Dan James happy to be back at Leeds United after ‘tricky start’ to Elland Road return
Dan James has admitted that he is happy to be back at Leeds United following a loan switch to Fulham, after a “tricky start” to his Elland Road return.
The Welsh international was sent to Craven Cottage on loan by Jesse Marsch at the beginning of last season, where he found regular football hard to come by in Marco Silva’s side, only making 23 appearances for Fulham while his parent club were relegated to the Championship.
While many players departed Elland Road following the drop into England’s second tier, James opted to remain a part of Daniel Farke’s side and has impressed in the early stages of the season, registering five goal contributions in just seven starts and he has admitted he’s happy to be back.
As quoted by PA Sports (14 October) he said: “It’s great to be back. As soon as I got back in the summer I just wanted to play and show that I was there to stay and work hard. We had a little bit of a tricky start, but we’ve had a good run of games and we’ve just got to keep pushing.
“It’s always harder when you haven’t played many minutes, not just physically but mentally as well. You need to get into the rhythm of games and I’ve got that at Leeds now. I’m feeling fit and ready and, when that happens, everything comes naturally.”
Rhythm
It feels as though this Leeds United side found their rhythm in the last few weeks before the international break, especially when in attack they looked to pose a threat every time that they ventured forward in a manner that had Championship defences terrified.
James in particular has been superb in the opening quarter of the campaign and has been one of Farke’s biggest threats, with his explosive pace partnered with his crossing ability allowing him to create an outstanding 21 chances for his teammates [Fotmob].
The important thing now for both Leeds and James, is to not take their foot off of the gas, as if they continue playing like this, there will be very little that stops them from returning to the Premier League at the first time of asking, but things can change quickly in the Championship.
Against Southampton, the Whites were nowhere near their best and Russell Martin’s side picked them apart with relative ease and even against Bristol City where Farke’s side was dominant, the Robins managed a few bright moments.
Hopefully, James and the rest of his teammates can return injury-free from their international duties and continue to rise up the table in the coming weeks.
In other Leeds United news, rarely-seen Whites star Ilia Gruev impressed for Bulgaria despite their defeat in Euro 2024 Qualifying