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Lee Hendrie baffled by Daniel Farke decision as he goes on Sky Sports rant in Leeds United clash v Stoke City
Lee Hendrie was “really, really surprised” that Leeds United manager Daniel Farke left Crysencio Summerville out of his starting line-up to face Stoke City.
Summerville produced a superb display to help Leeds recover from two goals down and beat Norwich City 3-2 last weekend, but he was named among the substitutes at the bet365 Stadium.
Leeds struggled to create much in the first half of Wednesday’s (25 October) Championship contest, leaving Hendrie all the more baffled as to why the Dutch youngster was omitted.
Commentating on the game for Sky Sports Main Event [25 October, 08:16pm], Hendrie said: “I was really, really surprised to see he was rested.
“That will certainly come down to the games that are being played, but when someone makes the impact he did, you felt he might start again. That was one of my bankers.”
Strange call
To highlight just how good Summerville was against Norwich last weekend, he achieved something no other Leeds player has in five-and-a-half years.
Not since Pablo Hernandez against Sunderland in April 2018 had a Leeds player completed both at least five take-ons and created five-or-more chances in a game, prior to Summerville doing so at Carrow Road [Opta].
That was a continuation of Summerville’s fine form of late, having scored three goals and assisted another – two of those strikes coming versus Norwich – in his past three outings.
If ever a player had made themselves undroppable, it was surely Summerville. And yet Farke instead went with Jaidon Anthony on the left against Stoke, with Wilfried Gnonto on the right and Joel Piroe playing off Georginio Rutter.
It was Farke’s call to make, though, and he will of course have his reasons – fitness being top of the list. Leeds have a good squad depth, and it is down to those below Summerville in the pecking order to step up when called upon.
On the basis of the first half in Staffordshire, though, Leeds may be relying more on Summerville than Farke would like to acknowledge.
In other Leeds United news, the women’s side racked up a hugely convincing victory in their cup tie at the weekend.