Tony Dorigo claims Anton Stach has a ‘brilliant’ attribute he’s just stopped using at Leeds United

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Anton Stach could face a battle for his place in the Leeds United side as he looks to start against Aston Villa in the Premier League.

Leeds United’s form has mirrored that of their midfielder Anton Stach, who enjoyed a bright start to the season.

However, Stach suffered dual injuries, which saw him lose some of his early momentum as Leeds’ Premier League results tailed off.

Stach had a difficult afternoon in the demoralising defeat against Nottingham Forest and could lose his place to Ao Tanaka for the crucial game this weekend.

As the German international struggles for form, former Leeds full-back Tony Dorigo has offered his verdict on an area of his game that Stach needs to retain his place in the Leeds side.

Tony Dorigo pinpoints need for Anton Stach improvement

Speaking on the West Stand Podcast by the Square Ball, Dorigo stated that Stach needs to get back to his aggressive best in the Leeds midfield.

According to Dorigo, Stach was once a prolific tackler for Leeds in the middle of the pitch, but his influence has tailed off in recent weeks as his form has dipped.

Asked whether Leeds are too nice, Dorigo said: “Look at the start of the season, Anton Stach, he started fantastically, some of the tackles he was flying into were brilliant.

“Then Longstaff came in, he can do it as well. But I go back to the Brighton game, the ball was popping around, and we got nowhere near it.

“It’s a quality difference; it’s a patient game. Every now and then, you need to be forceful and try something else. Physicality is something we’ve got, but it’s not something we can use in the modern game.”

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Stats show Leeds United need more from Anton Stach

Stach came to Leeds with a reputation as a midfield disruptor, and this was evident in his early performances.

However, Stach’s defensive output has tailed off in recent weeks as Leeds have been overrun in midfield, particularly away from Elland Road.

According to the data from FRRef, Stach made 10 tackles in his first five games for the club, peaking with three in his goal-scoring performance against Wolves.

However, Stach has made just five tackles in the five subsequent games, including two games in which he failed to make a tackle, against Burnley and Brighton.

Leeds have a clean bill of health ahead of the Villa game, meaning Farke has options to choose from in midfield. If Stach is selected, Leeds need him to be back to his best in a crucial Premier League encounter.