Ao Tanaka was handed his first start for Leeds United on Tuesday night with Daniel Farke’s side suffering from a bit of an injury crisis as the Championship schedule ramps up.
Leeds secured a solid point away from home having gone behind to Josh Sargent’s first-half penalty. Joe Rodon dived in on the American and there were no complaints when Stephen Martin pointed to the spot.
Sargent got up and scored the penalty, a spot-kick that was not right in the corner and perhaps, stopper Illan Meslier will feel disappointed he did not keep out. Norwich took a 1-0 lead into the half-time break.
Leeds looked more vigorous in attack after the break and Wilfried Gnonto, having hit the post himself in the first half, picked up a superb position and fed Largie Ramazani to score his second goal for Leeds.
It ended 1-1, a result that was pretty fair and both sides can be happy with that. Especially, if Leeds go to high-flyers Sunderland on Friday night and win. If they do, Ao Tanaka will be crucial to a possible victory.
Jon Newsome verdict on Ao Tanaka’s first start for Leeds United
With Ethan Ampadu out until the new year, Tanaka was handed his first start at Carrow Road after a few impressive cameos and certainly on Saturday, a really impressive hour on the pitch for Daniel Farke’s men.
On Tuesday night, it was a difficult game to get going. But Tanaka kept the ball well, rotating possession and putting his body on the line and Newsome told BBC Radio Leeds that the Japan star will be happy.
“I thought Tanaka did okay. Maybe a little bit backwards and sideways too much, but he keeps possession and that’s his game. You can see where he has come from,” former Leeds man Newsome said, on Tanaka.
“Kept us ticking over but I’d like him to probe and look forward a little more like Rothwell, but he will be sat in the changing room and be happy with his full debut and there is more to come from him,” he said.
Tanaka’s stats as Leeds draw with Norwich, he’s now crucial
Tanaka’s importance in this Leeds side has just gone up another notch following Ampadu’s injury, but also Ilia Gruev going off inside the first 20 minutes. Tanaka is one of the first names on the Leeds teamsheet.
Tanaka stats during first start for Leeds at Norwich:
- 80 touches (third best behind Rodon and Pascal Struijk)
- 90.8% passing rate (third best behind Rodon and Struijk)
- Three tackles (joint first with Jayden Bogle)
- One interception, one clearance, one foul
- 60/65 passes completed
It will be interesting to see what Farke does when Leeds go to Sunderland on Friday night. Whether he just lumps Tanaka and Rothwell in midfield together, or he chooses to use Brenden Aaronson differently.
Maybe bringing the American back slightly and having Rothwell and Aaronson as two no.8’s alongside the pivot of Tanaka. But this is not his normal role and indeed, playing as an 8 suits Tanaka much more.
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