Jesse Marsch addresses Leeds United fans' Junior Firpo 'dissatisfaction' as Whites man finds net - YEP 28/1/23
Leeds United head coach Jesse Marsch expressed his delight for left-back Junior Firpo after the Spanish defender scored his first goal in a Whites shirt against Accrington Stanley
Joe Donnohue
The 26-year-old netted Leeds’ second goal in a 3-1 win over
the League One outfit as the Whites secured passage to the Fifth Round of the
FA Cup on Saturday afternoon. Firpo started at left-back, as he did against
Cardiff City in United’s 2-2 Third Round draw and subsequent replay.
Marsch was unaware Firpo’s well-taken strike was his first
for the club, but addressed the difficult period he has endured since joining
in the summer of 2021.
"I think Junior has been really good,” the head coach
said. “I know he's had a tough time here with injuries and with fans sometimes
being dissatisfied with him, but his mentality to work for the team and to try
to get himself into really good form has been good and I think now he's played
in three cup matches, and I think he's been one of our best players in all
three of those matches.”
Firpo missed the beginning of the 2022/23 campaign through
injury, and as a result was usurped as first-choice left-back by Dutchman Pascal
Struijk. The Spaniard has battled fitness issues throughout his 18-month stint
at Elland Road, but Marsch is pleased the defender is once again a viable
option from that side of the back four.
"I think we're getting him fit. We're getting him sharp
and I think he's challenging and knocking on the door to get himself in the
starting XI for league matches as well,” Marsch added.
Firpo was robbed of a first Leeds goal in the previous round
of the FA Cup as Cardiff defender Joel Bagan handled the United man’s
goal-bound shot on the line and was shown a straight red card.
At the Wham Stadium, though, Firpo’s searching forward pass
in the 66th minute was held up by Patrick Bamford who scooped the ball into the
path of Firpo’s run, which he had continued into the penalty area. With his
right foot, the 26-year-old stroked his shot low beyond goalkeeper Toby Savin
to put Leeds in a commanding position for the final half hour of the match.