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Analysis

The numbers behind Joe Rodon’s 90-game Leeds United record

Joe Rodon has been an incredible player for Leeds United since he joined the club on an initial loan deal in 2023. The Welshman has been immovable from the defence and is one of the first names on Daniel Farke’s team sheets, whether that was in the Championship or in the Premier League this season.

Rodon has gone up a level this season, and his performances show that he has been waiting for his chance to prove himself again in the Premier League after not getting the opportunities he wanted at Tottenham.

His defensive partnership with Pascal Struijk has been so stable that Jaka Bijol has found it hard to get into the team despite joining Leeds in the summer with the expectation of being one of the first-choice centre-backs.

Rodon is now closing in on an incredible Leeds record that demonstrates not only his durability but also his remarkable consistency over a span of more than two seasons.

Joe Rodon is set to equal a former Leeds United star’s record

Leeds manager Daniel Farke must be keeping his fingers crossed as Rodon plays for Wales during the international break. He is one player the German coach does not want to lose through injury.

Since arriving at Leeds, Rodon has shown exceptional durability, missing just one game through injury since 2023, an astounding feat in modern football.

The centre-back has now started 90 consecutive league matches for Leeds spanning two calendar years, which is a real demonstration of his durability.

The defender is now closing in on a record set by former Leeds midfielder Mateusz Klich, who started 92 straight league games under Marcelo Bielsa, spanning from the 2018/19 season to the end of the 2019/20 campaign.

If the centre-back starts the next two league games against Burnley and West Ham, he will equal the record and set a new record if he plays against Brighton.

Hard to break up the Rodon-Struijk defensive axis

Bijol has not played a single minute of league football since his arrival in the summer, but there are suggestions that Struijk’s recent run of form could see the Slovenian replace him in the team after the game.

However, it is easy to see why Farke remains reluctant to break up the Rodon-Struijk defensive axis at the heart of the Leeds defence this season.

The duo complements each other brilliantly. While Struijk is the centre-back who plays out from the back, Rodon is the hard man in defence who wins his aerial duels and mops up loose balls at the back.

Farke is unlikely to want to disrupt a defensive partnership that has worked well for over two seasons, and it seems Bijol’s wait may continue after the break.

However, it is almost certain that Rodon will be at the heart of the Leeds defence regardless of who plays alongside him. There is a reason he has been undroppable since arriving at Elland Road.

Can you name these 10 former Leeds United midfielders?

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