Leeds United were halfway to completing their comeback as Morgan Fox turned the ball into his own net 40 minutes into Saturday’s 2-2 draw away to Queens Park Rangers at Loftus Road.
But it was a decision Daniel Farke would make only moments later – during the interval – which would arguably prove to be an even greater turning point.
The ironic cheers were audible as Brenden Aaronson was replaced at the break. Farke had spoken out in support for Leeds’ America international a few days earlier. But, as he once again struggled to make an influence in the first half while gift-wrapping Koki Saito’s opener with a loose pass in his own penalty area, the manager’s patience appeared to run out.
Willy Gnonto came on for Leeds United in Aaronson’s place.
And it did not pass the Leeds fans by that Farke’s attack looked a lot more effective with Gnonto driving the team forward, even from an unfamiliar number ten position.
Daniel Farke hails Willy Gnonto as Leeds United substitute shines in QPR draw
Gnonto has only started 20 of Leeds’ 38 league games this season. Manor Solomon and Dan James have the wide spots nailed down, meaning opportunities have been pretty sparse of late.
Yet, as Gnonto played an entire half of football for the first time since Leeds beat Preston North End in mid-December and made a notable difference in Aaronson’s absence, the clamour for a larger role in the run-in will only grow.
“I was convinced Willy would make this impact,” Farke says. “I was thinking about Gnonto to play from the beginning. If [Ilia] Gruev had played, I may have done.
“Because we had two ballers in midfield, I wanted Brenden Aaronson to run about.
“[Gnonto in the past] didn’t convince too much at number ten. [Now] he is learning more to create situations in the centre. Perhaps not in his pressing but he played a decisive pass for the equaliser.”
Aaronson’s work rate is a major reason why Farke likes him
That is the one thing Brenden Aaronson has over Willy Gnonto. The former may lack the latter’s talent, but even Aaronson’s most fierce critics could not question his work rate.
Gnonto mustered more shots, had more touches and a better pass completion rate than Aaronson did before his half-time hooking at QPR, though.
Farke admits he maybe should have started Ilia Gruev in order to add some steel while giving his attackers more freedom, though Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell did step up their game after the break as the tide turned in Leeds’ favour.
“We had to take the risk a little bit and go even more for it,” Farke adds when discussing the decision to bring on Gnonto at 2-1 down.
“Thank God Ao and Joe were much more on it than in the first-half. This allowed [more freedom for] Willy, in a new position for him. He has played in this position a few times for us but not that successfully so far. Today, I think he was really good.
“He played an excellent pass before we equalised and was important for our game.
“Obviously, we had to take a bit more risk perhaps with a player who is not that good with the work rate without the ball, like Brenden Aaronson.”
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