assists and three goals since his return to the field, the one-cap England forward served a reminder to those who had written him off. Rodrigo Moreno's finest goalscoring return in a Leeds shirt has been largely to thank for the team not yet slipping into the bottom three for an extended period, while Willy Gnonto and Georginio Rutter are two of European football's bright young prospects, not to mention supporting cast members Luis Sinisterra, Jack Harrison and Crysencio Summerville waiting in the wings.

Defensively, Leeds have been supplemented by what appears a shrewd addition in Max Wober, and Weston McKennie adds further dynamism and two-way ability to a midfield that was lacking the profile of a box-to-box all-rounder. If the team are as close to striking gold as the head coach believes, the second half of the season – Act III – should serve as a relaxant.

But, United's January spree makes it increasingly difficult to come up with excuses for poor results, even if the performances are complete. In narrative fiction, Act III typically sees a story reach its resolution. With last month’s additions, it feels increasingly as though Marsch’s West Yorkshire tale will take one of two paths. He will certainly hope it is the one which tells of a redemption arc, vindicating a year spent battling critics.

The Elland Road board have provided the 49-year-old with a cast capable of putting on a show - it is now upon Marsch to formulate results, as well as performances, in order to avoid a Premier League curtain call.