Daniel Farke shares what Djed Spence must do to make Leeds United first-team breakthrough
Daniel Farke says Djed Spence has to adapt more to the style of play at Leeds United if he is to break into the first team at Elland Road.
A lot was expected of full-back Spence, 23, when he joined on loan from Tottenham at the end of August but he has played just nine Championship minutes, albeit injuries have restricted his game time.
With the likes of Archie Gray, Jamie Shackleton and Luke Ayling also adept at playing right-back, Farke said it is not about shoe-horning one player into the starting line-up.
“We’re all happy we have Djed here with us and I’m sure he can show his qualities in the future a lot on the pitch,” Farke said in quotes reported by the Yorkshire Evening Post (9 December).
“But like I mentioned with Patrick [Bamford] and Willy [Gnonto], it’s not about an individual. The team has settled in a special way, it’s not like we have to change our set-up to play him in his best position and make five or six changes.
“There is no need to make ‘Djed United’. It’s more important the group is working. He has also to adapt a bit more to our style and what we have to do, instead of us having to adapt to Djed Spence. It’s always about the team.”
Earn the right to play
The signing of Spence felt like a pretty shrewd one when it was announced in August, especially considering he has a Championship promotion on his CV during a loan spell at Nottingham Forest a couple of seasons back.
Moreover, his electric pace means he can be asset both in attack and defence, so to see this move pan out the way it has is naturally a little bit disappointing for everyone involved.
Having said that, Farke is absolutely right to be taking the approach he is. No player should be guaranteed a spot in the team, they have to earn the right to play and show that they are adaptable to the demands the manager is making.
Spence should not be written off yet, but with Leeds flying high in third and doing all they can to track down Leicester City and Ipswich Town above them then there is clearly no need to change a winning formula.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay has named a bizarre one to watch against Blackburn Rovers.