Leeds United are in the midst of another unbeaten run after picking up a valuable point against Everton on Monday night.
When Daniel Farke’s men lost in heartbreaking fashion to Newcastle, ending their seven-game unbeaten run, it was vital that the Whites responded, and they have done so in emphatic fashion, with two wins and a draw in their three following games in all competitions.
Joe Rodon admitted that the game against Everton was a “challenge”, particularly in the second half when the Toffees seriously began to build some momentum.
Brenden Aaronson is another player who has played a vital role in the success Leeds have enjoyed in recent weeks, with the American recently sharing his thoughts on United’s success as of late in an interview.
Brenden Aaronson responds to fan criticism he’s received
Despite Aaronson’s recent form earning him a spot in the good books of most Leeds supporters, the 25-year-old has received plenty of criticism since initially arriving at Elland Road back in 2022.
This is mainly due to many underwhelming performances as well as his decision to leave Leeds on loan just a year after joining the club following their relegation from the Premier League.
However, that all appears to be in the past as the American is currently playing the best football of his Leeds career, with Aaronson reflecting on this in a recent interview with ITV prior to Leeds’ game with Everton earlier this week.
“Confidence is the biggest thing in football, rhythm, momentum, anything you want to say how it is. I think it’s the biggest thing in football.
“Of course, when you score a goal, your confidence goes up but I’ve always had a great support system that’s always reminded me when things can be down, when you see bad social media stuff and stuff like that but I’m always reliant on my family to always be there for me and the people at the club are always great so it’s nice.
Aaronson continued: “When you’re missing a goal, or you miss a final pass or you’re not scoring or assisting, of course, you’re going to get hate, that’s todays game, social media’s out there, everyone knows about it, I think the biggest thing that I’ve tapped into is I don’t let it bother me and it honestly fuels me.
“When I get these things, I want to go out there, and I want to train even harder, I want to work on the things that I need to get better at, so that’s the big mental thing.”
Data suggests Brenden Aaronson has improved since his first Premier League campaign
It’s fair to say that Aaronson didn’t live up to his £25million price tag during his debut season at Elland Road.
- Aaronson scored just one goal and provided one assist in 36 Premier League appearances during the 2022/23 campaign
- The American has already far surpassed this tally in just 22 appearances this season, with four goals and three assists already
When Farke has deployed the 3-4-3 formation at times this season, we have seen Aaronson play on the right wing when Leeds are attacking, whilst also dropping into midfield and inverting when the Whites are against the ball.
This is a role specifically suited to Aaronson and the incredible work rate that he offers, and whilst he may not have the technical ability of a Willy Gnonto, for example, it is hard to imagine another attacker in the Leeds squad meeting the physical demands that this unique role requires.
If Aaronson can perform as he has recently for the remainder of the season, fan criticisms of him will become a distant memory.
