Rothwell helps Leeds United forget about Ampadu after what he did v Sheffield United
Joe Rothwell was in stellar form for Leeds United in their Championship game against Sheffield United on Friday, even getting himself an assist.
The Whites triumphed over their Yorkshire rivals 2-0 at Elland Road on 18 October to further show that they mean business this season.
Daniel Farke’s men are currently undergoing a bit of an injury crisis in their midfield with Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev both sidelined for extended periods.
This has meant that Ao Tanaka and Rothwell have both been called upon to fulfil the roles for now and so far, things have gone smoothly.
Rothwell’s game against Chris Wilder’s men on Friday was a particularly good performance from the 29-year-old and he showed why Farke brought him in.
Joe Rothwell helps Leeds United forget about Ethan Amapdu
Since the end of the summer transfer window, many fans were worried about Leeds’ lack of depth in midfield.
As a result of the injuries to Ampadu and Gruev, the West Yorkshire outfit have been linked with several free-agent transfers such as Cheikhou Kouyate and former Arsenal man Francis Coquelin [Fabrizio Romano, 18 October]. However, nothing has yet come to fruition.
If Rothwell’s outing against the Blades is anything to go off, however, Leeds may not even need to dip into the free-agent market.
As per Sofascore, the midfielder played the full 90 minutes of the clash, had 78 touches of the ball and even managed to maintain a pass accuracy of 92 per cent.
Three of the 59 accurate passes he has in the clash were deemed as key passes with one even leading to Leeds’ first goal of the clash.
Rothwell attempted seven long balls in the game and 100 per cent of them reached their target.
The midfielder’s attacking prowess was no doubt a sight to behold but his defensive work in the game also stood out.
He blocked one shot, made three interceptions and was only dribbled past twice. While the last statistic may seem worrying, the fact he played the full 90 minutes and was at the centre of the action for the entirety of that time, makes the number seem far less damning.
There’s still a decent amount of time left until Ampadu returns to full fitness of course, but, if Rothwell can keep up this level of form, the West Yorkshire outfit might not feel his absence too much and could potentially hold out until the Welshman’s return rather than wasting their money on a free-agent.
In other Leeds news, Don Goodman has shared his thoughts on the Whites’ performance against Sheffield United.
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