Daniel Farke is absolutely spoilt for choice for attacking options at Leeds United when everyone is available.
Despite Farke’s disappointment at Leeds’ failure to sign a number 10, he does have two players for each position in that front four.
Mateo Joseph, Wilfried Gnonto, Brenden Aaronson and Largie Ramazani was Farke‘s chosen quartet at Cardiff City, but with Patrick Bamford, Manor Solomon, Joel Piroe and Dan James also in the squad, he has so many options.
It is going to be difficult for Farke to choose his strongest Leeds attack when they’re all fully fit, but perhaps the one area they are lacking depth is attacking midfield.
Behind Aaronson, Leeds don’t really have a natural replacement. Piroe has started there many times before, but it rarely works and his best role seems to be coming off the bench and killing matches.
Wilfried Gnonto sends message to Farke at Leeds
Unfortunately, it may not be long until Farke is forced into a change at number 10. Leeds’ first game after the next international break is on a Friday night against Sheffield United, yet Aaronson is due to play away in Mexico during the early hours of Wednesday morning.
As such, Aaronson simply has no time to recover and get over the likely jet lag. Farke is going to have to find a replacement that is not Piroe. Gnonto may be that man.
Gnonto has started on the right in Leeds’ last three matches, but showed his best form in the first three when playing off the left.
Particularly against Sheffield Wednesday, Gnonto was given that freedom to drift inside and his performance in that role prompted Owls boss Danny Rohl to hail him as ‘unbelievable’.
In an interview with BBC Radio Leeds this week, Gnonto was asked where he feels his best position actually is and responded by saying he can play in every position within Farke’s front four.
He said: “I think it is difficult to say. I try to play in every position knowing my qualities and using them as much as I can. It can be on the right, left, middle or striker, I don’t really care.
“At the end with our players and the way we play, there is a lot of movement, always moving into different positions. I know maybe the right position some people can say it is not my best, but I try to do it with my qualities. In the end I am always comfortable on the pitch.”
Farke could get even more out of Gnonto at Leeds
There is no doubt Gnonto has the ability to play in all four positions across the front, but there is one he excels in and it is a shame Farke does not see it.
All of Gnonto’s best football for Leeds, including in the Premier League, came off the left. Yet Farke continues to move him on the right to accommodate others.
Gnonto even said himself he knows people think the right-hand-side isn’t his best, so surely Farke is aware of that as well.
Leeds will be at their strongest this season when the attack is centred around Gnonto playing in his best position, but whether Farke does that, remains to be seen.
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