Following Wednesday’s 2-0 win at Coventry City, Leeds United moved five points clear of the Championship leaders, and Daniel Farke emphasized the significance of keeping his squad fresh.
Fortunately for a coach eager to exorcise the ghosts of last season’s play-off defeat, Leeds United have a roster that most second-tier managers can only dream of.
Willy Gnonto and Largie Ramazani started on the bench at Coventry, with Dan James and Manor Solomon in the XI. This, as they say, is the type of greed discussed in the Bible.
Joe Rothwell was benched in favor of Ilia Gruev in the West Midlands.
Former France, Atletico Madrid, and Wolfsburg enforcer Joshua Guilavogui came on in the dying minutes – Frank Lampard put rivalries aside to declare Leeds ‘the best team in the league’ – while the returning Pascal Struijk may face a fight to reclaim his place after Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu kept another clean sheet.
Albeit that owed much to their goalkeeper; Illan Meslier pulled off a ‘world-class’ save to thwart Ellis Simms cutting the deficit early in the second-half.
While Sam Byram is on a stunning, record-breaking run of 22 games without defeat – the title favourites have not lost with him on the pitch since Burnley in September – Leeds’ lucky charm was replaced by Junior Firpo, who returned from a six-week layoff.
Michael Bridges hails ‘excellent’ Junior Firpo, Leeds United’s left-back in top form
While Farke is old enough to understand that this is a team game – Leeds need more than 11 players to get through a difficult season – Byram’s possibilities may be limited from now until May.
Provided Firpo can avoid returning to the treatment table.
When he came on as a substitute against Norwich City last month, the former Barcelona star had an immediate impact. It was his first appearance in seven games.
Junior Firpo returned to the starting lineup and contributed a hat-trick of assists as Leeds ran wild against Cardiff City, recording their biggest Elland Road victory in 53 years.
Four days later, the £13 million guy was less influential in Coventry. However, speaking after a result that moves Leeds closer to the promised land, former Whites striker Michael Bridges believes that the benefits of including a left-footer in Firpo – rather than the naturally right-sided Byram – are a major reason why their last two games have ended with a 9-0 aggregate scoreline.
“That’s the joy, that’s the attacking style we play; the front three being combined into a front five with the full-backs,” Bridges beams after another powerful, free-flowing Leeds performance.
“Junior Firpo gives us as much better balance on that left-hand side.”
Firpo is now joint-top of Leeds’ assist charts, alongside Dan James and Manor Solomon.
Firpo pushed high and wide once more against a resurgent Coventry. His positioning, along with that of the equally devastating Jayden Bogle on the opposite flank, is critical in allowing Dan James and Manor Solomon to drift between the lines and dash in behind.
“We all admire Sammy Byram for the work that he does. [Byram is Leeds’]. Mr. Reliable. But, going forward, Firpo and Bogle are absolutely excellent full-backs to help,” Bridges says.
“Teams are absolutely scared stiff of us at this moment in time.”
Firpo has six assists in the Championship this season. Five more than Byram has had in a comparable number of starts. In fact, only James and Solomon have contributed more goals for their Leeds teammates.
Bogle, meanwhile, scored his fourth league goal of the season in midweek after a daring run from near the halfway line. With three months left in the season, the former Sheffield United player is already having the most productive season of his career.
