Aaronson atrocious as 8/10 Bogle bails out Farke – Leeds player ratings v QPR
Leeds United were forced to come back from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw with QPR in their Championship clash on Saturday.
Farke’s side went into the game as favourites but found themselves 2-0 down inside half an hour at Loftus Road, with Koki Saito curling home and Steve Cook doubling QPR’s lead with a bullet header.
A Junior Firpo cross bounced in off Morgan Fox to halve the deficit just before the break, and Leeds continued their momentum as Jayden Bogle found the net from Manor Solomon’s saved effort.
Further chances followed at both ends with Bogle, Wilfried Gnonto and Ao Tanaka testing the defence, but even after Saito was shown a red card for a lunge on Dan James, Leeds couldn’t find a winner.
Here, MOT Leeds News rates the United players’ performances out of 10…
Illan Meslier – 5
Could do nothing for the opener as Saito curled a clinical strike through the crowd and was nowhere near Cook’s header from the edge of the box, but did make a good close-range save to deny him in the second half as QPR tested Leeds from long throws.
Jayden Bogle – 8
Guilty of erratic crosses and shooting attempts and could have caused Firpo’s goal to be ruled out for offside had he got a touch, but was on hand to equalise after Solomon’s effort was saved and proved an ever-dangerous threat bombing on down the right.
Joe Rodon – 5
Solid enough on the ball but all at sea off it; failing to pick up the late run of Cook for QPR’s second goal, but did get a grip of things as the game progressed and gave Bogle licence to get forward.
Pascal Struijk – 5
Caught napping when Cook arrived to head QPR 2-0 in front and booked for a body-check on Paul Smyth in the second half to cut out a break, but made a vital block to deny Jimmy Dunne late on.
Junior Firpo – 7
His cross deflecting in off Fox restored some much-needed parity late in the first half, but he’d already been caught out at the other end, failing to close down the cross which Cook scored from.
Ao Tanaka – 5
Arguably overrun in the first half as QPR threw everything they had at Leeds and failed to pick up Cook’s run into the box,
Joe Rothwell – 4
Anonymous in the opening 45 minutes and failed to really assert himself in the second either, almost gifting QPR a chance with a poor pass, but also helping to keep possession ticking over.
Abject Aaronson forces Farke to break tradition for Leeds United
Dan James – 5
James fired off some early crossing attempts but was subdued for much of the first half, coming back to prominence in the second with several dangerous balls into the middle, and his pace on the break led to Saito’s red card-worthy challenge.
Brenden Aaronson (off for Wilfried Gnonto, 45′) – 2
A bizarre pass in his own box was seized upon by Saito to fire home the opener in a head-scratching moment for Leeds’ number 11, and he was never able to make much impact at the other end either before Farke broke tradition to drag him off at the break.
Manor Solomon (off for Largie Ramazani, 84′) – 6
Caught short out wide in the lead-up to QPR’s second goal but played a crucial part in Leeds’ reply, seeing a shot saved by Paul Nardi before Bogle bounced and launching several teasing balls into the box.
Joel Piroe – 5
Dropped deep whenever needed and had a few good openings, launching an early half-volley over the bar, and laid on the ball for Firpo to cross home off Fox. Linked up with James in the last third but was unable to produce much
Substitutes:
Wilfried Gnonto (on for Brenden Aaronson, 45′) – 7 – On at the break and immediately involved, getting the ball forward for the equaliser, teeing up a Bogle chance which went close and almost getting the winner himself; not getting enough contact on Firpo’s low cross at the near post and skewing wide.
Large Ramazani (on for Manor Solomon, 84′) – 6 – On to provide fresh legs late on and beat his marker to cross from the left almost every single time.