Liam Cooper surely finished at Leeds United as Watford stat emerges
A stat that emerged after Leeds United drew 2-2 with Watford at Vicarage Road suggests that Liam Cooper may lack the capacity to contribute effectively for the Whites going forward.
Club captain Cooper was handed a rare start as the left-sided central defender, with Pascal Struijk ruled out for the rest of the season following surgery and Ethan Ampadu pushed forward back into midfield due to Ilia Gruev’s absence through injury.
However, the 32-year-old struggled and Leeds fell behind twice in the first half, failing to control the game with their usual iron grip.
He was replaced in the 64th minute by left-back Junior Firpo, with Sam Byram switching to right-back, Archie Gray moving into central midfield and Ampadu dropping back to partner Joe Rodon at the heart of defence.
The reshuffle proved successful – a social media post from Opta specialist Jonny Cooper explained how: “After Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu became our centre back pairing in the 64th minute, Watford didn’t have a single shot or touch in our penalty area and completed just 31 passes.”
Another substitute, Mateo Joseph, went on to score a late equaliser – but the dropped points mean the Whites slip to second in the standings, a point behind Ipswich Town and just one clear of third-placed Leicester City, who boast a game in hand.
Liam Cooper lacks Ethan Ampadu’s ball-playing ability
Ampadu’s superior skill and comfort on the ball are fundamental to the way Daniel Farke wants Leeds to play – dominating possession and squeezing up the pitch. With Cooper in the side, the Whites appear less able to exert themselves on proceedings.
In fact, Leeds have won just three of the eight Championship games in which Cooper has played at least a full half of football. Farke shuffled his pack, Ampadu moved into midfield to replace Gruev which saw Cooper earn a first start since New Year’s Day.
Ultimately, Leeds appear to lose a measure of control when Cooper starts – and they simply cannot afford that if they are to secure automatic promotion back to the Premier League.
In other Leeds United news, the Whites are set to receive a “significant percentage” of any fee for their former striker.
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