Daniel Farke has always been stubborn when it comes to Leeds United lineups. He tends to pick what works and sticks with it as the season goes on.
The downside sometimes is that some players have to be on the bench for long periods despite other players performing relatively poorly.
Last year, the start of the season saw some players on the bench.
The likes of Jaka Bijol and James Justin did not see any action around the first two months. But as the season went on, they worked their way into the team and Leeds never looked back.
Farke’s preference for sticking to a group of players sometimes left better performers on the bench. And this season, the cycle seems to have repeated itself.
£15m Leeds United ace is now a big selection headache for Daniel Farke
Jaka Bijol. Credit: IMAGO
Leeds United signed over five new players to the first team. This summer window was a bit different from last year, as the club was shopping to improve the team that survived relegation.
The 49ers bought players to help the club survive last year, and bought some upgrades this summer.
Leeds’ defensive signings Tarik Muharemovic and Nico Elvedi have hit the ground running. The back three has been without Joe Rodon for a while, but the team have been performing very well.
It was unfortunate that Jaka Bijol lost his spot, the Slovenian started just one of the last four games in the international break.
His performances for Slovenia in the Nations League have no doubt caught the eye. Bijol was outstanding in the draw against Scotland and was dominant in the win over Macedonia.
The defender has one last game before he returns to league action, but his performances will have no doubt caught Daniel Farke’s eye.
It now becomes a huge decision for the Leeds boss as the Whites face Arsenal in the first league game after the international break.
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Who should start for the Whites?
Ideally teams in the Premier League are more focused on depth than individuals.
Leeds are blessed to have two very good centre backs fighting for one spot in the team. The 49ers deserve a lot of plaudits for what they have put together over the last few seasons.
Farke may prefer one over the other, but ultimately whoever starts must help the team win.
That does not mean that Farke’s stubbornness to keep underperforming players in the starting lineup should not be questioned.
