Late-season fatigue is setting in at Leeds United and the summer really cannot come soon enough.
So Tuesday’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough – a result which saw Daniel Farke’s team leapfrog both Burnley and Sheffield United while reclaiming their spot at the Championship summit – could hardly have arrived at a more perfect time.
Amid a gruelling fixture list and the sort of pressure which would break the backs of lesser men, the final five games of a 46-match campaign threaten to make or break Leeds United’s season.
And as Dan James converted Manor Solomon’s second minute cross at the Riverside – the Welshman’s winner delighted an adoring Neil Warnock – this was a result which went a long way to easing some of the tension.
Brenden Aaronson felt ‘dead’ after Leeds United edged to Middlesbrough win
Ao Tanaka was in tears in Leeds’ dressing room at full-time, Farke said.
The emotion of the occasion had been too much for the Japan international, all the pent-up frustration over recent weeks flowing forth.
Brenden Aaronson, meanwhile, was certainly feeling the after-effects of another mega shift as he made way for Joshua Guilavogui in the 91st minute at the Riverside.
A typically tenacious performance from the all-action American, if Tanaka’s tears were a sign of mental fatigue, then Aaronson is being forced to dig deeper than ever from a physical perspective as this marathon season creeps towards it’s conclusion.
“Very happy. I think the team deserved [the win]. I just think it was a great performance,” Aaronson said at full-time, the relief and the exhaustion palpable. “We had to grind it out, we knew [Middlesbrough] would be good with the ball because they are at home.
“It’s difficult at this time of year because teams are grinding for the points. I think we did a good job, with our togetherness we came through.
“I was dead [when I trudged off in stoppage time]! I was also trying to waste a bit of time to be honest with you. I put in a shift. Everybody did. I am proud of the group.”
Aaronson admires tiredness setting in as Leeds eye Championship title
Aaronson returned to the starting XI after being replaced by Willy Gnonto for Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Luton Town.
Arguably few players have epitomised Leeds’ recent struggles more than the £25 million signing from RB Leipzig.
Daniel Farke continues to back Aaronson publicly – it’s fair to say he remains a somewhat divisive figure amidst the Elland Road support – while the man himself believes that those expecting Leeds to play their typical free-flowing style at this stage of the season may be a little misguided.
“If I’m being honest, we are not going to play our best football in a way because we’ve played 40 games and you’re at the end of the season,” Aaronson points out. “Everybody’s bodies might be tired and things like that.
“Just to show that togetherness because things haven’t gone our way, so maybe we are not as confident as we should be, but to stick it out and to get this win, I think it is going to push us on more.”
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