Joe Rothwell’s arrival at Leeds United first went unnoticed, but his pre-season exploits have gradually gained the attention of impressed supporters.
Leeds’ July began on a shaky note, with Archie Gray leaving for Tottenham and Glen Kamara joining shortly after.
In an attempt to reinvest in the midfield, Leeds signed Joe Rothwell on loan from Bournemouth after aiding Southampton to promotion last season.
Joe Rothwell begins to impress during Leeds’ pre-season.
Rothwell was regarded as an unimpressive signing as the club sought to address a lack of choices and attacking talent in midfield.
However, his loan move from Bournemouth has provided Leeds with a profile they desperately needed in the squad, someone more adept in advanced positions than they had last season – with no goals in 46 regular Championship games from the four main options, whereas Rothwell scored four in half a season for the Saints.
His pre-season games against Harrogate, Hannover, and Schalke demonstrated that he fits in nicely and might be a promising starter for Leeds come August.
If pre-season friendlies are any indication, Leeds’ high-pressing system without the ball appears to have improved slightly, with Farke giving his double pivot more freedom to pinch higher, playing into Rothwell and co’s strengths even more.
Rothwell’s set-piece expertise had already demonstrated in Leeds’ pre-season.
Last season, almost every set piece Leeds won elicited moans as the ball went into the first man, right into the ‘keeper’s gloves, or was easily cleared.
That fundamental deficit is seen in the club’s goalscoring from set plays, which totaled eight this season, with only two teams scoring fewer from dead balls.
Given Leeds’ average of six corners and 13 free kicks per game, it’s a poor performance that Rothwell could help to improve.
Both goals against Schalke came from set plays, the first a deep free kick that Rothwell was eager to take, playing a one-two with Pascal Struijk before clipping a wonderful ball to Jayden Bogle, who scored for Mateo Joseph:
Rothwell was again on corner duty, providing several threatening whipped crosses in both halves but scoring 2-0 with a fast pass to Georginio Rutter, who turned and crossed to Joel Piroe at the back post.
Leeds’ lack of quality from set plays may be attributed to a few factors: poor delivery, poor finishing, and a concerning lack of imagination – Rothwell is unable to take and finish set pieces, but he is determined to improve the side’s delivery and creativity.
