It was a nervy night at Elland Road as Leeds United welcomed Watford to Yorkshire, winning all three points but limping over the finish line to secure a sixth Championship win.
Following the international break and last Friday’s 2-0 win over Sheffield United, Daniel Farke might have been forgiven for making some changes to his Leeds side. But he chose to name an unchanged line-up.
It looked to begin with at least, that it would pay off. Two goals inside the first eight minutes from Largie Ramazani and Brenden Aaronson, both netting their third goals of the season, saw Leeds take a 2-0 lead.
But Watford grew as the game went on, with Leeds tiring. The Hornets scored a goal early in the second half through Kwadwo Baah and Leeds had to weather a Watford storm for the next 20 or so minutes.
Stuart Dallas says Joe Rothwell is giving Daniel Farke a headache
But Leeds held on and in the last 15 minutes, The Whites should really have scored another goal or two. Mateo Joseph missed a guilt-edged chance after a wonderful cross from fellow substitute Dan James.
Joe Rothwell was superb against Sheffield United, but on Tuesday he might not have played as he might have liked. Rothwell may have been a little bit jaded, given he is churning out 90-minute performances.
Something he hasn’t done for the last couple of years. Speaking to LUTV’s Matchday Live ahead of the game, Dallas said Rothwell was “tremendous” against Sheffield United and is giving Farke a headache.
“With these two in midfield, we’re a bit more progressive [compared to Ampadu and Gruev]. We’re playing forward quicker. We know what job Ampadu and Gruev can do. They’ve been fantastic,” he said.
“This just gives the manager a headache. Tanaka got MOTM [against Sheffield United] but Rothwell was outstanding. He can slow it down when he wants, can speed it up when he wants. He was tremendous.”
Joe Rothwell offers so much more than llia Gruev in midfield
With Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev, Ampadu sat and Gruev was asked to be that transitional no.6 in the middle of the park. That is the role Rothwell is playing in, and it is suiting the on-loan star to a tee.
Rothwell stats for Leeds United vs Watford:
- Three key passes [Leeds’ best]
- Two tackles
- Two interceptions [Leeds’ second best]
- 36 successful passes, 42 attempted passes
- Four successful crosses, nine attempted crosses
- Four successful long balls, six attempted long balls
Rothwell also adds that ability from set-pieces, helping Leeds end an eight-month wait for a goal from a corner against Sheffield United. A corner that Daniel Farke said Rothwell had been working on in training.
Farke also believes Rothwell can chip in with goals, and if he can do that then by the time Gruev does return from injury, it is easy to imagine the on-loan Bournemouth man keeping his spot in the starting XI.
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