Leeds United thought they struck gold with Chris Wood replacement but it didn't last long: View | OneFootball

The 2017/18 campaign was a strange one as far as Leeds United are concerned.

After years of failing to mount a challenge at the top end of the Championship, that all seemed to change the previous season under the stewardship of Garry Monk, who guided the club to a seventh-place finish - five points behind Fulham in the final play-off place.

Therefore, optimism was high as United finally looked to build a platform from which they could mount another sustained push at the top end of the second tier. But that was somewhat quashed when Monk departed for newly-relegated Middlesbrough, which was soon compounded by his replacement, Thomas Christiansen, losing the services of the division's most potent goal threat at the time.

Chris Wood's time at Leeds United

That's in reference to New Zealand international Chris Wood, who emerged as a clear fan favourite throughout his period at Elland Road between 2015 and 2017.

After joining from Leicester City for a fee in the region of £3m, Wood was one of nine new signings under Uwe Rosler's initial management, before going on to feature under three further managers during what was a hectic and ever-changing period in the club's history.

In what was another season of mid-table mediocrity for the Whites in 2015/16, Wood netted 13 times in 36 Championship appearances, being responsible for 26% of the side's 50 league goals across the campaign.

However, it was his final full season in West Yorkshire under Monk that saw his valuation skyrocket, which included notching ten goals in the Championship and EFL Cup by the conclusion of October and six goals in four games between January 2nd and January 25th.

Although Leeds were unable to make the play-offs, Wood ended the season as the league's top scorer with 27 goals - four clear of Glenn Murray, Dwight Gayle and Tammy Abraham, who were all tied on 23, as well as reaching 30 strikes overall for Leeds.

After beginning the 2017/18 season where he left off under his new boss - Christiansen - with a goal on the opening day against Bolton, Leeds rejected a £12m bid from Burnley, before Wood stalled talks on a fresh deal, eventually leading to a £15m departure to Turf Moor, featuring in the Premier League ever since after averaging a goal every two games in West Yorkshire.

Leeds United's Chris Wood replacement

Despite having such a big void to fill, it seemed initially that the deal to bring Pierre-Michel Lasogga on loan from Hamburg SV was an inspired move, particularly after scoring and assisting twice in a 5-0 hammering of Burton Albion on his debut, just a week after completing the move.

At face value, it would seem that ten goals in 31 league appearances perhaps isn't the worst return in the world, but the German was a source of frustration throughout periods of the campaign as his form would often blow hot and cold.

Six of those goals also came within his first ten appearances for the club, and such form would undoubtedly raise expectancy during what was an inconsistent season for the Whites, as Christiansen was sacked on February 4th after going six games without a win after another bright start to the campaign, before being replaced by Paul Heckingbottom.

Ironically, this was when the German forward briefly returned to goalscoring form, with two goals in a thrilling 4-3 home defeat by Millwall, before three goals in as many games against Sheffield United, Bristol City and Derby County.

However, the goal against the Rams would prove to be his last in the famous white jersey, which proved that initially there was hope that the 11-time German youth international could have filled the hole left by Wood's departure, but he couldn't live up to the consistent billing that was required.

Although the 2018/19 campaign was a thrilling one despite ending in disappointment for Leeds, they would have looked at Lasogga's goalscoring record at Hamburg with a slight sense of frustration.

In what was the club's first ever season in 2.Bundesliga since the Bundesliga's inception in 1963, the forward accumulated 13 goals in 27 league appearances.

However, since then his career has stagnated, featuring for Qatari-based sides Al-Arabi and Al-Khor, before returning to his homeland and joining FC Schalke 04 II in 2023. That's quite the drop-off in comparison to Wood, who has gone from strength-to-strength in the Premier League, featuring for Burnley, Newcastle United and now Nottingham Forest.

With hindsight, it wasn't quite the inspired move it initially looked from Leeds in a difficult season.