{"id":489277,"date":"2025-10-10T21:02:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-10T21:02:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/489277\/"},"modified":"2025-10-10T21:02:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-10T21:02:13","slug":"leeds-united-fans-settle-jaka-bijol-and-pascal-struijk-debate-its-clear-as-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/489277\/","title":{"rendered":"Leeds United fans settle Jaka Bijol and Pascal Struijk debate,\u00a0it\u2019s\u00a0clear as day"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Leeds United have Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk, Jaka Bijol, and Sebastiaan Bornauw as their primary options at centre-back for Daniel Farke\u2019s 2025\/26 team.<\/strong><\/p>\n

They each have numerous top flight seasons in Europe\u2019s Big Five leagues under the belts, with every Leeds United<\/a> centre-back also being 26 or 27 as well.<\/p>\n

However, Jaka Bijol wants to play more for Leeds<\/a>. The 26-year-old has made that clear this week on international duty. Game time is what every single player wants, and competition for places is healthy.<\/p>\n

In fact, Leeds fans wanted Bijol to feature against Spurs<\/a>, with most fans wanting Pascal Struijk to come out of the side for the giant Slovenian central defender. A decision will soon have to be made.<\/p>\n

\"JakaPhoto by Robbie Jay Barratt \u2013 AMA\/Getty ImagesLeeds United fans want to see Jaka Bijol given a chance<\/p>\n

In truth, it could be either the Dutchman or Joe Rodon. The latter has been one of the most consistent players under Daniel Farke, though.<\/p>\n

This season, Struijk and Rodon have been a strong pairing statistically<\/a>. The Arsenal fixture aside, they have both performed well for the vast majority of the campaign.<\/p>\n

Bijol is a more powerful centre-back than Struijk<\/a> in terms of duels and being a more aggressive defender. He is a warrior of a centre-back in. The stats suggest Bijol is aerially dominant from his time with Udinese<\/a> in Serie A.<\/p>\n

Bijol missed Leeds\u2019 opener against Everton<\/a>, as we first revealed. That has allowed Struijk and Rodon to make their mark and nail down the starting roles. The problem is that, on paper,\u00a0Bijol should be crucial to Leeds\u2019 survival hopes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

MORE LEEDS UNITED STORIES<\/p>\n

Bijol was a big-money signing from Udinese<\/a> and he ought to be given more of a chance than a cup tie against Sheffield Wednesday\u2019s young side. His league debut has not been handed to him by Daniel Farke yet.<\/p>\n

\n

Which centre-half partnership do you think will serve Leeds United best this season and become the one Daniel Farke settles on? #LUFC<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 James Marshment (@marshyleeds) October 9, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

View Tweet<\/p>\n

James Marshment posted a poll on X (formerly Twitter) asking what fans think Farke eventually settles on as a centre-back duo. Rodon and Struijk got 25.4% of the vote from 2,403 votes.<\/p>\n

Bijol and Struijk were handed 3.5%, with other being just 0.7%. It meant that a whopping 70.3% want Rodon and Bijol to be the central defensive pairing and\/or think that is what Farke will end up playing most.<\/p>\n

In some ways, given that\u00a0Bijol is arguably a part of Leeds\u2019 best XI<\/a>\u00a0and potentially the best central defender at the club, it is fair. But he has yet to taste Premier League football and that has to change.<\/p>\n

Graham Smyth\u2019s verdict on Pascal Struijk and Jaka Bijol<\/p>\n

Graham Smyth has weighed in, he said \u201cI don\u2019t feel like Pascal Struijk gets close enough and does enough to rescue the situation. Perhaps I\u2019m being a little bit harsh, but it\u2019s the Premier League. think I think about the two goals and I think about the moment where he didn\u2019t get off the ground.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t remember who it was got up above him and headed against the crossbar first half but he was just left a little bit flat-footed, which you just you can\u2019t do. I don\u2019t know. I know you were wanting to talk about [Gabriel] Gudmundsson there.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut, for me, Gudmundsson is not the real villain of the piece. Because his big mistake is slipping really in that moment. And it\u2019s another deflected strike. [Karl] Darlow, again, not really to blame. And I look at the goals and I look at a couple of moments over the last couple of games and I wonder\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cDoes it all combine and accumulate to enough evidence to say now would be the time for Jaka Bijol to come in. I mean, I guess Daniel Farke will see them in training. He will he will decide if Bijol has done enough to be right on Struijk\u2019s shoulder.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut this is the reason why you signed him. The reason why he signed Bornauw as well was to have really fierce competition in that position. And I wouldn\u2019t like to think that he would leave it as long as he did with [Illan] Meslier before reminding players that you have to be at your absolute best otherwise you\u2019ll get dropped. <\/p>\n

\u201cLike that\u2019s that\u2019s how competitive squads are supposed to work. If you\u2019re not at your best, then someone else can come in and take your place. And I think I just wonder if now might be the time for for Bijol to get his chance.\u201d<\/p>\n