Leeds United got back to winning ways at Cardiff City on Saturday, but the manner of the victory will probably not see Daniel Farke silence all of his critics and doubters after an underwhelming start to the season.
While Daniel Farke had a lot of credit in the bank during his first season due to the circumstances he walked into when he arrived at Elland Road, the pressure is arguably on to deliver promotion this season with Leeds boasting enough talent to be in the mix once again.
Leeds have won three of their first six games, but the style of football has been far from exhilarating. One of the most worrying aspects of the recent defeat to Burnley was the way the players were passing the ball around the back in stoppage-time when the Whites needed an equaliser.
One of those who did not cover himself in glory in that game was Ilia Gruev. With Ethan Ampadu back in midfield at the start of this season, the £4 million Bulgarian has had more freedom to get forward. And it was notable that he had a couple of attempts on goal in the early stages of the win over Cardiff.
Jon Newsome admits concern about Ilia Gruev despite Leeds win
But questions about whether Leeds need both Ampadu and Gruev in the side have come to the fore in recent weeks, with the pair scoring one league goal between them since the start of last season. It is just as alarming that they have provided a combined two assists.
Speaking on BBC Radio Leeds (broadcast on 21/9 from 17:00), Jon Newsome suggested that there are definitely problems to address if Farke is going to persist with the pairing.
“Sometimes I scratch my head because, I know it’s a long time since I played football obviously, so probably a bit like a dinosaur, but midfield players did everything. Midfield players could defend, could tackle, could get in the box; okay, you had some who were exceptional at being defensive midfielders, that kind of thing, but really the two men in the middle of the park did everything,” he said.
“I get it, I don’t think Ethan Ampadu is particularly negative. I think he sits in there, does a really good job for us. My worry or my concern is that Gruev drops way too deep at times. Sometimes, he’s playing alongside your centre-backs and I just think that, at times, is a little too negative for me.”
Ao Tanaka’s chance is surely coming with Leeds yet to hit top gear
In fairness to Gruev, you do get the feeling that he is following orders when he drops into that third centre-back position – perhaps opening the door for the likes of Jayden Bogle and Junior Firpo to drive down the flanks. The problem seems to be that Leeds are then struggling to move the ball through the lines, particularly when teams attempt to frustrate the Whites by keeping their shape.
Fans have had glimpses of Ao Tanaka following his summer move, and there will be excitement to see him get more opportunities, particularly if Leeds continue to struggle to capture the imagination.
The problem for Gruev is Ampadu is the captain, so if Farke does decide to make a change in the middle of the park, it is likely to be the former Werder Bremen man who loses his place – especially as Farke has rarely deviated from his favoured system since being appointed.
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