MOT View: Could enforced break put end to shining form of Leeds 28-year-old?
One of the highlights of the season before the break has been the recent form of Leeds United defender Luke Ayling.
The Whites had won five games in-a-row all with clean sheets in the Championship, a run which sent them top of the table above West Brom.
More impressively, Ayling managed to score three goals against Bristol City, Hull and Huddersfield – the latter a goal of the season contender.
Marcelo Bielsa has transformed the right-back since arriving at the beginning of last season and has unleashed him into a great attacking option.
The numbers prove that Ayling hasn’t averaged as many shots in any other season than the last two and is always in-and-around the opposition box.
Ayling himself admitted that he was shocked at his form but he did agree that is exactly what he had been wanting to add to his game under Bielsa – something that clearly worked.
Only Patrick Bamford, Pablo Hernandez and Jack Harrison have scored more this season and there will be big hopes that he can continue that form after this break is over.
Those performances even got him a spot in the Championship Team of the Season as chosen by a group of Sky Sports pundits – although it was at left-back, they couldn’t leave him out.
Ayling attracts the most attention going forward too and is fouled twice per game according to WhoScored – the most in the entire squad. Most of them may be down to his famous ‘flop’ but he certainly is a massive factor going forward.
Leeds will definitely need him at the top of his game in the final nine outings, and he could have a massive say on promotion if he hasn’t lost his form in the break.
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