As Leeds United’s game against Bournemouth crept closer to the full-time whistle, Daniel Farke may have felt an impending sense of doom.
Daniel Farke cut an anxious figure on the sidelines, having watched his Leeds side lose a precious Premier League point at Craven Cottage with effectively the last kick of the game.
After Sean Longstaff scored his first goal for the club to hand Leeds a 2-1 lead, the Whites slipped deeper and deeper into their own half as the visitors ramped up the pressure in their search for an equaliser, which eventually robbed Farke of another two points.
The Leeds boss had attempted to combat his side’s slow slide back to their own goal by making three substitutions, introducing Jack Harrison, Ao Tanaka and Lukas Nmecha in the second half.
However, a late Tanaka error would prove costly for the Whites, highlighting the inherent dilemma that Farke faces in his team selection each week.
Photo by Robin Jones – AFC Bournemouth/AFC Bournemouth via Getty ImagesLate Ao Tanaka error vindicates controversial Daniel Farke selection
With 91 minutes on the clock, a rare lapse in possession from Tanaka handed Bournemouth an opportunity to level the game.
Having been brought on to replace Brenden Aaronson, Tanaka held onto the ball for too long, allowing Bournemouth to win the ball back inside the Leeds half. He then compounded his error by committing a foul, giving Bournemouth one last free-kick, which they took full advantage of.
Aaronson has a complicated relationship with the Leeds fan base, as his tireless work ethic is counteracted by a frustrating lack of end-product.
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After earning a recall to the Leeds side in the absence of the injured Dan James, Aaronson has held his own in the top flight without providing the end-product that Leeds fans so desperately crave.
However, Tanaka’s error shows why Farke continues to persist with Aaronson. Since coming on as a substitute against Newcastle, Leeds have conceded just twice in the 287 minutes that Aaronson has played.
Farke has previously admitted that if Aaronson could attack as well as he defends, he would be a Barcelona player. In a season where every point counts, the end of the Bournemouth game shows why he is right to persist with Aaronson, at least until James recovers fully.
Photo by George Wood/Getty ImagesBrenden Aaronson is proving himself at Leeds United
Aaronson received a standing ovation from the Elland Road crowd when he was substituted against Bournemouth and nearly provided a spectacular assist, playing an overhead pass through to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, whose effort was saved.
According to FotMob, the numbers behind Aaronson’s performances are also moving in the right direction, as he is becoming more of a threat in the Leeds team.
Aaronson figures highly in several statistical categories for Leeds, leading the team with the most expected assists, the most expected assists per 90 minutes and the most big chances created, with three.
The USA international has also created the third most chances for Leeds this season, with four, and ranks third for the most successful dribbles per match on average.
However, so much of football is about moments, and Aaronson is guilty of missing chances himself. He has the third-highest xG in the Leeds squad with 0.7 and is yet to find the net. If he could improve his efficiency in front of goal, his reputational rehabilitation may be complete in the eyes of the Leeds fans.