Graham Smyth shares what Joe Rodon did to Ao Tanaka after Leeds United win v Sheffield United
Graham Smyth has shared what Joe Rodon did to Leeds United teammate Ao Tanaka after the win over Sheffield United.
The Whites returned from the international break with a 2-0 win over the Blades at Elland Road on Friday (18 October) thanks to second-half goals from Pascal Struijk and substitute Mateo Joseph.
Although Struijk stole the plaudits for his display, it was Tanaka who was awarded man of the match and according to Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Smyth, Rodon was quick to embrace the midfielder.
Writing for the Yorkshire Evening Post (19 October) he said: “Rodon picking up Tanaka after he and Struijk had shared a full-time embrace.”
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Leeds United supporters were rightly concerned when both Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev were ruled out until the new year with knee injuries, but both Tanaka and Joe Rothwell have stepped into the middle of the park with complete ease.
The Japanese midfielder has taken to Championship football like a duck to water and even after being involved with Japan in the international break, he looked full of energy as the Whites claimed all three points at Elland Road.
Alongside Rothwell, Tanaka ran the game from the middle of the park as the Leeds pair dominated both in and out of possession. He may have only been a United player for a matter of weeks, but he is already looking at home at Elland Road.
Hopefully, the Japanese international will only continue to improve as the season continues.
With each and every game he plays in the Championship, he looks more comfortable in Leeds colours and Rodon’s embrace after the full-time whistle shows that he is clearly a popular figure in the Whites’ changing room.
In other Leeds United news, one Sky pundit was quick to slam a Whites player for a “dreadful” moment against the Blades
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