Leeds United were held to a draw away at West Bromwich Albion in their second Championship game of the season.
Following on from last weekend’s 3-3 thriller at home against promoted Portsmouth, the stalemate was a steadying of the ship after the disappointing midweek defeat to Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup.
As life without Georginio Rutter began in the 0-0 draw at The Hawthorns, The Athletic picks out three big talking points for Leeds.
Is there a Rutter-shaped hole in the team?
Quite simply: yes. Rutter was not the perfect player but he made Leeds better. Official confirmation of Rutter’s departure is a formality but his presence was sorely missed in an attritional game against West Brom. Neither side created gilt-edged chances — they had equal expected goals figure of 0.7 each — and Leeds were not at their best in attack without their Brighton-bound No 10.
This was Joel Piroe’s opportunity to show he could fill the gap left by Rutter but his performance lacked a ‘wow’ factor. The Dutchman was too easily dispossessed and did not add the same drive in attack. While Rutter could be frustrating to watch, his link play between the midfielders and the forwards is what made him a threat.
West Brom set up to stop Leeds from playing. Their extra man in midfield dropped into the back line to form a back five whenever Farke’s team were in possession. United did not have the key to unlock the Albion defence.
“We were thinking about different options (for the No 10 role),” Farke said. “Joe (Rothwell) drops back a bit and gives you more possession in deeper areas for example. With his mobility he is flexible. Brenden (Aaronson) is a bit more like the guy who takes players on one against one and a movement out of this position was a topic. Joel has played several really good games for us there.
“Joel is more or less in this loose striker role, that is how he interprets it. Not so much as a No 10 but like a deeper-lying, loose striker. He is not shining like a mobile No 10 who runs around full of creativity with pass after pass but he gives something clinical from this position in finishing. This is what we were missing a bit in the last days and weeks. We want to reward him for his patience because he is always working hard and patient. Georginio Rutter was playing ahead of him although Joel is one of the best goal scorers in the last three years, I wanted to reward him with my trust and backing.”
Has Jayden Bogle had a tricky start to life at Leeds?
After bright displays in pre-season it has not been plain sailing for new right-back Jayden Bogle at Leeds. He conceded a penalty late in the game against Portsmouth to hand them a 3-2 lead before Aaronson’s equaliser rescued a point. And he had a shaky start against West Brom with a few misplaced passes, including one that put goalkeeper Illan Meslier under pressure.
Bogle offers plenty in attack but in defence there is still more work to do. After first-half wobbles, the 24-year-old settled into the game and had a better handle on Albion winger Tom Fellows, who was a tricky opponent to keep quiet. Building confidence on the back of a bruising season in the Premier League with Sheffield United will be key and as he settles into Leeds life, Bogle has done the hard work of impressing his manager.
Bogle battling for the ball on Saturday (Adam Fradgley/West Bromwich Albion FC via Getty Images)
“You could see this in the first half (that he had a difficult game against Portsmouth),” Farke said. “Normally he is really good in going forwards. On a few occasions where he could speed up the game, he chose two or three times a back pass or it was a bit soon. But he came out of a difficult season last season, he has lost many games and that does something to the confidence.
“He came here and had a really good pre-season but the start was not easy for him because he was involved in two goals (conceded) in the last home game. It was his first experience to have a difficult week with us and he’s a new player so he is a bit more under the spotlight. I’m pleased with how he fought his way back during this game more and more into it. In the second half, he was top in his defending and showed some of his skills going forward. There’s even more to come but it was an important step for him.”
Are Leeds treading water until signings arrive?
At times it looked like United were playing for a draw against a well-organised Albion side who also achieved a top-six finish last season. Bouncing back from Wednesday night was crucial and on the whole, Leeds looked stronger at the back — reflected in a well-earned clean sheet.
Until new signings arrive it could be a case of Leeds muddling through with a small squad. As West Brom tested the back line from corners and long throw-ins courtesy of Darnell Furlong, United limited their opponents even if they lacked firepower in attack. Farke remained committed to the formation despite losing key players — getting the right replacements to fulfil those roles feels vital to continuing with a 4-2-3-1.
Landing targets soon so that Farke is not left treading water is important with two more league games to go before the end of the window.
“We have a bit more time in the next days to concentrate on this topic (signings) but we have really good people who support us and help behind the scenes,” Farke said. “I can’t just run around with my own wallet and pay the players so I’m relying on our key people in the club to be there with the right decisions.
“We have many experienced people for negotiations and contracts. I can concentrate on football and I am really blessed with having so many good people.”
What next for Leeds?
United have nearly a full week to recover and reset before a trip to play Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night at 8pm (3pm ET), which will be shown on Sky Sports.
(Top photo: Getty Images)
