Max Wober wows BBC reporter with stunning effect on Leeds United teammates Robin Koch and Junior Firpo after Wolves win
Max Wober is “absolutely key” to the current Leeds United improvements according to BBC man Adam Pope, who was wowed by the Austrian’s work in the win at Wolves.
The former Red Bull Salzburg captain was holding things together almost single-handedly in the face of an attacking onslaught at Molineux on Saturday (18 March), somehow helping keep the Whites 1-0 up at the break in the 4-2 win.
And his influence under manager Javi Gracia has stood out as a huge part of the climb up the table, not least in how much he has effected major growth from inconsistent teammates Robin Koch and Junior Firpo.
Speaking on Tuesday’s episode of the Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet podcast for BBC Sport (21 March, 9m 45s) Pope said: “Also managing in-game, taking responsibility, Max Wober… What a game he had. I don’t think it’s any coincidence Koch is playing as consistently as he has done, and Firpo has got better.
“That back five is pretty much nailed on at the moment, certainly to start a game anyway, but he is absolutely key to it.”
BBC Leeds’ Jonny Buchan agreed, saying: “It’s amazing that impact isn’t it?”
Game-changer
Willy Gnonto might have something to say about it, and Tyler Adams was certainly receiving plenty of plaudits around the time of the World Cup where he starred for his country, but Wober has to be the signing of the season.
A combination of Koch, Diego Llorente and Liam Cooper, produced frequent calamitous defensive performances over the course of two relegation battles in the past two seasons, while Firpo was a target for the fans’ ire as a transfer flop while Pascal Struijk was pushed into emergency use on the left long-term.
There are still improvements to be made, but since his January arrival 25-year-old Wober has been the catalyst for a major improvement overall and has lifted the performances of his two colleagues.
Koch is suddenly looking assured and has attracted significant transfer interest as a result, making it somewhat typical of Leeds that he is the one defender whose new contract has yet to be signed.
While Firpo has become the regular starter that he was always supposed to be after his arrival from Barcelona, and at long last Leeds United are climbing away from the relegation zone.
Gracia deserves plenty of the credit, but Wober’s presence makes such a difference to an area of the team that so often looked like a liability prior to the winter window.
Luke Ayling will have to avoid putting in any more defensive performances like the one he did at Molineux or it will be him who is not set in the back five, but otherwise it is suddenly a unit that can inspire (tentative) confidence.
In other Leeds United news, a world-famous manager is not impressed with one Whites player after what he has seen.
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