Leeds United will hope they can make up some more ground on the automatic promotion spots in the Championship when they travel to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, a win at Ewood Park would put Daniel Farke’s men within four points of Ipswich Town if Kieran McKenna’s side succumb to a loss away at Middlesbrough.
Confidence will be high in the Whites camp after their 3-2 win last match over Ipswich’s next opponents, Leeds surviving a scare at Elland Road to beat Michael Carrick’s Boro – the Whites nearly slipping up in the game after racing into a confident 3-1 lead.
Leeds’ teenage starlet Archie Gray stood out at the back for Farke’s promotion-chasing team, the 17-year-old winning seven of his 11 duels in the contest to shore up his anxious defence, as per Sofascore.
Where Gray shined, however, Leeds’ usually reliable centre-back and captain Pascal Strujik struggled.
The Dutch defender was bailed out time after time by his more switched-on defensive teammates to ensure Boro didn’t snatch a share of the points, the 24-year-old’s cemented spot in the first team at Elland Road potentially under threat after this below-par day at the office.
Pascal Struijk’s game vs Middlesbrough in numbers
Struijk was way off the pace compared to his usual standards, only winning two of his six duels on the night.
In stark contrast, when Leeds upset the odds and won 1-0 away at Leicester City in early November, the 6 foot 3 defender won 80% of his duels against sterner opposition.
His dire 90 minutes would lead to Leeds Live journalist Beren Cross giving Struijk a sub-standard 5/10 rating in his player rating article after the Boro game was over, describing his individual display as ‘hardly rock solid’, especially in a shaky second half.
The Antwerp-born brute also uncharacteristically gave possession away 12 times in the game, unsuccessfully playing the role of a calm defender when his side needed him to be just that.
Farke could well look to bring back an experienced option ahead of his underperforming Dutchman for the game against the Riversiders consequently, Liam Cooper deserving of a chance in the first-team again ahead of the unconvincing number 21 for the trip to Lancashire.
Liam Cooper’s season in numbers
The Scottish defender is a loyal Elland Road servant, nearly a Whites player for a decade now after joining from Chesterfield in 2014 – going on to make 275 appearances to date for the West Yorkshire giants.
His powers have diminished in recent seasons however as he begins to see out his career, finding his minutes cut this campaign with Farke preferring to start the likes of Struijk over the 32-year-old.
Yet, Cooper has been dependable for the Whites when called into action this season.
Labelled as “Mr Reliable” by former Leeds United player and current football pundit Michael Bridges for his useful role in the team still, the £25k per week man – as per Capology – could slot in to replace Struijk at Ewood Park and fill in competently against Jon Dahl Tomasson’s men.
The experienced asset notably impressed when Leeds had to settle for a draw at Rotherham United in their last away match, winning eight duels in total during the game at the New York Stadium.
Moreover, the physically dominant defender was also composed on the ball against the relegation-threatened Millers – accurate with 108 of his passes in the game.
Farke could start Cooper to show to Struijk that his spot isn’t set in stone in the starting eleven, demanding that all of his players step their performance levels up in a bid to win promotion or face the chop.
