When Leeds United won promotion to the Premier League, fans knew that a lot had to be done to the team. Many of the players that contributed to the Championship win were not guaranteed to be in the first team.
And in the summer transfer window, Leeds brought in 10 new players. One things that was confirmed was that there was going to be a lot of competition in the first team squad in the Premier League. From the first gameweek, it was obvious that some players would have to fight for their place in the team. While some were successful, others were slowly phased out of the picture.
Graham Smyth has major doubts over Leeds United man
Ao Tanaka was one of them; after being the surprise package last year and winning over the fans, he has been mostly on the bench this year. Graham Smyth has given his opinion on why the Japanese international is struggling to replicate his form this year:
“He is not it in the Premier League so far this season. He’s had a couple of games where you thought, yeah decent, very good, but he’s not consistent and I do have this nagging doubt and worry that he’s not a player for the big occasion.” He said on the Inside Elland Road podcast.
“The big games where it’s emotional in the stadium and it’s intense and I’ve said it before, that all tracks back to last season when the toll of the title race and the toll of the pressure and the expectation from the Leeds fans and the anger of Leeds fans at Luton, it wore on him visibly, it took a massive toll.
“When he did his new years post on social media he described it as a really tough year and this is a year when he won promotion to the Premier League and achieved the dream of getting to the English top flight.
“I don’t think he’s found it easy in English football and I also don’t think that he’s been able to assert himself in the Premier League the way that he did in the Championship.”
Midfield options have improved
Leeds had a pretty solid team in the Championship last season, with many thinking they would translate to the Premier League. But that has not been the case; Daniel Farke was right to request for both Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach this summer. The duo possess the physicality and skillset to survive in such a high intensity competition. It is unfortunate that Tanaka has been moved to a bench role, but for now, that is the best way he can support the team.
But how can he get any consistency coming on for a few minutes now and again.