Rothwell continues run of form for Leeds

National World - LocalTV

Daniel Wales and Lee Sobot discuss the continued impressive form of Leeds United midfielder, Joe Rothwell.

Transcript

00:00He's just looked pretty good, though, hasn't he?

00:03It highlights that Leeds have at least got that strength and depth in the midfield part,

00:08where they are missing two key players as well, which is a good sign, of course.

00:12And you think, well, then Farkas has got a decision to make when Ampadu and Gruev come back.

00:18So, yeah, credit to Joe Rothwell, because at the moment, he's pulling the strings for Leeds.

00:22Yeah, definitely. It will be an interesting one, that.

00:24We're still some way off, obviously, until Ampadu and Gruev get back.

00:28I mean, you're talking New Year and stuff, at least, for that and stuff.

00:30But when everybody's back, it'll be an interesting conundrum,

00:33because, obviously, you've got these two in centre midfield,

00:35that when, basically, they came together as the partnership on the two injuries,

00:39it very much looked like your third and fourth choice midfielders.

00:42But they're not really playing like that at the moment, obviously.

00:45And Rothwell's looked very, very good indeed.

00:47I think when Leeds signed him, I think people maybe thought,

00:49well, he's going to be a bit of a squad player,

00:52be interesting to see, maybe filling in a little bit.

00:54But at the moment, yes, OK, it's down to injuries.

00:57But at the moment, he's a very, very important player in the centre of the park

01:00and, obviously, gives him a bit more of an attacking dimension as well.

01:03I think the next thing he needs to add to his game is,

01:05obviously, we talk about some of his passing and attacking dimension and stuff,

01:08but the next thing he needs to add is end products as well.

01:10That's the thing. He's yet to score for Leeds.

01:12He's got one assist, obviously, and, obviously, he takes corners a lot of time as well.

01:16And, you know, that's always been a thing with Leeds.

01:18Obviously, he's finally broke the duck in terms of scoring for one

01:21and then, obviously, ended up with two,

01:22because, obviously, it was a goal from the corner that was cleared.

01:24But the deliveries need to be a little bit better as well.

01:27But, you know, there's no doubt that he's a very, very good player.

01:29And I suppose it's not really a surprise that he's continuing to get better,

01:33because we've talked on these before about him and said that, obviously,

01:36last season at Southampton, when he was on loan,

01:38he didn't actually have that many starts.

01:39And even, obviously, before that at Bournemouth as well, it was the same.

01:42So once he gets into a rhythm of starts,

01:44it's, you know, certainly natural that he's going to sort of get better and better.

01:46And put simply, I mean, even though, obviously, your club captain,

01:50Ivan Ampadu and Ilya Gruev are both out injured at the moment,

01:52leads the centre midfield, looks in pretty good hands.

01:54Obviously, the problem will be if either of them get injured.

01:56That said, obviously, Guilherme Vogue has come in and looks a very,

01:59very good player, looks a very, very good signing for a free agent signing, really.

02:02So it's good, though, obviously,

02:04they've got that extra insurance in terms of having him there as well.

02:07But it will be interesting to see what happens when everybody's back.

02:09But for the moment, yeah, I mean, you know, fair play to him.

02:11He's come in and stuff.

02:12There were question marks, really, as I say, about sort of like what role he would fill

02:15in terms of when they signed him.

02:17But at the moment, he's come in, he's sort of answered Leeds' need.

02:19He's in centre midfield.

02:20He's doing the business and stuff.

02:22And yeah, as I say, just the next thing now is just to add a few more sort of like goals

02:25and assists to his game.

02:26He's definitely capable of doing that.

02:27Next to him as well, Tanaka has been brilliant.

02:29I mean, I suppose he's probably, I don't know about surprise of the season

02:32because a lot of people sort of said when they signed him, you know, like,

02:36you know, this looks like a very, very good player.

02:37And I think Leeds have got him for a good price, really, eh, Tanaka?

02:39But he's been excellent as well this season.

02:41At the moment, those two in centre midfield looking very, very good.

02:44But as I say, yeah, I mean, yeah, Guilherme Vogue is there now as well, which is great.

02:47But even so, let's keep him wrapped up in cotton wool because even so,

02:50don't want any more injuries in centre midfield or any more injuries anywhere,

02:54really, to be quite honest.

02:55And the sooner everybody's back, the better, especially Ramazani,

02:57because he's obviously going to be key, I think, for him.

Category

Transcript

Recommended