Leeds United manager Daniel Farke insisted that Dan James being left on the bench again was a tactical decision, as opposed to be due to his fitness.

The Whites are just a point outside the relegation zone after four defeats in their last five games, last time out being deservedly beaten by Nottingham Forest.

Question marks on Daniel Farke’s position have become incredibly strong over the past few days, leaving the 49ers with a decision to make one way or the other.

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Daniel Farke explains why he didn’t start Leeds United star Dan James at Newcastle United

Farke’s team selections have come under plenty of criticism this season. While he’s been forced to work with one hand tied behind his back in the final third due to injuries and a terrible end to the window, he’s not helped himself.

Brenden Aaronson kept his place on the right wing again. Dan James sat on the bench and Willy Gnonto mysteriously nowhere to be seen. That is in spite of a fortnight of full training under the Italian’s belt.

Daniel Farke left Dan James on the bench until the 74th minute as Leeds United lost at the weekend. (Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers)

James was only introduced in the 74th minute after Leeds had already gone behind and the game had already drifted away from us. But, Farke was eager to justify his decision post-match.

“Of course, he could have started, yes. It’s not just a tactical choice, it’s also performance-related,” Farke told BBC Radio Leeds. “Anyhow, he was rarely on the pitch in the last four months. He missed more or less the last three months in the Championship because he was injured.  He didn’t have the best pre-season because he was injured, and also not the best run of games.

“Once we started the Premier League season, he was also out for a bit.  I didn’t see in the last games when he came in that he took the league by storm.

“We have really good other offensive players, so it’s not that easy. Just because he’s fit right now, I would have to leave Noah Okafor out, or a workhorse like Brenden Aaronson out, or a leader like Sean Longstaff out. So it’s always up to the competition anyhow. But, fitness-wise, he’s back.”

So, Farke has established that James is fully fit and available to start at the moment, but chose not to. He instead opted to retain Aaronson as his makeshift right-winger.

The reasoning is that James has bene out for so long in his view. As a result, he’s not currently in form and justifying a starting spot.

Dan James has been forced to settle for a role on the bench despite being fully fit. (REUTERS/Peter Powell)

My question to that is: how is James meant to prove he’s are worthy of starting?

He’s come on in the 74th minute, when we’re losing, having been kept on the bench for a month. How is that a fair way to judge his starting credentials?

  • vs Forest: 16 minutes
  • vs Brighton: 29 minutes
  • vs West Ham: 3 minutes
  • vs Burnley: 24 minutes

In four games where Leeds’ attack has looked woefully short, especially on the right, James has only played 72 minutes of a possible 360.

To me, it draws obvious comparisons to another criminally underused winger that Leeds have on their books: Largie Ramazani.

Dan James is getting the Largie Ramazani treatment at Leeds United

Last season, Ramazani took time to settle in, but when he did, he was electric. He managed three goals and one assist in his first six starts for the club.

Largie Ramazani started at Leeds United in incredible form. (Action Images/Craig Brough)

His strike against Watford in October 2024 came shortly before an ankle injury that halted what promised to be his best display yet. And after that, Ramazani didn’t start a single league game for Leeds for the rest of the season.

Manor Solomon’s and James’ overall form was a part of keeping Ramazani out of the side. But, Leeds’ attack badly faltered in March and nothing changed. Farke persisted with players that weren’t doing the job, while he had a totally capable player rotting on the bench.

Back in April, Farke noted a couple of fine details in Ramazani’s game (when he was getting tiny cameos) that were stopping him from starting. This public criticism of a substitute came alongside Solomon and Brenden Aaronson both going eight games with a goal or assist, and James going four games without a goal or assist.

If form does dictate Farke’s decisions, as he says post-Forest, why was Ramazani not given at least one start last season during spring? And why is James not getting a chance now when Aaronson is not showing nearly enough in most games?

Maybe a player can’t go straight into the lineup after weeks out, but at what point can James come back into the side in Farke’s view? Because the longer he’s left on the bench, the more Farke can point to his lack of momentum. It’s a baffling cycle that Farke has created himself, as he did with Ramazani.

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