Returning loan hero Cody Drameh brings Leeds United aggression on night of uncertainty - YEP 25/8/22

Of the young hopefuls aiming to stake their first-team claim during Leeds United's Carabao Cup tie against Barnsley, Cody Drameh's opportunity was perhaps the greatest.

By Flora Snelson

While the Whites' attackers collectively reach what Jesse Marsch termed 'the form of their lives' and the question of central midfield looks finally to have been answered, full-back remains a position of concern, with one side outright underserved and the other occupied by a new signing who is still getting to grips with the Premier League.

Months after receiving Young Player of the Year award on loan at Championship club Cardiff City, Drameh was well placed to make a case for displacing Rasmus Kristensen against League One opposition at Elland Road on Wednesday night.

And the 20-year-old held absolutely nothing back from his Leeds United homecoming - inside the first minute, Drameh announced himself with a sliding tackle on former Thorp Arch prospect Clarke Oduor.

Drameh's tenacity showed again in the tenth minute as he amended an Elland Road 'injustice' - the flooring of an advancing Crysencio Summerville - to aggressively win back the ball and start another attack to the delight of the fans in the stands, who roared their approval.

It wasn't a complete defensive performance - the youngster was bullied into conceding a throw while attempting to shield the ball, and perhaps could have been quicker to Callum Styles before Adam Forshaw conceded the penalty - but Drameh refused to shy away from the physical challenge that would characterise a run-out in the Premier League.

Indeed, the harsh words of Graeme Souness following Drameh's first top-flight start may have been ringing in his ears as the Reds celebrated their goal, as Mads Andersen was several paces ahead of Drameh when he headed home - and captain Liam Cooper did not let the young full-back forget it.

Drameh and his opposite number Leo Hjelde, on the left flank, were the subject of Marsch's special attention in the first half. The American threw his hands dramatically toward the far side of the pitch, where Hjelde's positioning seemed to trouble him, while pointing and guiding Drameh precisely on the near side.

Still, though, the defender looked lost at times, dropping short to ask for a pass one moment and then pushing level with Summerville just seconds later as though unclear on the plan.

This is the curse of the 'one chance to prove yourself' mantle - the opportunity to truly shine comes only through regularity and familiar routines that can't be conjured for one ninety-minute cup tie.

Greenwood, too, looked frustrated, and Gelhardt failed to put together a performance worth remembering - in concert, the trio couldn't muster the chemistry which fired the young Whites to the Premier League 2 Division 2 title in their first seasons at the club in 2021.

On separate occasions, both Gelhardt and Greenwood exchanged frustrated gestures with Drameh as the failure to click - a late pass, a slightly-too-long ball - had greater stakes under the lights at Elland Road than the relatively safety of the training ground.

But if Drameh was intimidated by the occasion, he didn't show it and persistently asked for the pass when he found himself with bags of space on the right wing. Often, another route was sought or, in the case of Luis Sinisterra in the 21st minute - the net.

Barring the scuffle with Liam Kitching which earned both players a yellow card, the defender had a quiet second half but his consistency on defensive duties ensured the impetus of the game diminished in the latter stages, anyway, as Leeds kept possession through a comfortable lead.

With the introduction of energetic Pascal Struijk as left-back at the interval, Drameh's influence faded as the ball progressed through the opposite channel. For now, the young Dutchman's impressive versatility has solved Marsch's left back problem and, while Drameh may be some way off usurping Kristensen, the young player showed strong signs of being capable to follow in Struijk's footsteps.