Tony Pulis commends Daniel Farke as Leeds fans completely ignored vs Aston Villa
Daniel Farke has very few fighters in his corner as Leeds United circle the drain in the battle for Premier League safety this season.
After Leeds lost 2-1 to Aston Villa, the club have dropped into the relegation zone, below 17th-place West Ham on goal difference, though Nuno Espirito Santo‘s side have hit a purple patch recently.
Scoring has certainly been an issue for the Whites, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring just once since arriving, and now being replaced by Lukas Nmecha in the starting lineup.
Farke could be sacked by Leeds in just two games, Football Insider understands, if his side fails to pick up any points against Man City and Chelsea, and that is a huge challenge for the Whites.
While it is unclear who could be in the lineup after injuries to Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach, the manager has made it clear that Brenden Aaronson is a trusted player, despite what fans may think.
Daniel Farke continues to defend Brenden Aaronson against angry fans
Writing for BBC Sport (28 November), Tony Pulis has praised the manager, saying: “Football management is not a job where you should bow to public opinion like that, so I was pleased to see Farke stick with Brenden Aaronson against Villa, when many Leeds supporters have made it clear they don’t believe he should be in the team.
“Any manager who is worth his salt will have the understanding and belief to back his own judgment. Farke has said he will not pick players on the back of public pressure.
“And, although everyone will have views about who they would select or not, any manager – successful or not – must always stand or fall on his own decisions with individual player choice, team shape and identity.”
The USA international has appeared in all 12 of Leeds’ Premier League fixtures so far, starting nine of them, and notching two goal contributions in that time.
Aaronson’s Premier League campaign by numbers so far
As well as his one goal and one assist, in 794 minutes of football, the midfielder has created 11 chances, completed 10 dribbles, won 22 fouls, and won a total of 60 duels [FotMob].
While some fans will continue to argue against the player’s involvement in the team, it cannot be denied that he has a meaningful impact when he’s on the pitch.
According to FBref, he ranks in the 99th percentile for tackles, 95th percentile for blocks, and 93rd percentile for interceptions, clearly having a bigger impact in challenges than he does in the final third.
The 25-year-old had to work extra hard to earn back the fans’ respect, having jumped ship when Leeds were relegated back to the Championship, but he played his role in the promotion last term.
Despite all of the outside noise, Farke continues to trust him. Whether that backfires or not, only time will tell as the clock ticks down on his tenure at Elland Road.