Djed Spence into Leeds United starting XI ‘will happen’ after Tottenham loanee injury, Daniel Farke faces Archie Gray choice – Phil Hay
Djed Spence is the one player currently not in Daniel Farke’s regular Leeds United starting XI who will “surely” be brought in before long, says Phil Hay.
The Athletic journalist said on The Square Ball on 8 December that the on-loan Tottenham defender bumping someone out of the side likely “will happen” and therefore present the manager with a “decision to make” over Archie Gray and his midfield partnership.
Spence was injured after an eye-catching cameo on debut against Sheffield Wednesday (2 September) and has only been back in the squad for the previous two games after regaining fitness, with Gray having taken Luke Ayling’s spot in the mean time after starting the season strongly in midfield.
Hay said (24m 50s): “I’m not really looking at any in Farke’s line up and thinking it’s a peculiar decision to have them there.
“I think Spence at right back is going to be the one, eventually isn’t it? That, surely, at some point has to pay off and work for Leeds.
“There’s no problem with Gray there as far as I’m concerned but Spence is the right back and you would think that will happen, which obviously gives Farke a decision to make in the middle [of midfield].”
Position battle
Logically Hay is right because Spence was a high-profile capture at a position that looked like it was relatively clear to claim at the start of the season, at least with Cody Drameh unwanted.
Gray’s emergence as a Farke favourite was unexpected in many ways at the beginning of the campaign, but with Ethan Ampadu and Glen Kamara also proving so vital since the teenager was deployed in defence it is tough to see who misses out.
For now the situation is essentially not broke and doesn’t require fixing, so Spence presumably remains the odd man out on the bench currently.
At some point there is bound to be a need to rest players and with Gray’s workload already one of the heaviest despite his young age Spence will surely get a chance eventually.
If he grasps the opportunity then a three-man rotation in the midfield would be the envy of plenty across the Championship, although Ilia Gruev will be left on the outside looking in.
Spence, 23, may have been the stand-out Championship right back two seasons ago but he wouldn’t be the first to see plans fall apart due to injury, so while most expect him to come into the Whites side sooner or later it is possible that Farke decides Gray has established himself and won’t change for the foreseeable future.
In other Leeds United news, a “brilliant” loanee is the only one wanted back at Elland Road amid a “huge” prediction.