Sam Byram now key for Leeds United after new footage emerges
Leeds United have been rather dominant in the Championship this season.
They currently sit at the top of the second-tier table thanks to their 3-1 victory over Middlesbrough on Tuesday.
The Whites’ next game isn’t taking place until they face Preston on 14 December which should be a game that Daniel Farke’s men easily win.
Despite their recent dominance, the West Yorkshire outfit have been plagued with injuries this season, particularly in the full-back roles with both Jayden Bogle and Junior Firpo absent for Tuesday’s game.
However, thanks to the absence of Firpo, Sam Byram was afforded a chance to start and once again proved his worth, especially in the build-up to Dan James’ goal when his tackle at the half-way line started Leeds’ counter-attack (Sky Sports, 11 December).
He slid across the floor, and the force from his boot hitting the ball put a pass directly into the feet of Joel Piroe, who then played an inch-perfect ball through to James, who coolly slotted the ball into the net.
Daniel Farke needs to keep starting Sam Byram in his Leeds United team
While Firpo and Bogle are Farke’s clear favourites at full-back, it feels like 31-year-old Byram is still among the best defenders at the club.
He may not be as fast as the aforementioned duo or have their attacking prowess, but the defensive stability he adds is unmatched.
When coupled with the formidable nature of Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk, it makes it near-impossible for teams to break down their defensive line, which is exactly what happened to Michael Carrick’s men on 10 December.
If Leeds are set to face a weaker team in their games, both Firpo and Bogle should start no questions asked but when facing a team that has the likes of Ben Doak in attack, it feels silly for Byram to be left on the sidelines.
There’s still plenty of time left in the season for things to turn around of course, but if Farke’s usual duo don’t return to the team and pick up where they left off, Byram could be in for a bigger role than he likely expected this term.
In other Leeds news, Jeff Stelling was left stunned by the claims Ally McCoist made about the Whites.
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