Leeds United cruised to a 3-0 win over Coventry City on Saturday afternoon as The Whites produced their best victory of the season so far, climbing into fifth place.
Goals from Wilfried Gnonto, Jayden Bogle and Joel Piroe saw Leeds ease past Mark Robins’ Coventry, who failed to lay a glove on Leeds throughout the match as Daniel Farke’s side dominated at Elland Road.
Despite the loss of Georginio Rutter, Crysencio Summerville and other attacking players in the summer, Leeds looked more of a rounded side on Saturday than at times last term, when relying on an individual.
Rutter’s exit has been replaced by the return of Brenden Aaronson, but the likes of Gnonto and others have come inside more often in order to replace the creativity of the Frenchman who has joined Brighton.
On a day where Rutter opened his account for Brighton in a 4-2 defeat to Chelsea, Farke explained why he is making one Leeds player more “flexible” in attack following the losses of Rutter and Summerville.
Daniel Farke attempting to make Wilfried Gnonto more flexible
Gnonto got a goal and an assist in what was his best performance of the season. The Italy star brilliantly opened the scoring by allowing Junior Firpo’s cut-back across his body before finding the top corner.
For Leeds’ third, Gnonto was set free on the right by Ao Tanaka and got to the byline before cutting back for Piroe to score his third of the season. Farke says he is trying to make Gnonto more versatile in attack.
“Always the plan with Willy to make him more flexible in his movements. A reaction to our major sales. The plan anyway to be more flexible in our development,” Farke said in his post-match press conference.
Gnonto’s stats from win over Coventry as Leeds, gets best rating
LeedsUnited.News rated Gnonto at a 9/10, Leeds’ best on the day. WhoScored also handed Gnonto a rating of 8.3, just 0.03 above Leeds’ second-best in the form of right-back and goalscorer Bogle.
Gnonto’s stats in win against Coventry:
- Two shots, one goal
- Two key passes, one assist
- One aerial won
- Dispossessed twice, five unsuccessful touches
- 5 fouls
- 20/27 passes
The stats then, are a mixed bag for Gnonto but losing the ball does not always tell the whole story. Indeed, often the best attacking players lose the ball given they are trying to make things happen.
But there is no doubt that Gnonto sparkled with a goal and an assist and notably, no offsides for the Italian on Saturday. Gnonto ranks high for offsides in the Championship but on Saturday, no flag.
With Rutter and Summerville gone, Gnonto has the potential to take on that main-man aura and on Saturday against a side that took five points off Leeds last season, the former Inter man did that.
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