Leeds United’s man of the moment is Ao Tanaka with the Japan star winning his new club’s October Player of the Month award, but David Prutton has overlooked the summer signing.
Tanaka has come in to the side after injuries to Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu. It has seen the £3.4m star start the last eight Championship games, the first of which coming in the 1-1 draw away at Norwich City.
The Japan star has since gone on to shine as the defensive pivot in Daniel Farke’s 4-2-3-1 signing. Farke had tried to sign Tanaka 12 months earlier at Leeds, and it is clear to see why with his impressive form.
David Prutton picked his Championship Team of the Season so far ahead of the return to action after the November break, and Prutton included only Pascal Struijk in the team from Farke’s promotion chasers.
David Prutton overlooks Ao Tanaka for Leeds academy product
Prutton included players like Sheffield United’s goalkeeper Michael Cooper, Sunderland’s Trai Hume and strikers Josh Maja and Haji Wright. There was no place for Joe Rodon, Illan Meslier or Wilfried Gnonto.
Tanaka was also overlooked by the former Leeds midfielder when picking his Championship Team of the Season. He instead, included Thorp Arch product Alex Mowatt, who is impressing under Carlos Corberan.
Prutton told Sky Sports: “The different managers he’s worked under have helped to create a really nicely rounded player. Corberan will be working every single minute of every day to be as good as they can.”
Alex Mowatt compared with Ao Tanaka this season as duo shine
Mowatt came through the Leeds academy to play 125 times at senior level for his boyhood club, having a hand in 26 goals for the Yorkshire outfit. He left in January 2017 under Garry Monk, to join Barnsley.
He has since gone on to play for Oxford United, Middlesbrough and now West Brom where another old Leeds face Corberan is getting the best out of him. This season, Mowatt already has three league goals.
| Name | Club | Games/Minutes | Wins | G+A | Passing | Tackles/duels | Interceptions/blocks |
| Ao Tanaka | Leeds | 12 games 8 starts 778 minutes | 7 | 0 | 646 successful passes (91.5%) | 12 tackles won 40 duels won | 13 interceptions 4 blocks |
| Alex Mowatt | West Brom | 15 games 14 starts 1254 minutes | 6 | 3 | 887 successful passes (90%) | 17 tackles won 61 duels won | 11 interceptions 3 blocks |
Tanaka has played a slightly more defensive role than Mowatt this season. However, when Ethan Ampadu returns to the side, Tanaka may find he is pushed further forward with Ampadu always likely to start.
Daniel Farke does have a decision to make in his midfield when all four are fit however, whether that be Ilia Gruev or Joe Rothwell starting for Leeds. Tanaka though, is arguably Leeds’ best player at the moment.
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