Jesse Marsch says Brenden Aaronson's missing ingredient at Leeds United is belief - Yorkshire Post 6/1/23

Jesse Marsch says getting Brenden Aaronson believing in himself is a priority as the Leeds United playmaker struggles to regain his form after the World Cup.

By Stuart Rayner

In the run-up to Christmas, Marsch's assistant Rene Maric spoke of how impressed he was with Aaronson's work ethic on his return from Qatar, where he was a substitute in all four USA matches on their run to the last 16.

But in Leeds’ three games since the Premier League resumed, that is yet to translate into performances, with Aaronson unable to replicate his early-season influence.

Marsch pointed to a lack of "fearlessness" in the 22-year-old’s game, which had greater significance because he says the team as a whole need to find more of it when playing against opponents they are expected to compete with.

Aaronson inadvertently set up Gianluca Scamacca's goal in Wednesday's 2-2 Premier League draw with West Ham United before being substituted.

"I hugged him when he came off and I went to him after the match and I feel for him right now because for whatever reason he's a little down. You could see it," said Marsch, who handed Aaronson his senior debut at New York Red Bulls and was coach of Red Bull Salzburg and Leeds when both clubs signed him.

"He puts great responsibility on himself.

"One of the greatest things I've known about him is his ability to believe in himself and to play with fearlessness. We need to get him back to that.

"The league's tough and he's been identified (by opponents) as a player who's important for us. He's physically struggling to insert himself into matches but he shouldn't be fazed.

"He should continue to believe in himself and push himself and move himself forward. That will certainly be the emphasis with him."

When it comes to the psychological reasons behind his team's apparent inability to match their performances against the Premier League's leading sides against those they should be taking wins from, Marsch sees a number of factors.

"I think it's the desire of the team, the passion of the fanbase and the passion of the club," he explained.

"I think it's the inexperience we have right now as a team, we've got a lot of young players. I think It's the level of the Premier League and the table situation (Leeds are 14th, two points above the relegation zone).

"Everybody here wants to achieve at the highest level and I'm trying to help them tactically, with the mentality, the belief they have in themselves and the way we're playing, the development they're showing as players and individuals. It's a comprehensive project."

Wednesday also saw new signing Max Wober introduced to Elland Road, and Leeds are hopeful the defender can be registered in time to make his debut at Cardiff City on the FA Cup on Sunday.

When Marsch was Wober’s coach at Salzburg, the 6ft 2in Austrian was largely used at centre-back but this season has mainly been their left-back until his January transfer. He can also play a holding midfielder.

"The way we play now we use our left-back often in build-up as a centre-back – and by the way Max can play as a pure left-back, he did that at Sevilla, he did it sometimes at Ajax and Salzburg and he's done it for the national team so it's still in his wheelhouse," said Marsch.

"He's not a pure up-and-down left-back but we've been rotating more on of our attacking players out to play open on the wing and have our left-back be more in the backline in part of the build-up."