It certainly could be argued that Everton were unlucky to concede the hugely contentious penalty which settled the match, given by a referee who has certainly been mired in plenty of controversy when overseeing Toffees' games in the past.
But, regardless of whether the penalty was a correct decision and James Tarkowski could or should have done better, the away team definitely did not do enough to win and would have been considered lucky to leave West Yorkshire with a draw.
Everton struggled to contain their hosts and looked under-cooked and at times severely disjointed with a lack of composure as David Moyes was once more forced to field a makeshift eleven.
I think there are legitimate questions that can be asked of his selections at Elland Road. For one, there is a case for Dwight McNeil to have played left-back with James Garner on the other flank, where he has played regularly before for the Blues and England Under-21s.
In midfield, Moyes' side lacked composure again and too often could not get hold of the ball and use it effectively, with Tim Iroegbunam looking out of his depth alongside Idrissa Gueye.
If the manager wants to play a more progressive type of game, he needs those quality reinforcements in midfield, and while there are constant links in the media to such players, no new names have been added yet. Yves Bissouma would be a good bet, combining defensive strength and ability on the ball.
One other issue Monday's game underlined was the lack of pace in this Toffees team, and the fact was driven home by the performance of Wilfred Gnonto and Daniel James, as the Leeds wingers were a constant threat.
Gnonto was a player Everton were very close to signing a while ago, before a deal fell through, and he remained at Elland Road. How Moyes would have liked to see someone with that speed and direct threat in his team.
As for Everton, on the left, Iliman Ndiaye is quick and skillful, and he offers a level of technical ability and close control that other attacking players on this side lacked before the arrival of Jack Grealish. Again, though, Grealish is not renowned for his speed either.
McNeil and Garner are both decent enough players, but they also lack real pace, while injured Vitalli Mykolenko is not exactly a slouch and has done well against speedy attackers in the past.
The only other full-back option on the left is summer signing Adam Aznou. At 19, he has electric speed and plenty of skill, but does he have what is needed defensively to survive in the Premier League?
On the other side, the right-back situation is even more concerning. The only fit specialist there is 36-year-old Seamus Coleman, and for all his experience and nous, he is not going to improve this issue!
Another area where Everton now look worryingly slow is centre-back. Without Jarrad Branthwaite, once again absent at the start of the season as he was a year ago, the Toffees could get exposed badly here.
Tarkowski, despite being a rugged warrior and a generally reliable and consistent stopper, is 31 and has played a lot of Premier League football. That wear and tear might be taking its toll, and he was also never a defender who possessed great speed to start with.
Michael Keane is another veteran central defender who is certainly not the quickest, and like Tarkowski, is over 30 years old too.
So, Everton are not just looking disjointed and lightweight in several key positions, but are lacking an essential in the modern game: pace as a team overall.
Moyes' predecessor, Sean Dyche, sought to solve this problem in part by playing a very deep, defensive game plan tactically. It worked in that the Blues were tough to break down and did not concede many goals, but of course, it had a huge cost offensively.
There are just over two weeks left before the transfer window shuts, and it looks as though the club will have to be very active again in the remaining time to try and resolve these issues.
It was, of course, only the opening game, and often teams (especially this Everton side!) look rusty and a little off the pace at the start of the season. But much work needs to be done; if not, this could be yet another long, hard, and difficult campaign.