Blame Victor Orta for ‘annoying’ Leeds United issue as alumni impress at Ipswich Town and Sunderland – Adam Pope
It is “annoying” that players who have previously left Leeds United without making a major impact are performing so well elsewhere when the club still have issues at left-back, according to Adam Pope.
The BBC Sport journalist said on Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet on 18 December to “blame Victor” Orta for the fact that Niall Huggins put in a strong performance as a left wing-back against the Whites as they were beaten by Sunderland on Tuesday (12 December) and have Ipswich Town’s Leif Davis up next (23 December).
Simon Rix had highlighted the fact that Davis already has 11 Championship assists this season after completing a permanent move in the summer, with Leeds currently playing Djed Spence out of position amid injuries to Sam Byram and Junior Firpo.
Rix said knowingly of the side second in the table (30m 10s): “They’ve got a really good left-back who’s got the most assists for them I think, 11 assists I think.”
Pope replied: “Isn’t this annoying, you’ve got Leif Davis doing well and I thought Niall Huggins played well the other night for Sunderland.”
“Go and get one of them,” joked Jonny Buchan.
“Blame Victor,” said Pope.
Ships sailed
The ongoing failure to properly address the left-back position since Ezgjan Alioski departed two and a half years ago continues to be one of the more infuriating subjects at Elland Road.
Firpo’s signing from Barcelona was supposed to solve it immediately but his form and fitness record have prevented him from ever being the answer, and yet he is the only specialist signed in that time.
Byram’s return in the summer on a free transfer looked to have addressed the problem unexpectedly as the right-back did well on the left over the first half of the season, but his long-term injury issues have returned to knock him out of action.
His use there follows a long list of stop-gap solutions including Stuart Dallas, Pascal Struijk, Max Wober, Leo Hjelde, and Jamie Shackleton, none of which have proven sustainable for one reason or another.
They may not have been too many fans overly frustrated to see Leeds United bring in a “seven-figure fee” for Davis, 23, in the summer [East Anglian Daily Times], or even the “undisclosed fee” for 23-year-old Huggins [Chronicle Live] two years earlier, given their peripheral status at Elland Road.
But the collective failure of Orta and successive managers to find an answer from the options at the club’s disposal when Davis now appears to be the exact sort of player the Whites need at the ongoing problem position will be a source of great frustration.
A return for another former Leeds defender in Charlie Taylor has been tipped ahead of the January transfer window, but it remains to be seen whether the club are finally set to plug the gap properly or not.
In other Leeds United news, Farke may not want one former first-team player any more after axing him from the squad in “difficult” situation says a pundit.