Joe Rothwell dubbed ‘sensational’ as Ampadu question raised at Leeds United
Adam Pope has hailed “sensational” Joe Rothwell after the performance he put in for Leeds United in their Championship clash against Derby on Saturday.
The on-loan ace has become something of a mainstay within the Whites’ starting XI due to the injuries suffered by Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev.
Now that the Welshman is getting back to full fitness, BBC Leeds journalist Jonny Buchan has questioned who the former Chelsea man could replace in Leeds’ starting XI out of Rothwell and Ao Tanaka.
“There was no hint that Leeds were going to mess up that game at all because everything functioned really well,” Pope said on the Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet Podcast (9 December).
“Particularly Joe Rothwell in the middle of the park who I thought was sensational. With those two tackles, he did early on fired up a crowd which would have otherwise been a bit flat at times.”
To which Buchan replied: “He was outstanding, I thought it was his best game for Leeds at the weekend Rothwell and even with [Ethan] Ampadu coming back and it’s great to have him on the bench, can we afford to not have Rothwell in the side with the way he’s playing at the minute?”
Daniel Farke is going to have to be harsh with his decision-making at Leeds United
When both Amapdu and Gruev were ruled out for extended periods, many fans feared the impact it could have had on their title aspirations in the Championship.
However, thanks to Leeds’ proactiveness in the transfer market, they had already brought in two more than capable deputies for the defensive midfield roles within the team in Rothwell and Tanaka.
The duo have since formed an impressive partnership in the centre of the park and have often been key to Leeds’ successes in recent weeks.
With Ampadu now back in the first-team squad, it’s obvious somebody is going to have to make way but when both midfielders have been some of the best players in your squad, it’ll no doubt be hard for Farke to make that choice.
Granted, Ampadu won’t be ready for a full 90 minutes yet so there’s still some time to weigh things up but, the choice the German makes will no doubt be pivotal to the rest of their 2024/25 season.
In other Leeds news, Jeff Stelling was left stunned by the claims Ally McCoist made about the Whites.
For more Leeds news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.