Daniel Farke must unleash ‘fantastic’ Leeds gem vs Tottenham after crushing Dan James blow
Daniel Farke has some serious thinking to do ahead of Leeds United’s upcoming Premier League clash against Tottenham.
Leeds drew 2-2 with Bournemouth to rise to 12th in the league standings after six matches, but the Whites have only avoided defeat once in their last six meetings with their next opponents.
Despite a dramatic rise in performances, which was not expected from any of the three promoted sides, Farke now needs to deal with a fresh injury blow to Leeds’ electric winger, Dan James.
Wales head coach Craig Bellamy confirmed in a press conference that the player had suffered a new setback, seeing him sidelined for weeks, but not months, for club and country.
Brenden Aaronson fails to fill Dan James role for Leeds
While Leeds put up a good fight against Bournemouth on Saturday, 27 September, there were some concerns about individual performances, and unsurprisingly, many were not convinced by Brenden Aaronson.
He did have a total of five shots, but with only one of them on target, he was extremely wasteful, failed to offer much width for the Whites, and only created a single chance at Elland Road [FotMob].
The American international was also dispossessed twice, won just 46 per cent of his ground duels, and picked up a yellow card, highlighting his inability to defend, which could be vital against Tottenham.
With this in mind, Farke could look to his academy players at Thorp Arch as an option to replace the absent James, and there is one name who sticks out due to his talent at both ends of the pitch.
Daniel Farke could hand a debut to Connor Douglas
Connor Douglas, 19, has yet to make his first-team debut, but now could be the perfect opportunity to bring him into the senior squad before going up against Thomas Frank‘s side in a difficult challenge.
Discussing the player with LUTV, Under-21s coach Scott Gardner raved about the young gem, labelling him “fantastic” and “excellent” back in November due to his exploits on the pitch.
He has one goal and two assists in five Premier League 2 appearances so far this season, showcasing his danger in the final third, but his ability to adapt is what could attract Farke this week.
The youngster has deputised at the right-back spot on multiple occasions, most recently in the EFL Trophy, and given how much Jayden Bogle likes to attack, having him for support could be crucial.
Farke has yet to find a winger who can be fully trusted to track back, much like most wingers in the Premier League, but Douglas could offer exactly that, with the youngster wanting to make a positive first impression.
There are very few players at Thorp Arch who can produce the same kind of impact as James, but with the Welshman sidelined for the next few weeks, Douglas could be given his time to shine for the Whites.