Javi Gracia tells Leeds United stars to forget starts as he explains change and key contribution - YEP 28/2/23
Javi Gracia has told his Leeds United players to forget about whether or not they start and to focus more on making any minutes count.
By Graham Smyth
The Spaniard, installed last week as Jesse Marsch's
replacement on a 'flexible' contract, won his first game in charge against
Southampton, making just a single change from the side who kicked off at
Goodison a week prior.
A great swathe of changes were never likely, given the scant
time Gracia had with the squad before they welcomed the Saints to Elland Road,
but his only alteration was an interesting point.
Out went Crysencio Summerville, a player widely regarded as
a breakout talent this season thanks to that four-game goalscoring streak and
his onfield translation of an off-field relationship with Willy Gnonto. In came
Brenden Aaronson, a player who started the season in a promising way but
subsequently failed to make an impact with goal contributions, looked
physically outmatched and by Jesse Marsch's admission, struggled for
confidence.
Gracia had cause to drop Summerville, for the youngster
experienced a personal situation that naturally disrupted his week prior to the
Saints game, and saw enough in Aaronson to put him in, with pleasing results.
"I can tell you different reasons," said the head
coach.
"One of them was for example, Crysencio Summerville had
something personal, but the reason that Brenden Aaronson played was because he
trained really well and he deserved to play and after he played, in my opinion,
a very good game as well.”
Aaronson was involved in a number of half chances during the
game and Summerville, who came off the bench, played a key role in the setting
up of Junior Firpo's winner. The replacement could have secured the points when
he burst clear and shot just past the post, late on.
Whether the pair will have to fight for the same place in
the side depends largely on the formation Gracia goes with, game by game, but
his concern isn't so much who starts in the side. It's what players do with
their minutes and on that front, both Aaronson and Summerville can be
relatively pleased with how Saturday went.
Gracia says the same about Marc Roca, who returned from
injury to come on with four minutes remaining to help shore up the result and
keep three precious points at Elland Road.
The midfielder was a mainstay of the side before a minor
issue that kept him out of the Manchester United double header and the Everton
game, starting 19 of 20 Premier League outings and coming off the bench at
half-time in the other. He didn't last the full 90 often, staying on to hear
the final whistle in just four of his starts and not always appearing best
pleased with his withdrawal, but his importance to the team was obvious for all
to see.
Gracia has recognised his fellow Spaniard's significance,
while insisting it's what players do with their opportunities rather than the
timing of their entry to each match that matters most.
“Marc Roca is and will be important in this team, playing
from the beginning or playing like the other day," said the head coach.
"All of them are important and that’s the mentality we
need until the end. It’s not so important if they start or not, what is really
important is what they do when they play and the way they can help the team.
Marc did it in the last game and when he plays from the beginning, I’m sure he
will do it.”
Leeds travel to Fulham tonight in the FA Cup hoping to add
the Cottagers to their list of victims in the knockout competition this season,
along with previously-ousted Cardiff City and Accrington Stanley.
