Leeds United welcome Keith Andrews’ Brentford to Elland Road this Saturday with anything other than a win unlikely to relieve relegation fears.
Daniel Farke’s aim to keep Leeds on course for a point-per-game is well on track. With 32 points on the board and eight games remaining, United should be looking for a handful of wins to see out the task of survival.
Up first in that run is Brentford. The Bees are chasing a dream finish in the European places, but after a home draw against Wolves, are clearly there to be got at.
Will Brenden Aaronson keep his place as Leeds United look to beat Brentford?
Two months ago, Brenden Aaronson was rightly being heralded as one of the most in-form attackers in the Premier League. A change in formation and role under Farke brought a newfound level of output for the American.
In the space of a month from December 6th to January 7th, Aaronson managed three goals and two assists. Since that fine brace at Newcastle United, he’s not registered a single goal involvement.
We’ve been here before with Aaronson and Farke. The question is asked about whether the £25million man‘s lack of output in the final third warrants him being dropped.
We probably all know the answer. Aaronson’s influence in Farke’s side runs deeper than what he lays on a plate for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, or how he crashes the box for his own goals. His pressing intensity and brilliant engine are obviously assets Farke believe to be nigh-on undroppable.
Daniel Farke needs to tap into Willy Gnonto influence to get more out of Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Whether or not Aaronson keeps his place as his hybrid wide option, there has to be a better consideration of Leeds’ sub options.
Of course, the hope is that Noah Okafor is back up to speed to provide real thrust out wide. Even then, I’m still left wondering why we aren’t seeing more of Willy Gnonto.
Down to 10 men and digging deep at Crystal Palace wasn’t the time for the Italian, obviously. However, a home game against the Bees might need us to be a fair bit more courageous, especially in our substitutions.
Farke simply has to have learned from his risk-aversion against Sunderland, which ultimately cost us (alongside the refereeing). That means identifying the lack of consistent chance-creation and introducing the likes of Gnonto and others that can upset the balance of matches on their own.
Last time we faced Brentford, I said at 0-0 that the game needed Gnonto. He came on after we went a goal down and delivered a delightful cross to get us back on level terms, turned in by Calvert-Lewin.
Gnonto teaming up with Calvert-Lewin hasn’t been a common occurrence. The one time it bore fruit in the Premier League was against this weekend’s opponents.
0%
Love
0%
Funny
0%
Wow
0%
Sad
0%
Angry
Post navigation