Leeds United returned to the summit of the Championship last night after a hard-fought 1-0 win against Derby County at Pride Park.
The meeting was one of very little quality throughout, that was until the 79th minute when a beautiful team move saw Brenden Aaronson slot home, securing three more crucial points for Daniel Farke’s side.
The victory now makes it six games unbeaten in the league for the Whites, winning 15 games as the campaign enters the second half, with the supporters dreaming of a return to the Premier League come the end of May.
However, last night’s win was a reminder that there’s no such thing as an easy three points in England’s second tier, as Leeds had to wait until late on in the encounter to finally break the resistance of the Rams.
Such a performance will undoubtedly please the Whites boss, but numerous players were disappointing throughout, potentially putting their starting roles at risk in the near future.
Leeds’ poor performers against Derby County
Centre-back Joe Rodon has been a crucial factor in the club’s success in the Championship to date, featuring in every single outing to date under Farke’s guidance.
However, the Welshman didn’t enjoy his finest performance of the season, but still managed to play his part in a backline that kept its 14th clean sheet of the campaign.
The 27-year-old was unable to win any of the tackles that he entered, winning just three of the eight duels he entered, whether that be on the ground or aerially.
Winger Largie Ramazani was handed his first start since the middle of October in the East Midlands last night, but his lack of first-team minutes was evident, looking rusty for large parts during his 72 minutes on the pitch.
The Belgian completed none of his nine attempted crosses, also losing possession 19 times, the most of any Leeds player, often looking wasteful and off the pace within the final third.
He also only won 40% of his duels, and missed one big chance, which could’ve tilted the game in the Whites’ favour had he fired home his opportunity in front of goal.
Despite his failure to impress on his return to action, there was another starter who lacked the desired impact during the win, highlighting the potential need for improvement ahead of January.
The Leeds player who was as bad as Ramazani against Derby
Striker Mateo Joseph was handed a recall to the starting lineup ahead of Joel Piroe despite the Dutchman netting twice in the Boxing Day victory over Stoke City.
The Spaniard had real expectations placed on his shoulders to be the man to lead the line in 2024/25, but so far has shown no evidence of yet being able to fill such a void – with last night’s display no different.
Joseph, who’s still only 21 years of age, featured for 71 minutes before being replaced, somehow not being withdrawn before he was given his lack of impact during his time on the pitch.
Minutes played
71
Touches
24
Passes completed
8/10 (80%)
Duels lost
8/9 (89%)
Shots taken
3
Big chances missed
1
Possession lost
6x
He only registered a total of 24 touches during his display, completing just eight passes in the process – leading to his eventual substitution.
The attacker also won just one of his nine duels that he entered, losing 89%, whilst firing numerous efforts well over the goal, highlighting
his wasteful nature in recent months.
As a result, he was handed a 5/10 match rating by Leeds Live journalist Jack Flintham, further demonstrating how disappointing he was given his recall to the starting eleven.
To rub salt in the wounds for the youngster, replacement Piroe came on and set up the winner for Aaronson, which will undoubtedly damage his chances of retaining the striker role ahead of the clash against Blackburn Rovers on New Year’s Day.
In 2024/25, Joseph has only managed to score twice in the Championship, averaging a goal every 12 games he’s featured in – a record simply not good enough for a player who wants to be a regular starter.
Given his form, Farke may be tempted to dip into the transfer market in January, but one thing is for sure, such an outing must see him lose his place ahead of the next Championship outing.
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