Leeds United are preparing for a big game tonight when they host Millwall at Elland Road. After dropping five points in their last two league fixtures, Leeds are under some stress to get back to winning ways at home. Sheffield United and Burnley did lend a helping hand on Tuesday night but the Whites need to do their jobs tonight as well to ensure they are back at the summit of the Championship table. However, Brenden Aaronson is coming under scrutiny for a sustained lack of output in the last few weeks and the pressure is mounting on him to get his act together at the business end of the season. And now a former Leeds star has questioned whether he is good enough to play at Elland Road if the club get promoted this season.
Aaronson has started the last 34 Championship games and it would be a major shock if he is not in the starting eleven when the team sheets come out tonight ahead of the Millwall clash.
Daniel Farke has shown steadfast faith in the American midfielder this season and has refused to get him out of the team despite his struggles at various points of the campaign.
His form has come under the scanner and others are taking notice. Aaronson has been dropped from the United States squad for the upcoming international games.
The only reason Farke could be forced to persist with him for the rest of the season is because Leeds do not have another natural number 10 in their squad and dropping him could cause disruption to the team.
However, former Leeds goalkeeper Paul Robinson has claimed that the club will have to make a tough decision soon as Aaronson does not seem fit for purpose moving forward.
Brenden Aaronson is not a Premier League player – former Leeds United goalkeeper
Aaronson has eight goals to his name this season but he has scored just once in the last 12 games and his last assist came before Christmas last year.
As an attacking midfielder, he is not doing enough to create chances or score goals and Leeds need more output from their attacking players in the final ten games of the season.
Farke is backing his players to get Leeds over the line and into the Premier League but Robinson believes several players in the squad are not good enough to play in the top flight.
The former Leeds goalkeeper insisted that Aaronson is definitely one of them and Leeds will have to consider whether to keep him if and when they get promoted to the Premier League.
“Regardless of anyone else’s opinion, it looks like Aaronson’s one of his go-tos because he starts every game, and he plays 90 minutes”, Robinson told MOT Leeds News.
“I don’t think he’s a Premier League player. I think there’s other players in that team that are not Premier League players as well.
“And I think that’s something that they’ll have to look at, should and when they get promoted.”
Aaronson endears himself to the fans through his willingness to graft for the team
Aaronson was facing an uphill task to win over the Leeds fans when he returned to Elland Road last summer. He was one of the players who left the club following their relegation in 2023 and the supporters have a real feeling of ill-will towards them.
However, the midfielder has worked his socks off this season for the team and his willingness to graft and work hard for the team has won over some of the fans.
There are still supporters who are yet to completely forgive him, but they love the fact that he covers every blade of grass when he is on the pitch for the team.
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Any other attacking midfielder would have received grief from the fans for not scoring or assisting enough, but Aaronson has escaped some of the criticism because he works hard.
Robinson could be right about him not being good enough for the Premier League and he really did struggle in the top flight when Leeds signed him in 2022.
However, Leeds fans will feel the former goalkeeper is being too harsh on Aaronson and his willingness to work hard should deserve more credit.
