Graham Smyth moots ‘different role’ for Luke Ayling at Leeds United once Jed Spence returns from injury
Graham Smyth has mooted a “different role” for Luke Ayling at Leeds United once Jed Spence returns from injury.
Speaking on the Inside Elland Road podcast on Wednesday (11 October), the Yorkshire Evening Post journalist said the right-back and captain Liam Cooper may have to come around to the idea of their role changing at Elland Road.
He added that it’s probably going to be the case for the 32-year-old Ayling once Spence, who is on loan from Tottenham, is back and available for selection because he hasn’t joined the Whites to sit on the bench.
“It does just pose the kind of question, do these veterans, although they won’t settle for it because they are competitors and they want to play every game, do they have to at least come around a little bit to the idea of their role changing and playing a different role?” asked Smyth.
“Maybe coming off the bench more, maybe playing from the start less than they are used to. I think that’s probably going to be the case, particularly when Spence comes back in the next few weeks. He’ll have to get back up to speed again, of course, but he didn’t come here from Tottenham to sit on the bench, did he?
“I know we’re all basing it on a 10-minute cameo, but he was so dynamic in that 10-minute cameo that there was almost a bit of inevitability engulfing him. That’s a dangerous thing because you can’t just expect how things are going to go, football is very unpredictable, but it’s a good situation for Farke to have.”
Progressive
It seems extremely likely that Ayling is going to have to settle for a change to his role at Leeds after Archie Gray played ahead of him at right-back in the 2-1 victory over Bristol City on Saturday (7 October).
That means he’s even more likely to fall down the pecking order once Spence returns to the side as he will be expecting to play regular first-team football.
With Ayling not getting any younger and Spence still only 23, it feels like a progressive move to hand him more opportunities as Leeds will likely try and sign him on a permanent basis if his loan goes well.
The veteran right-back and Cooper are characters Daniel Farke will be keen to keep around the place, though, as they have a lot of experience and care about the club.
It will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds, but these are the kind of decisions the Whites boss would want to have on his hands as he looks to help the club challenge for promotion this season.
In other Leeds United news, a journalist has mooted an Elland Road return for a Premier League player.