Daniel Farke must decide how best to use one of Leeds United’s most influential players, as the current experiment threatens to waste what makes him such an effective midfielder.
Anton Stach arrived at Elland Road with a reputation for energy, passing range, and the ability to drive Leeds forward from midfield. Last season, he looked comfortable operating as a number eight, influencing games from deeper positions and helping his side progress the ball.
This season, however, Farke has increasingly deployed the £17m signing as a right-sided number ten. The intention may be to add physicality and work rate higher up the pitch, but the numbers suggest the change isn’t bringing out his best.
Leeds need Stach at his most influential, and that means reconsidering where he plays.
Farke’s £17m experiment is limiting Stach’s strengths
Stach’s passing accuracy has dropped to 72 per cent, while his progressive carries and progressive passing have also declined. Those figures do not tell the whole story, but they raise questions about whether he is being used in a role that suits his strengths.
As a number eight, Stach can receive the ball facing the pitch, dictate the tempo and carry possession through midfield. From the right of the attacking midfield line, he has different demands: finding pockets between the lines, linking with the winger and making runs into the box.
There is nothing inherently wrong with asking him to adapt. Modern midfielders are expected to be versatile, and Farke may believe Stach can offer something different in a more advanced role. But versatility should not come at the expense of a player’s biggest qualities.
The drop in his passing and carrying numbers suggests Leeds are not getting the same influence from Stach that made him effective last season. Rather than persisting with a tactical idea simply because it looks appealing on paper, Farke needs to consider what the player actually does best.
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Leeds must put Stach back where he belongs
Moving Stach back into a number eight role would give Leeds a better chance of unlocking his strengths. He could help them progress the ball more consistently, link defence and attack, and provide the energy needed to compete in the middle of the pitch.
It would also allow Farke to build his attacking midfield options around players more naturally suited to operating in the number ten positions. Stach’s value is not simply in what he can do near the opposition box; it is in how he helps Leeds get there in the first place.
Of course, a change of position would not automatically fix every issue. Stach still needs to improve his execution, and the team around him must provide the right passing options. But Leeds should not make his job harder by asking a midfielder to play a role that limits his best attributes.
Farke paid £17m for Stach because he believed in what the German could bring to his side. The answer is not necessarily to abandon the signing or question his ability. Instead, stop trying to turn him into something he doesn’t need to be.
Stach looked like a natural number eight last season. Leeds should give him another chance to prove it.
