Leeds United fans spotted Brenden Aaronson doing something unexpected against Aston Villa as they took aim at Daniel Farke after the game.
Daniel Farke is facing serious pressure over his future at Leeds after a run of five defeats in six games has seen his team slip into the Premier League relegation places.
Fans criticised the Leeds boss for his decision to stick with Brenden Aaronson for their crucial game against Aston Villa, and that anger was evident during the game.
Leeds fans chanted for Farke to substitute the American international in the second half, but were perplexed when Ao Tanaka was substituted instead.
Now, fans have continued to criticise Farke online, having spotted Aaronson make his way to the touchline when Leeds made their first set of changes, only to be sent back into the action.
Which position do Leeds United need to strengthen most in January?
Explain why!
Leeds United fans criticise Daniel Farke’s Brenden Aaronson decision
Posting on the social media site X (formerly Twitter), one eagle-eyed fan spotted the moment that Aaronson nearly subbed himself off, only to realise that it was Tanaka who would be withdrawn.
The fan went on to criticise Farke’s decision, as they wrote: “Aaronson knew he was poor. When Villa took off their number 11, he ran all the way across the pitch to come off.
“Yet Farke is the only one who thought it was worth keeping him on and took off the best performing midfielder in Tanaka instead.”
Although Farke later revealed that Tanaka was close to being sent off, several fans still took issue with the substitution, as one fan added: “I will never understand Daniel Farke. How can you watch this second half and sub off Tanaka instead of Aaronson?”
Brenden Aaronson’s stats for Leeds in defeat to Villa
- 80 mins played, 6.4 FotMob rating (third-worst of Leeds’ starting players)
- XG+XA: 0.34, seven defensive contributions
- 1/3 shots on target, 1/5 successful dribbles
- 38 touches, 17/20 successful passes
- Two tackles, five recoveries
- Five duels won, eight lost
This view was backed by another fan who argued: “I’ve often stuck up for Farke and think some of the criticism harsh, but taking Tanaka off and playing Aaronson for 80 minutes (who had a shocker) is a sackable offence.”
One fan claimed Farke’s substitutions had caused them to lose faith in the Leeds boss, stating: “The moment Farke subbed off Tanaka and dropped Aaronson in to the 10. That’s when I lost faith.”
Stats show Ao Tanaka deserves a run in the Leeds United team
Tanaka was visibly emotional on the bench after being withdrawn in the 70th minute, having been introduced in the first half as a replacement for the injured Anton Stach.
However, Tanaka should not be disappointed by his performance against Villa, as the stats from FotMob show that he was one of Leeds’ strongest performers on the night.
Ao Tanaka vs Aston Villa
- Touches: 44
- Accurate Passes (Success Rate): 29 (97%)
- Chances Created: 1
- Passes into the final third: 3
- Defensive Contributions: 13
Tanaka received an overall rating of 7.3, the second-highest of any Leeds player behind Ethan Ampadu, as he played a vital role in linking Leeds’ defence and attack.
The Japanese international had 44 touches in 48 minutes on the pitch and was nearly perfect with his distribution, playing 29 accurate passes from 30 attempts.
Tanaka has endured a difficult season, despite playing such a key role in Leeds’ promotion from the Championship. His display against Villa showed he deserves a regular place in the Leeds side.
Receive a digest of our best Leeds content each week direct to your mailbox
