Ao Tanaka surely finished at Leeds after what Daniel Farke did in loss vs Arsenal
Ao Tanaka was once again snubbed by Daniel Farke in Saturday’s 4-0 loss to Arsenal.
Leeds hadn’t lost at Elland Road since a 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa on 23 November, but they were completely outclassed by the league leaders.
The result leaves them six points clear of the relegation zone, and they have to bounce back immediately with a convincing performance against Nottingham Forest on Friday.
One man who is guaranteed to be on the bench for that much is Tanaka, who was left as an unused substitute against Mikel Arteta’s side.
Daniel Farke clearly does’t trust Ao Tanaka
Tanaka has flourished for Leeds, and his 96th-minute equaliser against Liverpool on 6 December proved how vital he can be to the team.
Ilia Gruev has been favoured by Farke this season, but he was substituted after a poor first-half performance.
However, Tanaka was not called upon, with the German head coach bringing on Sean Longstaff instead.
| Stat | Ao Tanaka |
| Appearances | 20 |
| Starts | 7 |
| Goals | 2 |
| Pass accuracy | 83.8% |
| Tackles | 17 |
| Interceptions | 12 |
While this was done to add height to the team in order to deal with Arsenal’s aerial threat, it sent a message that Tanaka is fifth in the pecking order.
Leeds are relatively stacked when it comes to midfield options, and there have been reports that they could add Josh Mulligan to their ranks before the transfer deadline on 2 February.
It seems baffling after how impressive the 27-year-old midfielder was last season, and there’s a good chance the Whites would still be in the Championship if it weren’t for his seven goal contributions.
While he may not leave in the winter transfer window, it’s very likely that he’ll look for another club in the summer.
- Read more: Karl Darlow an embarrassment, 3/10 teammate not much better – Leeds player ratings vs Arsenal
Ao Tanaka’s quality in both boxes is being overlooked
Gruev is being used mainly because he’s left-footed, and in his defence, he has been impressive in the majority of games that he’s played.
However, Tanaka’s ability to produce a moment of magic from out of nowhere makes him invaluable.
While the Japan international shouldn’t be one of the first names on the teamsheet, he certainly deserves to have started more than seven Premier League games this season.
With Longstaff returning to action after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, it does look as though Tanaka will be set for more frustration on the bench.
It’s all up to him to prove Farke wrong, but it feels as though the German head coach is set in preferring his alternative options.
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