Leeds must not start £40k-p/w duo together again

Leeds United picked up an invaluable three points on Tuesday night away from home after a 1-0 win against Middlesbrough. It was never going to be an easy outing for Daniel Farke’s side, with Boro pushing for a playoff spot themselves.

The visitors scored the first, and only, goal of the game in just the second minute. Winger Daniel James was the goalscorer, darting into the box to get on the end of a low cross from loanee Manor Solomon.

It wasn’t the cleanest of finishes from the Welshman, but it was effective and somehow ended up in the back of the net.

Despite the scoreline, it should have been 3-0 to Leeds, although through no fault of their own. They had two goals wrongly ruled out for offside, with Ao Tanaka’s first-half strike getting chalked off and Patrick Bamford suffering the same fate in the second period.

Both players were onside, and both goals should have stood.

Regardless, the Whites held on for a crucial three points, which has swung momentum back their way in the race for automatic promotion. With Sheffield United losing at home to Milwall and Burnley drawing away to Derby County, Leeds are now top of the table again on goal difference.

There were some standout Leeds players in the important win over Boro on Tuesday,

Leeds’ best players vs. Middlesborough

On a huge night for Leeds, it needed their most important players to stand up for the count. Well, one of those, Ethan Ampadu, did just that. The Whites’ skipper was excellent at the heart of their defence, continually progressing play forwards throughout the game.

In fact, Isaac Johnson, Leeds reporter for Leeds Live, was very complimentary of the Welshman at full time. He gave Ampadu a 9/10 for his efforts, describing his performance against Boro as a “proper captain’s showing”.

Ampadu was not the only Leeds player who stood out. At the other end of the pitch, it was an eye-catching display from attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson, who looked in much better form than he has shown in recent weeks.

The United States international also received a strong post-match rating from Johnson, who gave Aaronson an 8/10 for his performance at the Riverside Stadium. The journalist said he made some “very neat touches” and that he “took on his man efficiently”.

So, it was certainly a good night at the office for the likes of Ampadu and Aaronson, who helped their side secure a vital three points. However, there were a couple of players who struggled.

The Leeds midfielders who struggled

Despite the victory, there were times when Leeds lacked control in the middle of the park. Their pivot, made up of Tanaka and Ilia Gruev, did struggle to impart control on the game. The pair received 5/10 ratings at the end of the game from Leeds Live.

Indeed, their stats on Sofascore from the clash at the Riverside reflect those ratings. For example, Tanaka had 51 touches of the ball but lost possession seven times, and Gruev had 70 touches and lost the ball six times.

Leeds have struggled for fluency at times this season, and it doesn’t feel like on-pitch relationships have fully developed. There have been occasions where Aaronson and Joel Piroe, for example, have struggled to get the best out of each other. Indeed, the latter has now gone seven games without finding the net.

Well, while Tanaka has been one of the signings of the seasons, his partnership with Gruev doesn’t feel like the best for Farke in the back end of the season.

The pair, who earn £40k per week between them, have only played 14 times together, for a total of 644 minutes. They have only played a full 90 minutes as a pairing on three occasions, in which they are unbeaten, but if you contrast those numbers with Joe Rothwell, for instance, it’s safe to say that pairing is more effective.

They have played 31 times as a midfield combination and only lost on two occasions in which they have started alongside each other.

With the race for automatic promotion set to go down to the wire for Leeds this term, perhaps Farke will not want to take the risk of playing Gruev alongside Tanaka again, given they seem to lack synergy.

It is crunch time for the Yorkshire outfit. Perhaps starting a pivot who have not played much with each other is a risk that is too big to take at this stage of the season. There is no doubting Tanaka and Gruev as individual players, but as a pairing, Leeds have better options.