With the anticipated departure of Crysencio Summerville, the Championship Player of the Season from the previous season, Leeds United will only have eight attackers. In just over a week, the new campaign will kick off, and Daniel Farke can distribute his players among the four most advanced positions in the 4-2-3-1 formation that he typically favours.With Summerville’s departure, Farke’s team will have a free guard on the left side starting in the upcoming campaign. Without success, Jaidon Anthony attempted to unseat the league’s top player for eight months.Now, neither will matter for Farke when the season kicks off on Saturday against Portsmouth. From Elland Road, it appears that a top-tier substitute will be pursued to cover the Summerville gap.The manager gets the chance to rearrange his pieces in the meantime. Wilfried Gnonto stands out as the finest alternative to chop that left side, at least according to paper.Under Farke, the Italian tended to play on the right when given the opportunity last season, but we have seen how influential he can be on the left from his debut campaign at Elland Road. That end of the pitch has produced some of the 20-year-old’s best goals, most notably against Cardiff City at home in the FA Cup and at Old Trafford.The most pressing issue is Gonto’s own future. Although Everton’s interest in the former Inter Milan youngster seems to have stalled as of writing, there are no guarantees that he will be here on August 31. Should Gnonto remain, his goal would be to follow in Summerville’s footsteps and produce a campaign worthy of an Italy international.Starting on the left of Farke’s attack, Brenden Aaronson began both of the friendlies in Germany. The boss has been especially excited to see the American slide in off the left side, but he can play in any of the three attacking places behind a striker.The 22-year-old’s left foot may be better suited for cutting in off the right side, as he did with Hoffenheim, but his versatility allows him to replace Georginio Rutter through the middle and release the Frenchman off the left side. For a number of years, Daniel James has appeared at ease on the right side, but his right peg would also provide Farke with an additional option on the other side.Joe Gelhardt can feel that he wants to play more regular football before the transfer window closes, but he can also play on the right side if he stays one of Farke’s attackers. At Home Park during the previous season, the striker famously attracted attention while he was playing down that route.Joel Piroe found it difficult to make an impact last season when he was positioned behind a striker, but we know that Farke is willing to play the Dutchman in that deeper position if he finds himself in a tight hole. He can also play in a two, as Mateo Joseph demonstrated for us in Germany.When the manager was interviewed by German media, he also brought up that alternative. Modifying the 4-2-3-1 system is conceivable and feasible. The back three that the manager used at Harrogate Town last month will stick in everyone’s memory.That flowing 3-4-3 kept the attackers narrow by using the wing-backs for breadth.

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