Leeds United: Phil Hay shares what Daniel Farke did to Djed Spence on the pitch after win v Blackburn Rovers
Phil Hay has shared what Leeds United manager Daniel Farke did to Djed Spence following the Whites’ win over Blackburn Rovers on Saturday 9 December.
The Tottenham loanee made his first appearance since September from the bench at Ewood Park as Leeds ran out 2-0 winners against Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side, thanks to goals either side of halftime from Daniel James and Crysencio Summerville.
Spence performed reasonably well during his 20-minute cameo, especially considering he’s been sidelined for over two months, but according to Hay, he received a lengthy “debrief of his life” from Farke following the full-time whistle.
Writing on his Twitter account after the match (9 December) he said: “Spence getting the debrief of his life from Farke on the pitch.”
Time to kick on
When Leeds United signed Spence this summer, the intention was that he would become the Whites’ first-choice right-back and start most matches at Elland Road, but injuries have limited his involvement so far this season and restricted him to two cameos from the bench.
However, now that he is fit and firing, the Whites will expect him to kick on and make the right-back position his own between now and the end of the season and his loan spell and Farke’s dressing down on the pitch will likely be part of that process.
In his 20-minute cameo, the 23-year-old won both of the two tackles that he entered and made three ball recoveries, but there was a moment in the closing minutes where he failed to track back particularly quickly to maintain Leeds’ clean sheet.
If there is one thing that Farke won’t accept from his side it is laziness or a lack of care in defence and the German would have been frustrated by that moment from Spence and seems to have made sure that the Tottenham loanee knows it.
With another strong display from Archie Gray at right-back, including an assist for Summerville’s goal, Spence may face a battle yet to win a place in Farke’s starting XI.
In other Leeds United news, Michael Gray has slammed Illan Meslier for a “bizarre” mistake in the first half of the clash with Blackburn