Leeds United man's lingering question marks get the Jesse Marsch treatment as big moment arrives - YEP 20/10/22
Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch doesn't need Junior Firpo or Luke Ayling to be happy, he needs them to be ready.
By Graham Smyth
More than once this season the Whites head coach has been
asked how he contents the senior players who are not currently in his starting
XI and his priority is not so much their happiness, but their understanding
that it will take a squad of fully committed players to make this a good season
for Leeds. And that commitment will manifest itself in a player's readiness to
be called upon, when the time comes.
For Ayling, the time might not come just yet because Rasmus
Kristensen appears to be hitting his stride after a difficult start to Premier
League life and the performances against Crystal Palace and Arsenal should be
enough to keep him in situ on the right of the back four. Until Wednesday
afternoon the generally accepted wisdom was that Firpo could be looking at an
equally challenging task to get into Marsch's line-up, thanks chiefly to the
rise and rise of young Pascal Struijk.
As a freebie from Ajax, 23-year-old Struijk, with his
subsequent 65 Premier League appearances and undeniably bright future, might
just represent Victor Orta's best bit of business. His physical stature and
technical ability make him a fine prospect at centre-back, but it is at
left-back that he has reinforced his importance to Leeds this season.
What he might have been thought to lack in attacking
dynamism was initially compensated by his defensive solidity and steady
early-season form, before he began to grow into the demands of the other bits
of his role. There were hints, out in Australia, that Struijk could bomb down
the flank and put a ball in, and he has looked more dangerous and more able and
willing to operate in areas where danger is created, as the weeks have gone on.
Yet the player who has made the most of opportunities born
of others' injuries ever since promotion was earned, is now injured, at least
for tonight's game at Leicester City. That short-term nature of whatever ails
Struijk is good news for Marsch because he's likely to have two options
available against Fulham, and because it challenges Firpo to produce something
special at the Kingpower if he wants to keep the spot.
Marsch has faith that the 26-year-old will not waste time in
adapting as he starts his first Premier League game since Brentford, away, last
season.
"Junior will start and he will be ready," said the
head coach. "I think he’s been patiently waiting and also trying to make
sure that he’s sharp, fit and strong so that when he gets called upon, he’s
ready to go. So I’m excited for him to have his opportunity now and to show
that he’s ready."
Being ready, in the top flight, has to mean being good
enough and the jury remains out on that front, for Firpo, thanks to a
stop-start and frustrating first campaign with Leeds. Setting aside Covid-19
and the niggles that disrupted him, the question marks that LaLiga experts
raised over his one-v-one defending linger still. His athleticism and desire to
get forward to attack were raised as plus points when he signed from Barcelona
and it is those that Marsch amplifies when discussing the full-back's
suitability for the Premier League. The manager could have stopped there and
left a tacit challenge for Firpo to prove his defensive worth, but instead laid
it bare, in his own characteristically positive manner.
“I’ve heard criticisms of Junior from the past or
whatever," said Marsch.
"I can only tell you since I have been here he has in
every way tried to adapt and learn and grow into the player that I believe he
can be. Because for me his technical ability and passing abilities is one of
the best on our team, his athleticism is definitely on the high end of our
team, his intelligence is very high and then his tactical [awareness] is also
very keen and I think if he can continue to add the right kind of
aggressiveness that he can grow into a real defender and be a real two-way
player."
Left-backs who can do both sides of the game with equal
competency are rare in world football, according to Marsch. He believes Leeds
can have one in Firpo, though.
"I’m just, specifically with Junior, really trying to
help him develop into the player that I believe he can become and I believe he
can be a big player here," said Marsch.
"No doubt, he has everything he needs and his
commitment to try to do that is at a really high level, even in the moment when
Pascal has been playing so well and it’s not been easy for him to accept just
being on the bench."
Proving Marsch to be correct, beyond doubt, in one game -
his first full top flight game in months no less - is an unreasonable ask.
Proving he, like Kristensen, can start taking steps in the right direction,
feels a very fair requirement.
"He’ll be ready for tomorrow," added Marsch.
"I am sure of it. I am 100 per cent sure of it."
