We are now five games into the Premier League season, and had Daniel Farke been offered seven points from a possible 15, the Leeds United manager would have jumped at it.
So would most Leeds fans. Wins against Everton and now Wolves, a draw with Newcastle and then losses against Arsenal and Fulham, when the latter should really have ended in a 0-0 stalemate in West London.
Nevertheless, a solid start. Leeds need to average a point a game if they are to avoid the drop come next May and right now, they are more than on track. Especially, having inflicted a fifth loss in five on Wolves.
But the Premier League circus has come to an end following the result of Arsenal against Manchester City, and it returns for a sixth time next weekend. Leeds are at home, taking on Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth.
Jon Newsome asked if he would start Jaka Bijol v Bournemouth
While there is plenty of success for Farke and Leeds, especially after Anton Stach, Noah Okafor and Dom Calvert-Lewin all opened their account on Saturday, there will be a handful of players feeling frustrated.
This is the first time in Jaka Bijol’s career that he finds himself out of a starting line-up. The £15m signing from Udinese was suspended for the first game and subsequently, Pascal Struijk has made a superb start.
Jon Newsome was asked after the win against Wolves, if he would bring Bijol into the side to play against Bournemouth: “I don’t know why you’d give Bijol a game. I know you’ve paid big money for him.
“What are you going to do – drop Struijk or Rodon? I think the centre-backs have been great this season. Okay, Arsenal. But I think they were massively exposed. No, I don’t think I would [bring Bijol in],” he said.
What Daniel Farke said about Jaka Bijol ahead of Wolves clash
It is now five Premier League games and Bijol is yet to start. One of Serie A’s best centre-backs last term, Bijol joined for what was deemed a bargain fee of £15m to land a player so effective in the air in Italy.
But Bijol could easily be frustrated over his lack of game time. Farke was asked about Bijol in the press conference ahead of Wolves: “For us, he is a marquee signing. We are, I am, 100% convinced with Jaka.”
With Leeds out of the Carabao Cup, Bijol is realistically going to have to wait until Struijk or Rodon pick up an injury. Judging by Struijk’s injury record under Farke, Bijol might not be waiting for very long.
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